Dhalmula #2 Burarrwaŋa
Wanha, dhika, nhawi?
Paper Size: 61cm x 49.5cm, Image size: 43cm x 33.5cm, Paper: BFK Rivers

ID: 1145-24

There is a Yolŋu slang saying “wanha, dhika nhawi?” Or it could be “dhika, wanha,nhawi?” or even “nhawi, dhika wanha?” These are all different ways of saying the same thing. This is what you mutter to yourself when you are looking for that whatchamacallit that was somewhere, maybe here or was it there? These are all the things you could be looking for!

By the dictionary ‘wanha’ means ‘where (at)?, which?’, ‘dhika’ means ‘somewhere, something (around here) unspecified, unrealised very (much, many)’ and ‘nhawi’ means ‘whatchamacallit?, whatsit?, thingamyjig?, um- hesitation form’ Put them all together and you have the Yolŋu idiomatic slang for when you have lost your key, lighter, toothpaste, calculator, smokes, spear, water bottle, woomera, knife, oysterpick, torch, trowel, anchor, bag, cat, spoon, dog, cup, pen, toothbrush, axe, clapstick, scissors, car, pot, wallet, keycard, phone etc.

Printed February 2024