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Language List

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Butchulla (Batjala) [E30]

Batjala Clan map:

Map No 79 Autumn 2007 State Library of Victoria – The La Trobe Journal  Land of the Badjala People.  Map specially drawn by Sally Stewart. http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-79/fig-latrobe-79-078a.html

Fraser or Great Sandy Island (native name KGari); also on the mainland coast south to Noosa Head.

Their name Batjala is said to mean ‘sea folk,’ however, their term for ‘no’ is [‘ba] and this may be the real derivation since [‘tjala] means ‘tongue.’

KGari had three Aboriginal groups and a majority of them where displaced due to government influences in the stealing of their land.  It is an interesting history that has been a major topic of discussion in Brisbane, which as required Wantima to create the Wantima KGari reference book.

Batjala area: 1,700 sq. m. (4,400 sq. km.)

Language comment: The community preference is to use Butchulla (Bell, 2004). Holmer describes a close relationship between Batjala and Kabi Kabi and is unable to define the relationship as dialectal or two separate languages (1983:138). Tindale includes Ngulungbara under this language name but indicates that they may be a different people (1974:165). Steele has a definite division of three groups on KGari.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Badjela, Badtala, Batyala, Badyala, Patyala, Bidhala, Butchulla, Dulingbara, Ngulungbara, Thoorgine (name of the island) for Batjala. Olongbura, Gnoolongbara, Koolaburra for Ngulungbara..

References

 

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Baradha (Barada) [E48]

On Connors River from Killarney north to Nebo; west to near Bombandy (Tindale 1974:165) … includes Saltbush Park, Lotus Creek, Bombandy, Celeve [sic], Collaroy, Tierwonbo, Wardu (Funnel Creek), Bolingbroke and Apis Creek Stations or parts of them (Tindale 1938 in Breen 2009:229)

Baradha clan area:  2,500 sq. m. (6,500 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  Baradha is a Biri dialect from Central Queensland. Breen reports that Tindale’s 1938 work used a subscript grave accent under the final consonant, which he interprets as interdental articulation, thus the spelling Baradha. He questions part of the location provided by Tindale in his earlier work (1938 in Breen 2009: 229), saying that Apis Creek and Cleve (Clive) seem too far south. Other dialects of the Biri language include Biri, Yangga, Yilba, Miyan, Wirri, Gabulbarra, Baranha, Yambina, Yetimarala, Garaynbal, Gangulu and the Brown River language (Breen, 2009). There is an unpublished manuscript ‘Baradha and Biri fieldnotes’ c 1973 by Warwick Norman, a linguistics student at the Australian National University referred to by Breen and listed in his references.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Thar-ar-ra-burra (horde at Cardowan), Tha-ra-ra-burra, Toolginburra (a horde name, [‘tulkun] = hill), [‘mari] = man.

References:

  • Breen, Gavan. 2009. The Biri dialects and their neighbours. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 133(2): 219-256.
  • Breen, G., & Australian National University. Department of Linguistics. (1990). Salvage Studies of Western Queensland Aboriginal Languages / Gavan Breen.
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (Bridgeman)
  • Fox,M. 1900: Legend of the Tha-ra-ra-burra tribe. Science of Man. 3 (4):64, 3(8):136.
  • Roth, 1910, North Queensland Ethnography, Bulletins. 1-18. Sydney and Brisbane.
  • Robertson, W. (1928) Coo-ee Talks. Sydney. Page 198
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.  64(1):140-231 and map. Superseded by the present work.
  • Terrill, Angela. 1998. Biri: Languages of the world 258. München: Lincom Europa. Linguistics & Anthropology LINCOM academic publishers. http://lincom-shop.eu/LWM-258-Biri
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.

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Baranha (Barna) [E53]

Headwaters of Isaac River, west to Denham Range; south to Cotherstone; at Grosvenor Downs.

Barna clan area:  3,200 sq. m. (8,300 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  Baranha is a Biri dialect from Central Queensland. A short text in Tindale (1938, in Breen 2009: 229) compares the dialect name Baranha with the dialect name Baradha ; the interdental stop in Baradha is clearly attested and Breen reconstructs Baranha on this basis. Baranha is a Biri dialect an alternative name Parnabal is the name of a place at some distance to the south from country associated with Baranha (Breen, 2009: 229). A word list in Curr (1887), ‘Fort Cooper: Aminungo tribe’ (no. 145) is described by Oates and Oates as ‘possibly’ referring to Barna (1970: 173). Breen describes the Fort Cooper wordlist as Wirri, another Biri dialect (2009: 227). Other dialects of the Biri language include Biri, Yangga, Yilba, Miyan, Wirri, Gabulbarra, Baradha, Yambina, Yetimarala, Garaynbal, Gangulu and the Brown River language (Breen, 2009).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Parnabal.

References:

  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite. 1886-87. The Australian race: its origin, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia, and the routes by which it spread itself over that continent. Melbourne: John Ferres, Government Printer; London: Trübner.
  • Breen, Gavan. 2009. The Biri dialects and their neighbours. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 133(2):219-256.
  • Oates, William J., and Lynette F. Oates. 1970. A revised linguistic survey of Australia: Australian Aboriginal Studies 33, Linguistic Series 12. Canberra: AIAS.
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338 .
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.

 

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Bayali (Baiali) [E42]

At mouth of Fitzroy River; on Curtis Island; at Keppel Bay; south to Calliope River and Gladstone; inland to Mount Morgan.

Bayali clan area:  1,400 sq. m. (3,600 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  The data for this language are scarce; there is a word list in Curr for Byellee (1887: 114-115). Terrill indicates that there is no connection to the neighbouring Biri languages (1998: 87).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Byellee, Bieli, Byellel, Orambul, Urambal.

References:

 

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Bidjara (Pitjara) [E37]

Headwaters of Nogoa and Warrego rivers; south to Caroline, north of Augathella; east to Killarney and Chesterton; west to Nive River; north to Mantuan Downs. Not to be confused with Badjiri of the lower Warrego River or the Bitjara of southwestern Queensland. Some evidence suggests that a late prehistoric eastward movement of tribes south of Charleville caused a separation between the Pitjara and Badjiri; they are now separate tribes. The eastern boundary of the tribal area is marked by sheer cliffs and their country is well wooded.

Bidjara clan Area: 6,400 sq. m. (16,600 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  Not to be confused with Bidjara of the Bulloo River. Breen (1973: 3-4) says that, while previously there was greater difference between the two, he now writes that Bidjara / Bidyara and Gungabula are virtually identical. He also alludes to there being two minimally different dialects of Bidjara / Bidyara: a southern group who ‘regard their tribal territory as comprising approximately the country drained by the upper Warrego (above Charleville) and usually call their language the “Warrego Language”’, and a northern (Clermont) group who ‘call themselves Bidyara and speak the same dialect (with isolated differences in vocabulary) but are generally referred to by the southern speakers as Wadyaningu or Wadyaninga. It is not known whether this is a name used by the Bidyara on the inland side of the Great Divide for those on the seaward side, or whether it was a Bidyara name for a language to the north and is mistakenly applied to the Clermont people.’ Due to the uncertain status of these names, as well as the low chance of materials emerging which are specifically about one dialect or the other, the Bidjara dialects are not included in this database, nor in the Thesaurus.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Bidjera, Peechera.

References

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Giya [E58] – also includes Nagaro [E59] attached below.

Bowen to St. Helens and Mount Dalrymple; inland to Clarke Range; at Proserpine, Gloucester Head, Gloucester Island, and Repulse Bay; not at Cape Conway.  The location given by Shea in Curr matches the location Tindale gives (Terrill 1998:87) .

Giya clan area: 1,600 sq. m. (4,200 sq. km.)

Language Comment:   Terrill reports the vocabulary in Curr (1887), ‘no.136, Port Denison to Cape Gloucester’ are all that remains for this language (1998:87). Breen suspects that Giya is related to Biri and Wirri either as a dialect of Biri language, or a closely related language; he notes that words with intial /gi/ (Giya and githi ‘spear’) are not a feature of Mari languages (2009:246).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Kia, Bumbara (place name, probably a horde), Bumbarra.

