Buka from plants, in order to lose its raw flavour and become more tender, is prepared in the following manner. A shallow hole is dug in the ground, and a fire made in it so as to heat up the [surrounding] earth. When the fire has burnt down, the coals are scraped aside. The green leaves that are to be steamed are then laid on the heated ground, branches placed over the top, and the whole carefully covered with sand, so compactly, in fact, that no vapour or smoke can escape. This is generally done in the evening. It is left covered throughout the night, and dug out in the morning to be eaten. This form of preparation takes place in the case of jaua, winkara, and kalumba. From [some] seeds a kind of small bread-loaf is baked in the ashes. First, after the seed has been moistened, it is rubbed or ground between two stones until it turns into a sort of pulp [or mush]. A fire is then made in similar manner [as above] and allowed to die down. When this is done, the coals are scraped aside, the pulpy mass poured out [on to the hot sand], and covered with ashes. The following types of seed are treated in this way: wadlanguru, kalki, ngurawonpa, kanangara, kawolka-paua, witata, and ngardu. Since kalju seed is too hard to be softened by water, it is first tenderised in the ashes, then ground, mixed with [a little] water, baked into small cakes, and eaten.
The kulua is a thorny bush. When it has been burnt to the ground and its roots dug up, one may obtain as much water from its off-cut roots as may save a man from perishing.
this small type of onion is roasted in the ashes and then rubbed, so that the peel loosens and falls through the fingers, the wind blowing it away.
The seed of this edible plant is very keenly sought after for food. The muramura is Wariliwulani.
These are wood-grubs as thick as a finger, which bore their way into the trees; when extracted by means of a hook, they are eaten.
A long thin root, known as a witjiwitji, on whose end a clump of resin has been attached, is shoved into a rat hole to probe around. The rats, thinking this to be a snake, come jumping out, whereupon they are bashed to death.
If the stems are plucked when green and [allowed to] dry out, they can be eaten after first being bruised and pounded with a stone.
First the pods are gathered and cooked on the ashes; thereupon they are dried in the sun, so that they burst open. The seeds can then be picked out and ground [for food].
During the summer various trees and bushes exude gum, which is gathered up and eaten as a delicacy. Either it is chewed Reuther: "geschnullt" (from schnullen). This is not a Dictionary word, but an expression peculiar to Reuther, which he uses only in this context cf. Dictionary No. 229-7, 229-8; No. 3148-12, etc. like sugar, or it is softened in a bowl of water and enjoyed as a sort of jam. Various kinds of tree resin are the following.
In dry seasons animals are lean, so that there is no [or little] meat to eat. There are no seeds and "grass" types either. Therefore, the following types of seed (which are very hard and require to be pounded) are gathered, viz: ngardu, kalju, kalumba, and malkatandra. Consequently everybody is pounding [seed] at a time like this. Hence the name.