Nyangumarta people explained

The Nyangumarta people, also written Njaŋumada, Njangamada, Njanjamarta and other variations, are a nation of Aboriginal Australians from the northwestern coast of Western Australia. According to Norman Tindale, they are divided into two distinct branches, the Kundal and the Iparuka.

Language

See main article: Nyangumarta language. Nyangumarta belongs to the Marrngu branch of the Pama–Nyungan languages, together with Mangarla and Karajarri.

Country

Njangumarta Kundal country extended over some 16000order=flipNaNorder=flip, while that of Njangumarta Iparuka comprised an estimated 8700order=flipNaNorder=flip. Together they encompass areas from the Great Sandy Desert south through to Eighty Mile Beach, including Pardoo Station, Wallal Downs Station and Anna Plains Station. Geoffrey O'Grady affirmed that the original extent of their lands at the beginning of white colonial penetration in their domain was 7000mi2, but that their linguistic expansion and influence had increased substantially since then.

Present day

Most Nyangumarta people now live in Broome, Bidyadanga and Port Hedland, though they still regularly visit their country.

Native title

Their traditional ownership of this country was recognised in 2009 by the Federal Court of Australia.

Alternative names

• Njangamada, Nyangamada, Nangamada, Nangamurda, Njangomada, Njangumada
• Njangumarda, Nangumarda, Njangomada, Nyangumada, Nyangumata
• Njadamarda, Njanjamarta
• Ngapakoreilitja (northern name, "southern waters people")
• Ngardungardu (northern name, contrasting with Nganudu (southern Njaŋumada)
• Warmala (pejorative northern Njangamarda term for southerners)
• Kundal (name for northern coastal Njangamarda)
• Kundal and Waljuli Njangamarda (southern inlanders names for northern coastal Njangamarda)
• Kularupulu (name applied jointly to coastal Njangamarda and Karajarri)
• Iparuka (name used by southern bands)
• Ngapakarna (another southern endonym)
• I:baruga, Ibarga, Ibarrga, Ibargo

Notes

Citations

Sources

• Web site: AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia . 14 May 2024 . . .
• The Distribution and Chronology of Some Important Types of Stone Implements in Western Australia . Davidson . D. S. . McCarthy . Frederick D. . Anthropos . 1957 . 52 . 3/4 . 390–458 . 40454078 .
• Web site: Hunter v State of Western Australia [2009] FCA 654 ]. . 19 August 2009 . .
• Statistical Investigations into an Australian Language . O'Grady . Geoffrey N. . Geoffrey O'Grady . . June 1957 . 27 . 4 . 283–312 . 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1957.tb00707.x . 40329062 .
• Book: O'Grady, Geoffrey N. . Nyangumarta Grammar . Geoffrey O'Grady . 1964 . . PDF .
• Book: Palmer, Kingsley . Aborigines, values and the environment . 1991 . . Fundamental Questions Paper No.7 . 0-86740-391-8 .
• Report of field work in North-Western Australia . Piddington . Marjorie . Piddington . Ralph . Ralph Piddington . . March 1932 . 2 . 3 . 342–358 . 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1932.tb00033.x . 27976152 .
• The Water-Serpent in Karadjeri Mythology . Piddington . Ralph . Ralph Piddington . . October–December 1930 . 1 . 3 . 352–354 . 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1930.tb01656.x . 40327334 .
• Book: Sharp, Janet . Nyangumarta, a language of the Pilbara region of Western Australia . 2004 . . 978-0-858-83529-0 .
• Web site: Tindale Tribal Boundaries . . September 2016 . .
• Book: Tindale, Norman Barnett . Njangamarda (WA) . Norman Tindale . 1974 . Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names . . http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/njangamarda.htm . 20 March 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200320020206/http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/njangamarda.htm . 978-0-708-10741-6 .