References:

Ngaro [E59] also known as Giya [E58].

Whitsunday Island; ranging over Cumberland Islands; also to mainland at Cape Conway and on mountains east of Proserpine. Sewn ironbark canoes, called [‘winta], were used for journeying between the islands-all reefs between St. Bees and Hayman Islands were known intimately and searched for food.

Ngaro clan area: 200 sq. m. (500 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  A wordlist by Tindale (1938, in Breen, 2009:246) is the only source for this language. The word list by Bridgeman and Bucas in Curr (1887 Vol.3 pp. 44-51), which Tindale reported as Ngaro (1974:182) is Wiri according to Breen (2009:227). The references in Oates (1975:234) are from linguistic surveys, the earliest is Capell who reports ‘Information reported by Tindale but nothing recorded’ (1963).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Ngalangi, Googaburra (a horde name), ‘Island’ tribe.

References:

  • Bates, J. (1997). The Last Islands
  • Breen, Gavan. 2009. The Biri dialects and their neighbours. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 133(2):219-256.  https://doi.org/10.1080/03721426.2009.10887121
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (reference: Bridgeman and Bucas);
  • Oates, Lynette F. 1975. The 1973 supplement to a revised linguistic survey of Australia. Armidale: Armidale Christian Book Centre.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
  • The Lore of the Land / Paintings and Stories by the Children of the Gia and Ngaro Homelands. (1997).

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Gubbi Gubbi [E29] also known as Undanbi [E94] & Dalla [E25]

Inland from Maryborough; north to Childers and Hervey Bay; south to near head of Mary River and Cooroy; west to Burnett and Coast Ranges and Kilkivan; at Gympie; not originally on Fraser Island although Curr (1886) mentions them as there. Mathews (1910) refers to fifteen local groups or hordes shared between his two language areas, Kabi and Wakka, excluding his Patyala, which are the Batjala of Fraser Island, a separate tribe. Kabikabi country is essentially a rain forest environment with open areas cleared by firing the scrub. Dry forest country of their neighbors was called [‘naran], literally ‘outside.’ The Hervey Bay folk under the hordelike name Dundubara behaved much like a separate tribe, Dundu:ra was seemingly the tribal form of their name. Members of this tribe were disturbed by the arrival of strangers of many surrounding tribes in the years of the ripening of bunya pine seeds.

Gubbi Gubbi clan area: 3,700 sq. m. (9,600 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  Holmer describes a close relationship between Kabi Kabi (E29) and Batjala but notes differences between them in morphology (1983:136).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Kabi ([‘kabi] = no), Cabbee, Karbi, Karabi, Carby-carbery, Kabbi, Kahby, Carby, Gabigabi, Dippil (general term embracing several tribes with languages akin to Kabikabi in southeastern Queensland), Dipple, Maiba (river chestnut people), Dundu:ra, Doondoora, Dundubara, Doondooburra (Hervey Bay people), Dowarburra (horde north of Kilkivan).

References:

