How to speak in the Wakka Wakka language

MUCH of the Wakka Wakka language has been lost after years of the Wakka Wakka people not being allowed to speak their native tongue.

MUCH of the Wakka Wakka language has been lost after years of the Wakka Wakka people not being allowed to speak their native tongue.

Wakka Wakka is the name of the language of the Aboriginal people of the Burnett region.

The language extends across the South and North Burnett regions and takes in the communities of Cherbourg, Kingaroy, Gayndah, Mundubbera and the Bunya Mountains.

Unfortunately today there are minimal speakers of the language.

Here are some of the words.

Left-handed: waw-roon.

Tall: to-ko-ra.

Laugh: mun-jure.

Where is it: in-ja?

Come here: e-ja.

Tree iguana: beer-bering ga.

Grass iguana: na-ran.

Kangaroo: bar-roon-ga.

Bandicoot: bin-noor.

Native bear: june-doon-noo.

Creek: tone-gay.