Holding and practising Yolŋu concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu in Northern Australia

Brenda Muthamuluwuy; Gawura Waṉambi; Emily Armstrong; Yasunori Hayashi

doi:10.1075/aral.25049.hay

Holding and practising Yolŋu concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu in Northern Australia

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper will reflect on experiences of sharing and learning Yolŋu dhäruk (words, utterances, language) of East Arnhem Land in university education programs and community-based research. In particular we will attend to the concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu - inner feelings that are expressed in how we behave and interact. We elaborate how märr and ŋayaŋu are held and practiced by the traditional owners of Yolŋu dhäruk. Enactment of märr and ŋayaŋu can invigorate distinct ways of being and knowing Yolŋu dhäruk and express care for people and places in celebrating intergenerational knowledge transfer.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	168-190
Number of pages	23
Journal	Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Volume	49
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.25049.hay
Publication status	Published - Jan 2026

Bibliographical note

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© John Benjamins Publishing Company.

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title = "Holding and practising Yol{\ng}u concepts of m{\"a}rr and {\ng}aya{\ng}u in Northern Australia",

abstract = "This paper will reflect on experiences of sharing and learning Yol{\ng}u dh{\"a}ruk (words, utterances, language) of East Arnhem Land in university education programs and community-based research. In particular we will attend to the concepts of m{\"a}rr and {\ng}aya{\ng}u - inner feelings that are expressed in how we behave and interact. We elaborate how m{\"a}rr and {\ng}aya{\ng}u are held and practiced by the traditional owners of Yol{\ng}u dh{\"a}ruk. Enactment of m{\"a}rr and {\ng}aya{\ng}u can invigorate distinct ways of being and knowing Yol{\ng}u dh{\"a}ruk and express care for people and places in celebrating intergenerational knowledge transfer.",

keywords = "First Nations language, language teaching and learning, m{\"a}rr, practising Yol{\ng}u concepts, ways of being, {\ng}aya{\ng}u",

author = "Brenda Muthamuluwuy and Gawura Waṉambi and Emily Armstrong and Yasunori Hayashi",

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doi = "10.1075/aral.25049.hay",

language = "English",

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pages = "168--190",

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T1 - Holding and practising Yolŋu concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu in Northern Australia

AU - Muthamuluwuy, Brenda

AU - Waṉambi, Gawura

AU - Armstrong, Emily

AU - Hayashi, Yasunori

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © John Benjamins Publishing Company.

PY - 2026/1

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N2 - This paper will reflect on experiences of sharing and learning Yolŋu dhäruk (words, utterances, language) of East Arnhem Land in university education programs and community-based research. In particular we will attend to the concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu - inner feelings that are expressed in how we behave and interact. We elaborate how märr and ŋayaŋu are held and practiced by the traditional owners of Yolŋu dhäruk. Enactment of märr and ŋayaŋu can invigorate distinct ways of being and knowing Yolŋu dhäruk and express care for people and places in celebrating intergenerational knowledge transfer.

AB - This paper will reflect on experiences of sharing and learning Yolŋu dhäruk (words, utterances, language) of East Arnhem Land in university education programs and community-based research. In particular we will attend to the concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu - inner feelings that are expressed in how we behave and interact. We elaborate how märr and ŋayaŋu are held and practiced by the traditional owners of Yolŋu dhäruk. Enactment of märr and ŋayaŋu can invigorate distinct ways of being and knowing Yolŋu dhäruk and express care for people and places in celebrating intergenerational knowledge transfer.

KW - First Nations language

KW - language teaching and learning

KW - märr

KW - practising Yolŋu concepts

KW - ways of being

KW - ŋayaŋu

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DO - 10.1075/aral.25049.hay

M3 - Article

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SN - 0155-0640

VL - 49

SP - 168

EP - 190

JO - Australian Review of Applied Linguistics

JF - Australian Review of Applied Linguistics

IS - 2

ER -

Holding and practising Yolŋu concepts of märr and ŋayaŋu in Northern Australia

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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