  • AIATSIS – Selected bibliography of material on Gubbi Gubbi / Kabi Kabi / Gabi Gabi language and people held in the AIATSIS Library.  https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/gubbi_gubbi_kabi_kabi_gabi_gabi_dec2014.pdf
  • Adams, R. (2000). Noosa and Gubbi Gubbi : The Land, the People, the Conflict
  • Bell, J., & Seed, Amanda. (1994). Dictionary of the Gubbi-Gubbi and Butchulla Languages / Compiled by Jeanie Bell with Assistance from Amanda Seed.
  • Brown, E. (2000). Cooloola Coast : Noosa to Fraser Island: The Aboriginal and Settlers Histories of a Unique Environment
  • Bull, D.W. (1948) Some observations of the Kabbi tribe aborigines. Queensland Geog. Journal Brisbane 1947/ 48:pages 103-104
  • Curr, E. (1886). The Australian Race: Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (reference: Mathew);
  • Fairhall, P., & Redcliffe Historical Society. (1989). Ningi Ningi Our First Inhabitants / Editor/researcher, Patricia Fairhall.
  • Fesl Eve, Kathy Lynch and Terri Waller (2013). Gubbi Gubbi: A traditional language journey.
  • Fesl, E. (1993). Conned!
  • Holmer, Nils Magnus. 1983. Linguistic survey of south-eastern Queensland: Pacific Linguistics D-54. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Howitt, A. W. (Alfred William). The Native Tribes of South-East Australia. London: MacMillan and Co., 1904. (horde names only);  https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/data/UQ_319345/AU0094_NativeTribes_SE_Australia.pdf?Expires=1558092798&Signature=QqgxBmsVUjLd2yLtKbmGejqhNNN5wEH81aTi9E4KjuJzbebcYFjcLqqKCqGYopyAYSzdpX25KllLCP~cO5odnvmBE9nKbYQcAFKuYRn~TKDPcFKWzR08W-yszAMRa1jntxj2hKUFv3ruH6cnd2WaY6-LXA9iL85BuXneqm4Bbb7DBkiEiMK4hfqDr~TilOOpOySYn~zFTOyL7a1vKPQd~JLfPeslFyKQY63CCR1dEaftzsfR8dzRxNyDC8iTMEZ1M4UZi94xWMzMWAa4ZiXkhsh3GxzOYr0~vX7mK-gGQPtbS-rM9pOJ1V~1EuwlVuMnNRz9xWEiPJ2M~GPNe~RnBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJKNBJ4MJBJNC6NLQ
  • Howitt, A.W. 1884; Remarks on the class systems collected by Palmer, Edward. “Notes on Some Australian Tribes.”The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 13, 1884, pp. 276–347. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2841896 .  Viewable by JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/journal/janthinstgreabri Your are able to read this article online for free or download $20 or subscribe to JSTOR for $19.50
  • Jefferies, Anthony. (2013). Leichhardt: His contribution to Australian Aboriginal linguistics and ethnography 1843-44. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Culture, 7(2), 633-652.
  • Kite, Suzanne, and Stephen A. Wurm. 2004. The Duungidjawu language of southeast Queensland: grammar, texts and vocabulary: Pacific Linguistics 553. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/46cb/77de14f4f93fcaacaaff043e6a40437c4487.pdf
  • Lang, J.D. (1861) Queensland Australia. Chapter 8 and Appendix H.  
  • Lang, J. (1970). Cooksland in North-eastern Australia; the Future Cotton-field of Great Britain : Its Characteristics and Capabilities for European Colonization : With a Disquisition on the Origin, Manners, and Customs of Aborigines / by John Dunmore Lang.
  • Love, W. (1994). Bribie Dreaming : The Original Island Inhabitants / [by W.R.F. Love].
  • Mathew, John. 1910. Two representative tribes of Queensland : with an inquiry concerning the origin of the Australian race London: Fisher, Unwin.
  • Mathew, J. (1910). Two Representative Tribes of Queensland : With an Inquiry concerning the Origin of the Australian Race / John Mathew ; [with an Introduction By] A.H. Keane. http://www.gubbigubbi.com/two_representative_tribes_of_queensland_john_mathews.pdf or http://goorenggooreng.blogspot.com/search/label/Kabi
  • Mathew, J (1914) Notes on the Gurang Gurang tribe of Queensland Vocabulary. Proceedings of Australasian Association. DV. Sci. Sydney 14: 433-443
  • Mathews, 1898 Divisions of Australian Tribes Proceeding of the American Philosophical Society. Philadelphia. Volume 37: pages 327-336 and map (Gr. 6444),
  • Mathews, R.H. (1900) Toara ceremony of the Dippil tribes of Queensland. American Athropologist Lancaster. Ns 2: pages 139-144 (Gr. 6566),
  • Mathews, R.H. (1910) Die Bundandaba – Zeremonie in Queensland . M Im Selbstrerbege der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft, Wien. 40: page 44-47 (Gr. 6429).
  • Mathews, R.H. (1910) Initiation Ceremonies of some Queensland tribes. Queensland Geographical Journal.   Volume 25 pages 103-118 (Gr. 6470) Also published in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Vol. 37, No. 157 (Jan., 1898), pp. 54-73 (22 pages) https://www.jstor.org/stable/983694  
  • Meston, A. 1892 Bunya Mountains. Brisbane newspaper 31 December 1892; reprinted in part in Daily Mail, Brisbane, 2 September 1905.;
  • Lauterer, (1897) Aboriginal languages of eastern Australian compared. Roy. Society Queensland. Brisbane. 12: pages 11-16.
  • Lauterer, 1896 Outlines of a gramma of the Yaggara. Rept Austra. Geographer. Sydney. 4(1): pages 20-26
  • Muller, J., Johnston, Heather, EarthBase Productions, production company, & Sunshine Coast . Council. Heritage Services Unit. (2000). Wanya ngulum : Everybody welcome.
  • Mathew, J. (1985). On the Kabi Dialect of Queensland Full text in: JSTOR Arts and Sciences I.  Available from 1872 volume: 1 until 1906 volume: 36.
  • Nekes, H., Worms, Ernest Ailred, & McGregor, William. (2006). Australian Languages / by Herman Nekes, Ernest A. Worms ; Edited by William B. McGregor.
  • Norledge, M. (1968). Aboriginal Legends from Eastern Australia : The Richmond-Mary River Region / Compiled by Mildred Norledge ; Illustrated by Denis Burton.
  • Outram, W. (2014). Bribie or Boorabee : Same Place – Different Language / by Warwick Outram.
  • Outram, W. (2002). Bribie and the Koala / by Warwick Outram. Tells, in story form, about the extinction of the koala on Bribie Island; Boorabee means koala; argues for reintroduction of the koala on Bribie Island (Koala Island)
  • Outram, W., & Bribie Island Chamber of Commerce. (2002). Boorabee : Bribie’s Koala Heritage / by Warwick Outram.
  • Outram, W., & Powell, Ron. (2013). First People on Bribie Island / by Warwick Outram including Research by Ron Powell.
  • Outram, W. (2014). Joondoburri Park : A Bribie Community Wish / Warwick Outram.
  • Petrie, T., & Petrie, Constance Campbell. (1904). Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences of Early Queensland (dating from 1837) / Recorded by His Daughter.
  • Powell, R., & Outram, Warwick. (2014). In the Footsteps of Spirit Ancestors : With Photos and Documented Information / as Told by Ron Powell; Warwick Outram.
  • Reeves, Wilf, & Miller, Olga. (1964). The Legends of Moonie Jarl / Retold by Moonie Jarl (Wilf Reeves) ; Illustrated by Wandi (Olga Miller). http://www3.slv.vic.gov.au/latrobejournal/issue/latrobe-79/t1-g-t7.html#latrobe-79-072a
  • 1866). Kamilaroi, Dippil, and Turrubul : Languages Spoken by Australian Aborigines
  • Ridley, W. (1875) Kamilaroi and other Australian Languages. Sydney 2nd  
  • Ridley, W. (1855). [Original Material] OM79-32/17 William Ridley Notebook 1855 (Box 9051). Collection is available at the State Library of Queensland Memory section . Record viewable at http://hdl.handle.net/10462/comp/5010
  • Russell, H. S. (1845) Exploring excursions in Australia. Royal Geog. Soc. London 15: page 305-327.
  • Stuart, C., Clark, Susan, Clark, Bianca, & Fesl, Eve D. (2013). Gubbi Gubbi Animal Friends : A Story That Features Elemets of the Gubbi Gubbi People / Language as Advised by Senior Elder Dr Eve Fesl ; Written by Christine Stuart and Susan Clark ; Illustrated by Bianca Clark.
  • Steele, John. 1984. Aboriginal pathways in southeast Queensland and the Richmond River. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press. https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:200785)
  • Stuart, C., Cloutier, Gabrielle, Clark, Bianca, & Clark, Susan. (2016). Gubbi Gubbi Bush Tucker Girl / Linguist Elder Dr Eve Fesl OAM, CM; Written by Christine Stuart and Susan Clark ; Illustrated by Bianca Clark and Gabrielle Cloutier.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
  • Towner, P. (1989). Kabi Country : The Story of Kandanga / Pat Towner.
  • Watson, F., & Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. (1944). Vocabularies of Four Representative Tribes of South Eastern Queensland : With Grammatical Notes Thereof and Some Notes on Manners and Customs, Also, a List of Aboriginal Place Names and Their Derivations http://hdl.handle.net/10462/pdf/9007
  • Winterbotham, L.P. (1955) Batjala tribe of North East Queensland, Mankind. Sydney 5(5): 38-40.
  • Woolgar (Original material) OM79-02/8 [Box 9031] Steve Woolgar Typescript. (n.d.). A photocopy of a 17-page typescript dictionary of Aboriginal words of the Gympie and District area with English translations. The words are roughly arranged by subject. Held at the State Library of Queenland Queensland Memory section.
  • Pamphlett, T., & Uniacke, John. (1825). Narrative of Thomas Pamphlet : Aged Thirty Four Years, Who Was with Two Other Men Wrecked on the Coast of New Holland in April, 1823, and Lived among the Natives for Seven Months / Taken down by John Uniacke.

Undanbi [E94] also known as Gubbi Gubbi .

Coastal strip along Coolum Beach and Moreton Bay from Noosa Heads south to mouth of Brisbane River; in the Pine River district; inland only for about 10 miles (16 km.); at the Glasshouse Mountains; on Bribie Island. The Brisbane horde was extinct by 1860 according to A. Meston, but Westaway indicates some were living in 1883 at Mooloolaba. They also shared a language name called Turubul with the Jagara tribe of the Lower Brisbane River. This is the tribe whose language was called Dippil by Ridley. Tom Petrie is said to have spoken chiefly Undanbi. The northernmost horde, I learned in 1938, was the [‘I:nabara].

Undanbi clan area: 900 sq. m. (2,300 sq. km.).

Language Comment: According to Tindale (1974), this is the name of a group whose language was Turubul. On the other hand, Steele (1984:162) treats Undanbi as one of groups of people whose language was Kabi.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Undumbi ([‘dan] = man), Oondumbi, Mooloola (name of a river), Turrubul (language name), Turrbul, Churrabool, Djindubari (horde on Bribie Island), Djuadubari, Jooaduburrie, Bo-oobera, Dippil (language term applied to this and sometimes to the Kabikabi tribes people-a general term in southeastern Queensland.)

References:

  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (reference: Ridley; Westaway and Landsborough).
  • Wordlist No. 168 – Brisbane River – Turrubul Language, by the late Revd William Ridley https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/digitised_collections/collectors_of_words/curr/m0016074_a.pdf
  • Wordlist No. 167 – Upper Brisbane River, by W. Landsborough, Esq, and Montagu Curr, Esq https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/digitised_collections/collectors_of_words/curr/m0046333_a.pdf
  • Wordlist No. 164 – Between Brisbane and Gympie, by Richard Westaway, Esq https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/digitised_collections/collectors_of_words/curr/m0054191_a.pdf
  • Dutton, (1904) Aboriginal place names. Science of Man. Sydney, 7(2): page 24-27 and 7(5) pages 72-77.
  • Meston (1892) Bunya Mountains. Brisbane newspaper 31 December 1892; reprinted in part in the Daily Mail, Brisbane, 2nd September 1905.
  • Meston (1905) Moreton Bay and the Islands. Daily Mail. Brisbane. 7 October 1905
  • Meston (1924) Manuscript [MS] Undumbi tribe, full reference not available.
  • Mathews, (1898) Division of Queensland aborigines. Proc. Amer Philadelphia. 37, pages 327-336 and map (Gr. 6444).
  • Mathews, R.H. (1900) Toara ceremony of the Dippil tribes of Queensland. American Athropologist Lancaster. No 2: pages 139-144 (Gr. 6566),
  • Mathews, R.H. (1910) Initiation Ceremonies of some Queensland tribes. Queensland Geographical Journal.   Volume 25 pages 103-118 (Gr. 6470) Also published in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society Vol. 37, No. 157 (Jan., 1898), pp. 54-73 (22 pages) https://www.jstor.org/stable/983694  
  • Mueller, F. (1882) Grundriss der Sprachwissenschaft. Wien.
  • Lang J.D. (1861) Queensland Australia. Chapter 8 and Appendix H [reference to Ridley]
  • Ridley, W. (1866) Kamilaroi, Dippil and Turrubul: languages and traditions. Journal Anthropolgist Inst. Great Britain. London Volume 2 page 257-291.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.  https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:200785
  • Winterbotham, L.P. – MS (1956) Some native customs and beliefs of the Jinibara and neighbouring tribes on the Brisbane and Stanley River, Queensland.

