Mayi: Bush Tucker Recipes (page 8)

marnukuju (conkerberry; Carissa Lanceolata)

Marnukuju grows on hills and claypans, and on the side of creeks. It is good to eat and is also bush medicine. You use the roots for sore ears and for sore teeth - you boil them up and the water goes blackish-red. For sore teeth, you gargle the water; it works like an anaesthetic and stops the pain. For the sore ears, you get a cloth and wet it with the water, and then squeeze it into your earns to stop the pain.

R. Frank Narrurlu and A. Morrison Nangali; M. Jones Jampin et al, Anyinginyi marla Warumungu-ngara, Batchelor College, Alice Springs, 1997; and J. Nixon Nakkamarra and N. Nelson Nakkamarra Bush medicine and plants, Papulu Apparr-Kari Language Centre, Tennant Creek. Photo K. Christen.

mulurr (turpentine bush; Acacia lysiphloia)

Mulurr grows in many places. It's used for smoking babies and sick people. You find yakkula (spinifex resin) on the ground at the roots of the spinifex grass and smash it into smallish pieces. Break off a bunch of mulurr where the young leaves are green and shiny and collect some old dry twigs too. Dig a small deep hole in the ground, about 20 cm wide and about the same deep. You put some dry mulurr twigs and grass on top of them. Then you put in the yakkula and light it on fire in the hole. You put some oil on the baby's body. When the fire has died down a bit, you put the fresh mulurr on the fire and hold the baby over the smoke, moving the baby around. Or else you put a blanket quickly over the hole, and quickly move the blanket so the smoke gets on the baby or sick person. This makes them strong. You can also take the young leaves and boil them up and over. The water changes the red colour. You ue this to wash people who have sores or itching, scabies or impetigo. You can also get white witchetty grubs from the roots.

E. Graham Nakkamarra, E. Nelson Nappanangka, R. Frank Narrurlu, J. Nixon Nakkamarra and N. Nelson Nakkamarra. Photo E. Wood, C. Cooney

ngajarrma (pencil yam, bush carrot; Vigna lanceolata)

Ngajarrma are similar to bush potatoes. They grow along the side of creeks. We dig up the ground to get the yam out. When we see the yam, we get it and eat it raw. You can also eat it cooked - you cook it in hot coals and cover it with the hot earth.

M. Jones Jampin et al, Anyinginyi marla Warumungungara, Batchelor College, Alice Springs, 1997. Photo A. Alder