Who is donkarak?

Did you know that this bird was called donkarak? I often see this brown and white bird with a splash of yellow on its belly and red flap on its face in a tree outside of my home for the past 8 years. It is loud and interesting looking but certainly not one of the beautiful parrots we have so many of here on Noongar boodjar. Donkarak’s song feels less sing-song and more lawn mower-esk.

I decided to talk about donkarak because of a book I read a number of years ago by Tara June Winch, The Yield. Throughout the book there were stories around learning Wiradjuri words through personal stories. So this is my nod to learning language through personal story. I believe this would be a great activity for classrooms.

Donkarak is my logo I chose this bird because it got me thinking, you are always here and loud and yet I never bothered to find out who you are, what your name is or anything else about you. (Do you see where I’m going with this?). I know the names both common and Noongar for koolbardi (magpie), wardong (crow), maali (swan), kaa kaa (kookaburra), weitj (emu) and more. But this bird who I hear and see most days I didn’t even know the common name (wattle bird). With all the teaching I have done in Aboriginal education one observation I often hear is, I didn’t know any of this, we weren’t taught it in school or very little. So for me donkarak represents what is right there in front of us, making the loud noise that we need to stop and take notice of. It is of Country and where I live so I have taken notice and I am writing about you donkarak because you are a part of my home, along with cute little djiti-djiti and solemn wardong.

So I have chosen donkarak as my logo (or dare I say totem?) and I will endeavour to learn more about this little bird. Since deciding this, donkarak has been visiting my garden and not just the trees on the verge outside my house but siting on my daughters climbing frame. I think this is donkarak saying that they are ok with me using them for my logo. I believe that Country can and does speak to wadjelas we just have to get better at listening.