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Dalla [E25] also known as Gubbi Gubbi

Esk to Nanango; east to Nambour, Palmwoods, Durundur, southeast to mountains near Brisbane; on the upper Brisbane River and the headwaters of the Mary River. Another name for them is Jinibara.

Chiefly rain forest and rain forest margin dwellers. They were sedentary and lived in five principal hordes or small tribes speaking slight dialects and are all listed under the heading of Dalla.

They are shown by numbers on the main map:

  • Dalla (Dalambara, Dallanbarah, Ngoera). As a hordal group, Jinibara, on headwaters of Mary and Brisbane rivers.
  • Dungidau (Dungidau is probably language name). Area around Kilcoy.
  • Nalbo (Njalbo, Nalboo). Eastern slopes of mountains from Eumundi south to Beerwah and Coobalture.
  • Dungibara (Doongibarra, Doongiburra). Upper Pine River and Daguilar Range.
  • Garumga (Garumnga, Garumgma). West of Brisbane River to Crows Nest and Cooyar Range; south to Esk.

The coastal people called these people collectively Jarbu, meaning generally ‘inlanders.’ The Dalla called the coastal people Mwoirnewar.

According to Kabo, an aged man of the Dalambara horde, in 1938, their language name was Dal:a.

In 1956 Gaiarbau of the southern horde used the term Jinibara for the whole tribe. This strictly is a hordal-type name. It seems that, at least in the eyes of several survivors who have been interrogated in recent years, their own hordal names were given preference, as if they were tribal terms, hence the divergences of opinion as to the most acceptable name. Each group differed a little in dialect.

The most distinctive group was the Dungibara on the western tributaries of the Brisbane, north of Esk. The considerable differences in vocabulary suggest they were well on the way to being a separate tribe of the more usual Australian type.

They held their [‘du:r] or initiation ceremonies near their tribal boundary at Durundur until after it was occupied by white men.

Dalla clan area: 3,000 sq. m. (7,800 sq. km.)

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Dalla ([‘dal:a] = staghorn fern; said to be language term), Ngoera, Jarbu (‘inlanders’-name given by Undanbi and other coastal tribes), Jinibara (a suggested alternative name that is of hordal type), Djunggidjau.

Language Comment:  Tindale (1974:166) uses Dalla as a language name with several varieties including Dalla, Dungidau, Nalbo, Dungibara and Garumga, commenting that each of them spoke slightly different dialects. Jones (1990:9) describes the Jinibara group as ‘an alliance of four groups: Nalbo, Dalla (Dallambara), Dungidau and Garumnga ‘. Kite and Wurm describe Dala (E25) as a Waga-Waga dialect, the others being Wuli-Wuli, Djagunda, Duuŋidjawu, Waga-Waga (which indicates this is used as both a language name and a dialect name), Baruŋgam, Nalbo and Giaba (2004:4).

References:

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Gugu-Badhun [Y128] – also known as Wulgurukaba, Warakamai, Warungu & Nawagi.

 Gugu-Badhun AIATSIS: https://collection.aiatsis.gov.au/austlang/language/y128

(Charters Tower; Townsville and Palm Island).

Language Comment:  Gugu-Badhun (Y128) has been classified as a member of the ‘Upper Burdekin group’ along with Warrungu and Gudjal (Sutton, 1973 in Breen 2009:243). Sutton speculates the meaning of the language name is something like ‘proper speech’, based on the word /gugu/ ‘speech’ and cognates in Djirbal /badjun/ ‘proper’ and in Guugu-Yimidhir /budun/ ‘very’ (1973:15).

Nawagi Tindale http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/nawagi.htm:  Southwest of Herbert River; principally on the high Sea View Range as far southeast as Harveyside and Reid River; they were rain forest dwellers; they differed from the Warakamai who lived chiefly in coastal sclerophyll forest country; according to Dixon they went to the seashore near Ingham.

Alternative Names:  Nyawigi, Geugagi.

Warakamai Tindale http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/warakamai.htm:  Coast at Halifax Bay; inland to the slope of the Coast Range; north to Ingham and Lucinda Point; south to the Black River 20 miles (32 km.) north of Townsville. Seven hordes are listed by Cassady (1886).

Warakamai clan area: 600 sq. m. (1,600 sq. km.)

Alternative Names: Waragamai, Wargamay, Wargamaygan, Bungabara (name of one of seven hordes), Ikelbara (a horde name), Herbert River tribe.

Wulgurukaba Tindale http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/wulgurukaba.htm : On Palm Islands and Magnetic Island; on Ross River; east nearly to Cape Cleveland; west for about 20 miles (30 km.) beyond Townsville [‘wulguru] = man. Great Palm Island is called [‘Burugu’man]; the last survivor of the island horde died in 1962. A large settlement of mainland people is there now.

Wugurukaba clan area: 1,000 sq. m. (2,600 sq. km.)

Nawagi clan area: 2,300 sq. m. (6,000 sq. km.)

Alternative names Tindale (1974): [‘Buruku’man] (valid alternative pronunciation of island name), Korambelbara (name applied by Warakamai), Mun-ba-rah.

Warungu Tindale http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/warungu.htm :  Headwaters of Burdekin River, southeast to near Charters Towers and southwest along the Clarke River; west to the Dividing Range; east to the inland foot of the Coast Range and to the big southern loop of the Burdekin. Very little is known of these people and it is possible another tribe occupying a portion of this area has escaped record. The suggested Warrialgona equation is doubtful.

Warungu clan area: 9,600 sq. m. (25,000 sq. km.)

Alternative names Tindale (1974):? Warrialgona ([‘warungu] = woman).

References:

  • AIATSIS – Selected bibliography of material on Warungu / Warrungu language and people held in AIATSIS Library https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/warungu_warrungu.pdf
  • Breen, G., & Australian National University. Department of Linguistics. (1990). Salvage Studies of Western Queensland Aboriginal Languages
  • Brayshaw, H., & James Cook University of North Queensland. Department of History. (1990). Well Beaten Paths : Aborigines of the Herbert Burdekin District, North Queensland : An Ethnographic and Archaeological Study / Helen Brayshaw ; Foreword by Isabel McBryde.
  • Curr, E. (1886). The Australian Race : Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.  [references to Cassady & Johnstone; Atherton; Lukin, Fison & Howitt]
  • Davidson, D.S. (1938) A preliminary register of Australian tribes and hordes, also map Proceeding of the American Philosophical Society Volume 79 (4): pages 649-679. Available via American Anthropologist https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15481433
  • Dixon, R.M.W. (1966) Mbabaram: a dying Australian Language.   School of Orient. And African studies. Londan Volume 29 (1) pages 97-121 and map page 109.
  • Dixon, R.M.W. (1969) MS. Letter to N.B. Tindale
  • Doolan, J. (1964) MS. Letter to N.B. Tindale
  • Giglioli, E.H. (1911) La Collezione Etnografia… Citta di Castella. I: Australia.
  • Girringun Aboriginal Corporation, issuing body. (2013). Wabu Jananyu : Cultural Plant Use by the Girringun Aboriginal Tribal Groups of North Queensland / by the Girramay, Jirrbal, Gulnay, Djiru, Nywaigi, Warrgamay, Warungnu, Gugu-Badhun and Bandjin People ; Represented by the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation.
  • Gregroy, E. (1865) Sketch of the residence of James Morrill among the aborigines of Northern Queensland for seventeen years (reprinted with change of title, Brisbane 1896)
  • Gribble, E.R.B. (1932) Problem of the Australian aborigines. Sydney.
  • Gugu-badhun language CD ROM. c 2005. Townsville, Qld : Grail Films. L KIT G617.003/1.
  • Holmer, N., & Australian National University. Department of Linguistics. (1988). Notes on Some Queensland Languages.
  • Sutton, Peter. 1973. Gugu-Badhun and its neighbours: a linguistic salvage study, Macquarie University: MA. (MS 694). https://www.arts.kuleuven.be/ling/func/cyp/sutton/1973gugubadhun.pdf
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.

