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Ngaanyatjarra is an Aboriginal Australian dialectal group of the Western Desert cultural bloc.
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Meaning and origin of the name
Ngaanya literally means 'this' (that is, the demonstrative pronoun) and -tjarra means 'with/having' (the comitative suffix); the compound term means 'those that use "ngaanya" to say "this"'. Some neighbouring dialect groups are the Ngaatjatjarra and the Nyangatjatjarra, who use ngaatja and nyangatja respectively for 'this'.
Regions
The Ngaanyatjarra people make use of the resources of the following biogeographic regions
- North Western Great Sandy Desert
- Little Sandy Desert
- South East Gascoyne
- Gibson Desert
- Central Great Victoria Desert
- Western Central Ranges
The Western Desert cultural bloc covers about 600 000 square kilometres with more than 40 such dialectal groups. Among them are the Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara, Pintupi, Mardu and so on. All these groups speak distinct dialects which together comprise the language called (in English) the Western Desert Language. As is the tradition in Australian historical linguistics, the group consisting of the Western Desert Language and its close relative Warnman are known as the Wati group, the name coming from the word wati (meaning '(initiated) man') which is found in many of the dialects.[1]
Western Desert peoples were among the last to come into contact with the Western world (see for example the Woomera joint project and Maralinga atomic testing). Today most of them live in lands they have been able to claim back from the Crown.
Languages
Only five of the many indigenous Aboriginal languages of Western Australia are classified as being "healthy", four of these belonging to the Western Desert Language group namely:
- Nyangumarta (around Telfer)
- Mardu (around Lake Disappointment and Rudall River)
- Manytjilytjarra (Great Victoria Desert region)
- Ngaanyatjarra (Warburton region)
(see Western Desert Language)
Information
The Ngaanyatjarra lands consists of Wingellina, Blackstone, Jameson, Warburton, Wanarn, Warakurna, Tjukurla, Kiwirrkura, Tjirrkarli, Patjarr, Kanpa, Cosmo Newberry.
On 29 June 2005 the Ngaanyatjarra lands were the subject of the largest native title determination in Australian history (according to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner for Social Justice[2]) with a Federal Court hearing presided by Justice Black taking place on the lands between Blackstone and Warburton (specifically, 25°53′01″S 127°37′38″E / 25.8835990289°S 127.627352919°E)
See also
References
External links
- Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Media Release
- Legal Information regarding the determination
- Background Information regarding the determination
- Ngaanyatjarra entry in the AusAnthrop database
- Ngaanyatjarra Shire Councile website
- Ngaanyatjarra Media website - education material and cultural awareness outlet
- Ngaanyatjarra Media website - education material and cultural awareness outlet
- Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association website
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