Agwamin facts for kids
The Ewamin people, also known as the Agwamin, are an Indigenous Australian group. They originally lived in the state of Queensland, Australia.
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The Ewamin Language
The Ewamin people had their own special language. Sadly, this language is no longer spoken today. For some time, people thought it was the same as the Wamin language.
However, in the early 1970s, a researcher named Peter Sutton studied both. He collected lists of words from both the Wamin and Agwamin (Ewamin) languages. His work showed that they were actually different dialects. By 1981, only one person who spoke the Ewamin language was still alive.
Traditional Lands of the Ewamin
The Ewamin people lived on a large area of land. According to researcher Norman Tindale, their traditional tribal land covered about 5,700 square miles (14,763 square kilometers). This area was mainly around the beginnings of the Einasleigh and Copperfield rivers.
Where Were Their Borders?
- Northern areas: Their land stretched north to places like Georgetown, Mount Surprise, and Lancewood.
- Eastern areas: To the east, their land reached the Great Dividing Range.
- Western areas: In the west, their territory touched the beginnings of the Percy River.
The Ewamin people lived in areas that are now known as Oak Park, Einasleigh, and Forsayth.
Neighboring Indigenous Groups
The Ewamin shared their borders with several other Indigenous groups:
- To their north were the Mbabaram people.
- Moving clockwise, their eastern neighbors included the Warungu and the Gugu-Badhun people.
- To the southeast, they bordered the Gudjal people.
Other Names for the Ewamin
The Ewamin people were known by several different names, including:
- Wimanja
- Agwamin
- Egwamin
- Gwamin
- Ak Waumin
- Wamin
- Wommin, Waumin, Wawmin
- Walamin
- Wommin
- Walming
- Wailoolo
A Few Ewamin Words
Here is an example of a word from the Ewamin language:
- twa (which means dog)