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Gungabula [E35]

Headwaters of Injune (Hutton) Creek and Dawson River above their junction; east and north of the Great Dividing Range; south of Carnarvon Range. Their country includes the high, rough, forested areas of the Carnarvon Range.

Kongabula clan area:  2,300 sq. m. (6,000 sq. km.)

Language Comment: Breen (forthcoming paper on Biri) says that at the time of his study in the 1970s, Gungabula had merged with Bidjara and the two were indistinguishable, though informants remember them being different in the past.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Ongabula (valid alternative), Khungabula.

References:

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Gureng Gureng [E36] also known as Taribelang & Miyan.

East bank of upper Burnett River from Mundubbera north to Monto and Many Peaks. Not to be confused with the Goeng. In the first edition the tribal area was incorrectly mapped and included the territory of the Wulili who lived to the west. Mathew (1910) also mapped the Wulili area incorrectly as belonging to the Wakawaka. Gayndah is mentioned by Riley and Curr as within the tribal area but this is too far south, in Wakawaka territory.

Taribelang group is in the vicinity of Bundaberg; inland to about Walla; north to Rosedale; along lower reaches of Kolan River. Believed extinct; only scant data.  This group should be incorporated into the Korenggoreng group.

Korenggoreng clan area:  2,300 sq. m. (6,000 sq. km.)

Language Comment: Breen describes Guweng-Guweng (E36) and Daribalang as a dialects of Gureng-Gureng (2009:247). Holmer says that Goreng-Goreng and Goeng-Goeng (E36) are closely related members in the Wakka Group, in an eastern set which includes Kabi-Kabi and Batjala (1983:1). He notes differences in the form of some words between Goreng-Goreng and Goeng-Goeng (E36) where a rhotic is replaced with a semi-vowel, illustrated in the dialect names (1981: 105).

Gurang Gurang Wordlist by Rev John Mathew.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Koreng-koreng ([‘koreng] = no), Gureng-gureng Curang-gurang, Gurang-gurang, Goorang-goorang, Gurang, Kooranga, Kurranga

References:

Taribelang (Known also as Gureng Grueng Clan)

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Guwinmal [E49] – also known as Juipera; Ngaro, Koinjmal.

At Mackay; from St. Helens south to Cape Palmerston; inland to Connors Range.

Nagaro is from the Whitsunday Island; ranging over Cumberland Islands; also to mainland at Cape Conway and on mountains east of Proserpine (Tindale 1974). Sewn ironbark canoes, called [‘winta], were used for journeying between the islands-all reefs between St. Bees and Hayman Islands were known intimately and searched for food.

Koinjmal were from the Western slope of Normanby Range (Pine Mountain) to Styx; on Broad Sound north to Cape Palmerston along a narrow coastal strip; at St. Lawrence; inland to Coast Range; south to Marlborough (misprinted as Maryborough in Curr). Displaced hordes were present at Yaamba and Bombandy at the turn of the century but originally Yaamba was well south of their territory. They had extensive areas of mangrove flats fronting their shoreline and were familiar with bark canoes.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Yuipera, Juwibara; Ngalangi, Googaburra (a horde name), ‘Island’ tribe; Koinbal (plains people), Kooinmerburra, Kuinmurbura ([‘kuinmur] = a plain), Kungmal, Kungalburra, Mamburra (a horde).

Language comment:  This is a dialect of Dharumbal according to Terrill (2002:13). Documentation on Dharumbal may be relevant.

Nagaro has a wordlist by Tindale (1938, in Breen, 2009:246) is the only source for this language. The word list by Bridgeman and Bucas in Curr (1887 Vol.3 pp. 44-51), which Tindale reported as Ngaro (1974:182) is Wiri according to Breen (2009:227). The references in Oates (1975:234) are from linguistic surveys, the earliest is Capell who reports ‘Information reported by Tindale but nothing recorded’ (1963).

References:

  • AIATSIS – Selected Bibliography of material on the Guwinmal language and people held in the AIATSIS Library. https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/guwinmal.pdf
  • Breen, Gavan. 2009. The Biri dialects and their neighbours. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 133 (2) : 219-256.  https://doi.org/10.1080/03721426.2009.10887121
  • Smyth, R.B. (1878) Aborigines of Victoria. Melbourne Volum II “Language”, page [1] – 220, is a compilation of articles by various authors. Appendices (vol.II, p. [221]-434) by P. Chauncy, W. Ridley, A.A.C. Le Souëf, A.W. Howitt, J.M. Davis, W. Locke, A.F.A. Greeves, G.B. Halford, and J. Milligan , [reference to Bridgeman] . Volume 2: https://archive.org/details/aboriginesofvict02smyt/page/n10  Volume 1: https://archive.org/details/aboriginesofvict01smyt/page/n8.
  • Capell, Arthur. 1963. Linguistic survey of Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (Reference: Bridgeman and Bucas).
  • Howitt, A. W. [Alfred William] (1904). The Native Tribes of South-East Australia. London: MacMillan and Co.
  • Oates, Lynette F. 1975. The 1973 supplement to a revised linguistic survey of Australia. Armidale: Armidale Christian Book Centre.
  • Roth, H.L. (1908) Discovery and settlement of Port Mackay, Queensland.   Appendix III.  Aborigines of Mackay.
  • Mathews, R.H. (1898) Australian divisional systems.  Journal & Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales.  Sydney 32: pages 66-87 (Gr. 6417) https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41822808
  • Mathews, R.H. (1898) Group divisions and initiation ceremonies of the Barkungee tribes. Journal Proce Roy Soc New South Wales 32: page 241-255 (Gr. 6464). https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/41822983
  • Mathews, (1898) Division of Queensland aborigines. Proc. Amer Philadelphia. 37, pages 327-336 and map (Gr. 6444).
  • Terrill, Angela. 2002. Dharumbal: the language of Rockhampton, Australia: Pacific Linguistics 525. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.

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Miyan [E50] also known as Guwinmal.

Lower Belyando River north to southern headwaters of Cape River and Mount Douglas; at Bulliwallah; west to the Dividing Range; south to Lake Galilee and Labona ([‘mian] = men).

Mian clan area: 5,000 sq. m. (13,000 sq. km.)

Language Comment: The data for this Biri dialect from Central Queensland are scarce and are based on two wordlists, one of which is doubtful; the word ‘miyan’ which means ‘man’, also occurs in Yirandhali and WakaWaka (Breen, 2009:227). Other spellings and names include Mian and Munkibura (Capell, 1963), but see Yilba. Other dialects of the Biri language include Biri, Yangga, Yilba, Wirri, Gabulbarra, Baradha, Baranha, Yambina, Yetimarala, Garaynbal, Gangulu and the Brown River language (Breen, 2009).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Munkibura (a horde name, but compare Ilba tribe), Wokkulburra ([‘wak:ul] = eel), Wokkelburra (horde near Bulliwallah), Koombokkaburra (a horde name), Pegulloburra (horde), Oncooburra (horde).

References:

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Wadjigu [E39]

Streams on east side of Expedition Range; south to Bigge Range; east nearly to Dawson River. Closely related to the Kangulu. The original inhabitants of Woorabinda. Native tradition is that they were formerly two separate small tribes, Wadja and Wainjigo. They lived together for ‘a long time’ until their separate identities were submerged.

