I live in Adelaide and have an interest in the local indigenous language. I was surprised to see that "water" was "kauwi" as I had always believed the Kaurna word for water was "wirra" - I had been told that a local national park, Parra Wirra, meant "little water". I've also noticed the Kaurna name for the Torrens River is Karrawirra Parri. Seeing that "Karra" was "tree" fit with that, since I presumed Karrawirra Parri meant something like "tree-lined water" or similar. Perhaps "wirra" means "river" as opposed to "water"? I'd appreciate it if you could clear this up for me.
I live in Adelaide and have an interest in the local indigenous language. I was surprised to see that "water" was "kauwi" as I had always believed the Kaurna word for water was "wirra" - I had been told that a local national park, Parra Wirra, meant "little water". I've also noticed the Kaurna name for the Torrens River is Karrawirra Parri. Seeing that "Karra" was "tree" fit with that, since I presumed Karrawirra Parri meant something like "tree-lined water" or similar. Perhaps "wirra" means "river" as opposed to "water"? I'd appreciate it if you could clear this up for me.
Wirra means forest, and pari is river.