The Wanggamala people, also spelt Wangkamahdla, Wangkamadla, Wangkamanha, Wangkamana, Wonkamala, Wongkamala, Wonkamudla, and other variants, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Country

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In Norman Tindale's estimate, Wanggamala tribal lands covered some 20,000 square miles (52,000 km2) of territory.[1] They roamed north-west of Annandale, at Kalidawarry and around the lower Field and Hay rivers, along the Plenty river, and on the eastern margins of the Simpson Desert.[1] River waters were ephemeral and they dug native wells (mikari).[citation needed]

In July 2021, the Wanggamala people, spelt Wangkamahdla in the claim, won native title rights to over 3,000,000 ha (7,400,000 acres) west and south-west of Boulia, stretching from around Bedourie, Queensland, across to the Northern Territory border, including Cravens Peak Reserve (named Pilungah Reserve in October 2021[2]) and part of the Munga-Thirri National Park.[3]

Language

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Their language was Wanggamala, which is now extinct.[4]

Economy

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The Wanggamala lived in areas where the native tobacco pituri grows and, aside from using it themselves, they employed it as a valuable trading resource.[1]

Alternative names

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Notes

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e Tindale 1974, p. 238.
  2. ^ a b Barry, Derek (15 October 2021). "Boulia's Cravens Peak is renamed Pilungah". The North West Star. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Wangkamahdla People celebrate Queensland Native Title ruling". NITV. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k C9 Wanggamala at the Australian Indigenous Languages Database, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
  5. ^ Caddy, Amelia (14 October 2021). "Introducing Pilungah Reserve". Bush Heritage Australia. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  6. ^ Horton, David R. (1996). "Map of Indigenous Australia". AIATSIS.

Sources

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