Wadja clan area:  3,300 sq. m. (8,600 sq. km.)

 Language Comment: Breen recorded a language called Wadjigu spoken by Amy Miller from Rolleston, possibly born at Consuelo; he describes it as belonging to the Bidjara group, located in the same area Tindale places Karingbal, close to Bidjara and Gari Gari country (2009:237). Breen says that Wadjigu (E39) and Tindale’s Wadja (E39) (1974:186) refer to the same language; he assigns the area Tindale identifies as Wadja to Mandalgu (2009:234), which he tentatively proposes as a ‘new’ language (2009:234). Breen classifies Wadja as a member of the Bidjari group of languages (2009:234).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Wainjago, Wainjigo, Wadjainggo, Wainggo.

References:

  • Breen, Gavan. 2009. The Biri dialects and their neighbours. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 133(2):219-256.  https://doi.org/10.1080/03721426.2009.10887121
  • Breen, G., & Australian National University. Department of Linguistics. (1990). Salvage Studies of Western Queensland Aboriginal Languages / Gavan Breen.
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (Reference: McIntosh).
  • Evans, J., & Elliott, Jaquanna. (2007). Junjardee and the Red Bank / Story by Janelle Evans ; Pictures by Jaquanna Elliott.Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
  •  

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Waka Waka [E28]

Nanango north to Mount Perry behind the Coast Range; west to Boyne River, upper Burnett River, and Mundubbera; at Kingaroy, Murgon, and Gayndah. The small Kaiabara tribelet of the upper Boyne River may be a horde, but could be a detached portion of the Kabikabi. See additional notes under Kaiabara. Mathew (1910, 1914, and 1926) shows a large area in the west as belonging to this tribe; actually, it is Djakunda and Wulili territory.

Wakawaka clan area:  4,100 sq. m. (10,700 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  Kite and Wurm describe Waga-Waga (E28) as a language and a dialect, other dialects being Duuŋidjawu, Wuli-Wuli, Djagunda, Dala, Baruŋgam, Nalbo and Giabal (2004:4). Terrill refers to a ms ‘The Waga Waga language of South East Queensland: A sketch grammar’ (Dinneen 1988) which describes Waga-Waga having one laminal series, five vowels, one rhotic; separate forms for nominals in Subject, Object and Agent roles in a sentence; three verb conjugations; a causative affix -ma- and no marking for transitivity in verbs. Complement clauses are embedded (in Terrill, 1998:126). See also Yiman.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Waa (valid alternative), Wakka-wakka, Waka, Wakka, Woga, Wokka, Wakar, Wakkar, Wackar, Wakuwuka, Wogga, Wuka Wuka, ? Nukunukubara, Wapa (Kabikabi term meaning ‘inlanders’), Wa:bar (applied to several tribes), Mungar (spotted gum tree people); [‘waka] = no.

References:

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Wangan [E47]

Capella north to near Blair Athol; east to Peak Ranges; west to Drummond Range; at Peak Downs.

Wangan clan area: 3,000 sq. m. (7,800 sq. km.)

Language Comment: There appears to be no documentation available on this language. Tindale (1974) lists a word list compiled by Muirhead, ‘Belyando River’, in Curr (1887) under Wangan. However, Breen (forthcoming paper on Biri) identifies this as Yangga Breen also reports that Holmer (1983:368) gives Wanggan as the Aboriginal name for Clermont, and as a result Breen suspects that Wangan may not be a language name.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Babbinburra (a horde between Mistake Creek and Clermont).

References:

  • Capell, Arthur. 1963. Linguistic survey of Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies.
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (Reference: Muirhead).
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (Reference: Muirhead, James, and Charles Lowe) vol. 3, ed., 26-35. .
  • Holmer, Nils Magnus. 1983. Linguistic survey of south-eastern Queensland: Pacific Linguistics D-54. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Oates, William J., and Lynette F. Oates. 1970. A revised linguistic survey of Australia: Australian Aboriginal Studies 33, Linguistic Series 12. Canberra: AIAS.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.

 

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Wuli-wuli [E89]

North of Djangunda, ranges east of the Dawson River. Their northern boundary was at Waloon and Camboon and their eastern border was near Eidsvold. Their territory included Hawkwood station and the headwaters of the Auburn River (Kite and Wurm 2004) 

Headwaters of Auburn River and Redbank Creek; north to Walloon and Camboon and on the ranges east of Dawson River; eastern boundary near Eidsvold. Omitted in error from my 1940 work. Mathews (1910) included the tribal territory in his ‘Wakka’ language area (see other notes under Koreng-goreng). The reduplicated form of the name, shown below, was on a manuscript map that originated with L P Winterbotham.

Wulili clan area: 3,200 sq. m. (8,300 sq. km..)

Language Comment: This is treated as a Waga-Waga dialect by Kite and Wurm (2004). There is a small word list collected by Allen Hall in MURA (PMS 722). Wulli Wulli and Wulili (E89) are variant forms for the name of the language, based on the third person plural nominative pronoun (they) wuli, li (-li) (Holmer, 1983:42). This language is described as a dialect of Wakka Wakka in the literature; others in this group include Barunggam; Dalla; Djagunda; Dungibara; Duungidjawu and Wakka Wakka (Kite & Wurm, 2004:4). Note that this refers to grammatical relationships between these varieties, and does not imply a dominant language or description of group identity.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Wilili, Wililililee, Willillee, Wuli-wuli (murun = man).

References:

 

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Yagalingu [E43]

Reference: 

 

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Yangga [E52]

Eastern headwaters of Suttor River; south to Glenavon; At Mount Coolon, Yacamunda, Mount Tindale, and Hidden Valley; north to the Burdekin River. Not to be confused with Jangaa of upper Gilbert River.

Jangga clan area:  4,200 sq. m. (10,900 sq. km.)

Language Comment: Yangga is a dialect of Biri language, and is located to the west of that dialect in Central Queensland (Terrill, 1998:70 and Breen 2009:224). Other dialects of the Biri language include Yilba, Miyan, Wirri, Gabulbarra, Baradha, Baranha, Yambina, Yetimarala, Garaynbal, Gangulu and the Brown River language (Breen, 2009, see 2009:234).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Durroburra (a northern horde), Dorobura.

References:

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Yilba [E55]

On Cape River west to Dividing Range; north to about Pentland Hills and Seventy Mile Range; on Campaspe River; east to about Suttor River; south to Lake Buchanan; at Natal Downs. Six hordes are known. One, the [‘Munkibara] is also claimed as a Mian tribe horde. The name Eneby may be Curr’s misreading of Elleby.

Ilba clan area: 7,400 sq. m. (19,200 sq. km.)

Language Comment: This is treated as a dialect of Biri in Central Queensland by Terrill (1988:) and Breen (2009:225). Roth (1910:83 in Breen 2009:225) called the Charters Towers language ‘Yilbar-Kappa’. A wordlist called ‘Yuckaburra Dialect … on the Cape River, Kennedy District Queensland’ is described as being from a language or dialect spoken (with a slight difference between each) by Yuckaburra, Peghullaburra, Woccullaburra (Eel nation), Goondoolooburra (Emu nation), Monkeyburra and Monghuburra peoples (Chatfield, 1887:264 in Breen 2009:225). Dialects of the Biri language include Biri, Yangga, Miyan, Wirri, Gabulbarra, Baradha, Baranha, Yambina, Yetimarala, Garaynbal, Gangulu and the Brown River language (Breen, 2009, see 2009:234).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Yukkaburra, Yuckaburra, Munkeeburra, Moothaburra (horde name), Mungera (horde name), Mungerra, Eneby (said to be language name), Pagulloburra (horde name).

References:

  • AIATSIS – Selected bibliography of the Yilba language and people held in the AIATSIS Library. https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/yilba_1.pdf
  • Beuzeville, 1919; Vocabulary .. of the Yuckaburra dialect … Cape River, Queensland . Proc Royal Society New South Wales Sydney 53:102-106
  • Breen, Gavan. 2009. The Biri dialects and their neighbours. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia. 133(2):219-256.  https://doi.org/10.1080/03721426.2009.10887121
  • Chatfield, William. 1874. Yuckaburra dialect. Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland Journal, 3. pp 261-264.
  • Curr, E. (1886). The Australian Race : Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.  [reference to the works of Armstrong, Tompson, and Chatfield]
  • Giglioli, 1911; La Collezione Etnografia Citta di Castella 1:Austalia
  • Palmer, 1884; Note on some Australian tribes. Journal Anthropology Inst Great Britain London 13:276-334.
  • Roth, Walter Edmund. 1910. Social and individual nomenclature, North Queensland Ethnography Bulletin 18. Records of the Australian Museum 8(1):79-106.
  • Terrill, Angela. 1998. Biri: Languages of the world 258. München: Lincom Europa. Linguistics & Anthropology LINCOM academic publishers.  http://lincom-shop.eu/LWM-258-Biri
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338

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Yiman [E31]

Upper Middle Dawson River from Bigge Range south to Great Dividing Range; east to Theodore, Cracow, and Cockatoo Creek; west to Baroondah and Durham Downs; at Wandoan and Taroom; on the Nimmi plain.

Jiman clan area: 6,000 sq. m. (15,600 sq. km.)

Language Comment: The only data available on Yiman seems to be a word list by Meston (held in the State Library of Queensland). Tindale (1974:171) provides its location but no other information. Breen questions the classification of Yiman as a Maric language and calls it a Waka-Waka dialect or group of dialects (2009:222-3).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Iman, Emon, Nimmi (name of an area of plain country).

References:

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Yuggera [E23] also known as Guwar [E26] & Moondja [E21] attached below

Brisbane River from the Cleveland district inland to the Dividing Range about Gatton; north to near Esk; at Ipswich. Their language was Turubul. A term Jerongban refers to part of their country, i.e., the sandy areas between Ipswich and Brisbane. Several hordes; do not confuse with Jukambe or the Jiegera of New South Wales. Winterbotham transposed the names he gave for the Jagara and Jukambe tribes. He ascribed part of their country to his ‘Gitabal.’ This also is an error of identification for Giabal (which see).

Jagara clan area:  1,300 sq. m. (3,400 sq. km.)

Language Comment: The relationship between Yugara and Turubul are not clear. Sharpe (2007 p.c.) says Turubul and Yakara (E23) could be dialects of the same language or they may refer to one and the same language. She also says that Yugarabal is a separate but related dialect. Steele (1984) treats Yuggera (E23) as a language group which includes Yuggera (E23), Turrbal, Jandai and Gowar languages. Tindale (1974) treats Jagara as a group name while Turubul as the language spoken by Jagara. In this database, Yugara, Turubul, Guwar E26, Jandai, and Yugarabal are treated as closely related languages although they might be better treated as closely related dialects. See also Moondjan. Other sources indicate that the Moreton Bay region and the people from that area are known as Quandamooka. This is a grouping that consists of Yugara and Koopenul in the Cleveland area; Nunukal (E21) and Goenpul (see Jandai) peoples from Stradbroke Island; and Ngugi from Moreton Island.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Jagarabal ([‘jagara] = no), Jergarbal, Yagara, Yaggara, Yuggara, Yugg-ari, Yakarabul, Turubul (language name), Turrbal, Turrubul, Turrubal, Terabul, Torbul, Turibul, Yerongban, Yeronghan, Ninghi, Yerongpan, Biriin (see explanation under Jukambe).

References:

Guwar [E26] also known on Yuggera

Moreton Island.

Ngugi clan area: 70 sq. m. (200 sq. km.)

Language Comment: There are a number of names associated with the language and people from Moreton Island: The Wogee group occupies Moreton Island, and its language is called Goowar or Gooar (E26) (Watkin & Hamilton in Curr, 1886 vol.3 222). Capell lists the language as Ngugi with alternate names Wodji (Wogee) and Guwar (E26) (1963:154). Jeffries refers to the Ngugi people as speakers of Guwar language, which he classifies as belonging to the Bandjalang sub-group (2011: 124) based on shared grammatical features with Bandjalang dialects from the Clarence River in New South Wales (2011: 113). He found evidence of borrowing from Yagara, which is consistent with long and close contact (2011:117). Other sources indicate that the Moreton Bay region and the people from that area are known as Quandamooka. This is a regional grouping that consists of Jagara and Koopenul in the Cleveland area, Nunukal and Goenpul (see Jandai) people from Stradbroke Island and Ngugi (E26) from Moreton Island.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Mugee, Wogee, Gnoogee, Guar (language name [‘guar] = [‘gowar] = no), Gowar, Goowar, Gooar, Gowrburra, Chunchiburri, Booroo-geen-merrie.

References:

  • Capell, Arthur. 1963. Linguistic survey of Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies
  • Curr, E. (1886). The Australian Race : Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite (1887) “The Australian Race” Melbourne (Reference: Watkins).
  • Jeffries, Tony. 2011. Guwar, the language of Moreton Island, and its relationship to the Bandjalang and Yagara subgroups : a case for phylogenetic migratory expansion?, Masters thesis, University of Queensland. MS 5077.
  • Lauterer, (1897) Aboriginal languages of eastern Australian compared. Roy. Society Queensland. Brisbane. 12: pages 11-16.
  • Meston, 1892, 1905;
  • Petrie, T., & Petrie, Constance Campbell. (1904). Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences of Early Queensland (dating from 1837) / Recorded by His Daughter.
  • Shirley, J (1897) Vocabularies of the Gowrburra and Koolaburra tribes. Proc Roy Society Queensland . Brisbane 12:103-105 also issued as pamphlet, 1896 pages 1-9.
  • Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
  • Welsby, Thomas, 1917. Recollections of the natives of Moreton Bay : together with some of their names and customs of living. Historical Society of Queensland, 1(3) pp 110-129. p WEL.

Moondjan [E21] also known on Yuggera

Northern portion of Stradbroke Island. An informant, not of the tribe, gave the name as Ngundjan, but Katherine Walker, who is a member of the tribe, confirms the given name. The name was accidentally omitted from the 1940 map although correctly listed in the text. Radiocarbon data obtained by D. J. Tugby (Radiocarbon 8:514) indicates occupation of the island for at least 765 ± 45 years.

Nunukul clan area: 50 sq. m. (130 sq. km.)

Language Comment: The earliest record indicates a difference between people and language name: the Noonukul (E21) are from the northern portion of Stradbroke Island and their language is called Moondjan (Watkin & Hamilton in Curr 1887: Vol 3: 222); the name of this place is Minjerribah. Later records indicate that Nunagal (E21) is used as a name for both the people and the language of Stradbroke Island (Holmer,1983:392). Holmer concludes that Nunagal (E21) and ‘Yagarabul’ (but see also Yugara) form a linguistic ‘unit’; he proposes dialectal differences between the mainland, which he calls ‘jagarabal’ or ‘jagarabul’, including Bribie Island, and an island dialect he calls Nunagal, comprising Stradbroke (and possibly Moreton) Island (1983:393). Other sources indicate that the Moreton Bay region and the people from that area are known as Quandamooka. This is a grouping that consists of Jagara and Koopenul in the Cleveland area; Nunukal (E21) and Goenpul (see Jandai) peoples from Stradbroke Island; and Ngugi from Moreton Island.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Noonukul, Noonuccal, Moondjan ([‘mundjan] = no), Ngundjan (of another tribe).

References:

  • Aboriginal Language (1934, January 18). The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 – 1939), p. 13. Retrieved May 26, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23331938
  • https://www.stradbrokemuseum.com.au/sites/default/files/bob_anderson_screen_final.pdf
  • Capell, A. 1963 Linguistic Survey of Australia. In R. & C. Berndt (eds) Aboriginal Man in Australian Society. pp.100-118. Sydney
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite. (1886-87). The Australian Race: Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.  Melbourne: John Ferres, Government Printer; London: Trübner.
  • Holmer, Nils Magnus. 1983. Linguistic survey of south-eastern Queensland: Pacific Linguistics D-54. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Howitt, 1904, The Native Tribes of South-East Australia. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland – 37 (Jul. – Dec., 1907), pp. 268-278 (11 pages). https://www.jstor.org/stable/2843319
  • Iselin, Iselin, Margaret, & Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council Aboriginal Corporation issuing body. (2011). Jandai Language Dictionary : A Dictionary of Language Spoken on Stradbroke and Moreton Islands Based on Words Remembered by All Elders and
  • Iselin, M., & Shipway, Lyn. (2001). Plants: Bush Tucker Medicinal and Other Uses of Minjerriba.
  • Kerkhove, Ray (2014) A different mode of war?, Aboriginal ‘guerilla tactics’ in defining the ‘Black War’ of Southern Queensland 1843-1855. AHA Conference, University of Queensland, Brisbane. http://nationalunitygovernment.org/pdf/2016/Indigenous-Resistance-Wars-KerkhoveFINALa-2.pdf
  • Mathews, R. H.1898. Divisions of Queensland Aborigines. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society. 37, No. 158 (Dec., 1898), pp. 327-336 (10 pages). https://www.jstor.org/stable/983859  .
  • Minjerribah/Moorgumpin Elders (1998) Minjerribah : An Indigenous Story of North Stradbroke Island.
  • Oates, W.J. and L. Oates 1970. A Revised Linguistic Survey of Australia, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies, Canberra.
  • Oodgeroo Noonuccal, B., & Bancroft, Bronwyn. (1993). Stradbroke Dreamtime / Oodgeroo ; Illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft.
  • Steele, John. 1984. Aboriginal pathways in southeast Queensland and the Richmond River. St Lucia: University of Queensland Press. https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:200785)
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press. Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.
  • Watkins, G., & Royal Society of Queensland. (1891). Notes on the Aboriginals of Stradbroke and Moreton Islands
  • Watson, F., & Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. (1944). Vocabularies of Four Representative Tribes of South Eastern Queensland : With Grammatical Notes Thereof and Some Notes on Manners and Customs, Also, a List of Aboriginal Place Names and Their Derivations http://hdl.handle.net/10462/pdf/9007
  • Welsby, T. (1940). Moreton Bay Natives : Tribes Now Extinct

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Yuru [E26]

From Bowen north to the Burdekin River at Home Hill; southwest to Bogie Range; at Upstart Bay; south to Mount Pleasant and Mount Abbot.

Yuru clan area: 1,200 sq. m. (3,100 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  According to Terrill (1998:86), one word list ‘Mouths of the Burdekin River’ complied by O’Connor in Curr (1886, Vol2 pp454-5) is all that remains of this language.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Euronbba, Malmal (native name of lower course of Burdekin River), Mal Mal, ? Arwur-angkana, South Murri.

References:

  • AIATSIS – Selected bibliography of material on the Yuru language and people held at the AIATSIS Library. https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/yuru_1.pdf
  • Curr, E. (1886). The Australian Race : Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.‘Mouths of the Burdekin River’ in Curr, 1886, Vol2, pp454-5
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite. 1886-87. The Australian race: its origin, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia, and the routes by which it spread itself over that continent. Melbourne: John Ferres, Government Printer; London: Trübner.[reference to Scott]
  • Davidson, D.S. 1938 a Preliminary register of Australian tribes and hordes, also map. Proceeding of the American Philosophical Society Philadelphia.
  • Available via American Anthropologist https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15481433 Volume: 79 (4): pages 649-679.
  • Gregory, E. 1865, Sketch of the residence of James Morrill among the Aborigines of Northern Queensland for seventeen years (reprinted with change of title, Brisbane 1896)
  • Gregory, E. 1896, Narrative of James Murrells. Brisbane
  • Nekes, H., Worms, Ernest Ailred, & McGregor, William. (2006). Australian Languages / by Herman Nekes, Ernest A. Worms ; Edited by William B. McGregor
  • Peacock, E. (2001). History, Life and times of Robert Anderson, Gheebelum, Ngugi, Mulgumpin : Community and Personal History of a Ngugi Elder of Mulgumpin in Quandamooka, South East Queensland, Australia.Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Robertson, W. 1928; Coo-ee talks. Sydney page 198
  • Schmidt, P.W. 1919 Die Gliederung der Australischen Sprachen. Vienna.
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.

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Yuru [E26] also known as Yuwibara [E54]

From Bowen north to the Burdekin River at Home Hill; southwest to Bogie Range; at Upstart Bay; south to Mount Pleasant and Mount Abbot.

Yuru clan area: 1,200 sq. m. (3,100 sq. km.)

Language Comment:  According to Terrill (1998:86), one word list ‘Mouths of the Burdekin River’ complied by O’Connor in Curr (1886, Vol2 pp454-5) is all that remains of this language.

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Euronbba, Malmal (native name of lower course of Burdekin River), Mal Mal, ? Arwur-angkana, South Murri.

References:

  • AIATSIS – Selected bibliography of material on the Yuru language and people held at the AIATSIS Library. https://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/collections/language_bibs/yuru_1.pdf
  • Curr, E. (1886). The Australian Race : Its Origins, Languages, Customs, Place of Landing in Australia, and the Routes by Which It Spread Itself over That Continent.‘Mouths of the Burdekin River’ in Curr, 1886, Vol2, pp454-5
  • Curr, Edward Micklethwaite. 1886-87. The Australian race: its origin, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia, and the routes by which it spread itself over that continent. Melbourne: John Ferres, Government Printer; London: Trübner.[reference to Scott]
  • Davidson, D.S. 1938 a Preliminary register of Australian tribes and hordes, also map. Proceeding of the American Philosophical Society Philadelphia.
  • Available via American Anthropologist https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15481433 Volume: 79 (4): pages 649-679.
  • Gregory, E. 1865, Sketch of the residence of James Morrill among the Aborigines of Northern Queensland for seventeen years (reprinted with change of title, Brisbane 1896)
  • Gregory, E. 1896, Narrative of James Murrells. Brisbane
  • Nekes, H., Worms, Ernest Ailred, & McGregor, William. (2006). Australian Languages / by Herman Nekes, Ernest A. Worms ; Edited by William B. McGregor
  • Peacock, E. (2001). History, Life and times of Robert Anderson, Gheebelum, Ngugi, Mulgumpin : Community and Personal History of a Ngugi Elder of Mulgumpin in Quandamooka, South East Queensland, Australia.Tindale, 1938 Manuscripts held at the South Australian Museum https://www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/collections/information-resources/archives/tindale-dr-norman-barnett-aa-338
  • Robertson, W. 1928; Coo-ee talks. Sydney page 198
  • Schmidt, P.W. 1919 Die Gliederung der Australischen Sprachen. Vienna.
  • Tindale, 1940: Distribution of Australian aboriginal tribes: a field survey. In Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia.

Yuwi is also known as Yuwibar [E54]

At Mackay; from St. Helens south to Cape Palmerston; inland to Connors Range.

Juipera clan area: 1,100 sq. m. (2,900 sq. km.)

Language Comment: Terrill assigns Yuwibara (E54) to Biri on the basis of the Bridgeman and Bucas list in Curr (Vol3 44-51) having over 80% in common with Biri collected by other sources. However Breen assigns it to Wirri on the basis of geography and shared items with Tindale’s Widi (E57) wordlist (Terrill 1998 and Tindale 1938 in Breen 2009:228), keeping in mind that Wiri is a Biri dialect from Central Queensland. See also Gabulbarra for an explanation of the suffix -barra; Yuwibara may be a people name and not a language name Tindale’s spelling ‘Juipera’ (1974:171) seems to have been adapted from the name in Curr ‘Yuipera’; Tindale missed the form of the suffix ‘-barra’ (Breen 2009:228). Capell wrote ‘Juwibara’ (1963).

Alternative names Tindale (1974): Yuipera, Juwibara.

References:

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