Bininj facts for kids
The Bininj are an Aboriginal Australian people who live in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. They are often known by the different languages they speak, which are part of a language group called Bininj Kunwok. So, you might hear them called the Kunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kundjeyhmi (also known as Gundjeihmi), Manyallaluk Mayali, Kundedjnjenghmi, or Kune groups.
The Mirrar or Mirarr clan group is very important for looking after their traditional lands. Most of them speak Kundjeyhmi, but some also speak Gaagudju or another language.
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A Long History
Aboriginal people have lived in the Kakadu area for an amazing 65,000 years! This shows how deep their connection to the land is.
For hundreds of years before Europeans arrived, the Macassans from Sulawesi (an island north of Australia) visited the Bininj. They came to trade their goods for trepang, which are sea cucumbers. You can still see signs of their visits today. Some words from the Macassan language are now part of the Bininj Kunwok dialects. Local artists even drew the Macassans in their rock art, which you can still see in places around the Mann River.
The first European to explore these lands was Francis Cadell. He reached the Kuninjku territory along the Liverpool River. Later, in 1884, David Lindsay surveyed the Liverpool area for the government.
Some famous rock art, called the Dynamic Figures, is found in Mirrar country. An art historian named George Chaloupka described these works. They are often mentioned when people talk about the amazing rock art in Arnhem Land.
What "Bininj" Means
The word Bininj comes from the Kunwok language, especially its main dialect, Kunwinjku. It literally means "human being." It can refer to an Aboriginal person, as opposed to a non-Aboriginal person. It can also mean "man," as opposed to "woman."
Their Traditional Lands
The Bininj people's traditional lands stretch far and wide. They go from Kakadu National Park in the west to the Arafura Sea in the north. To the east, their land reaches the Blyth River, and to the south, it extends towards the Katherine region.
Their traditional country includes areas west of the Goomadeer River, north around the King and Cooper Rivers, and south towards the East Alligator River. It also reaches Gunbalanya (Oenpelli). In 2022, a large part of Kakadu National Park, including areas where Bininj Kunwok is spoken, was officially given back to Aboriginal ownership.
Their Languages
Bininj Kunwok is a group of six languages and dialects that are very similar. People speak these languages from Kakadu National Park south to Pine Creek and Manyallaluk. They are also spoken across the Arnhem Plateau and east to the Liverpool River, Mann River, and Cadell River areas.
A linguist named Nicholas Evans classified these languages. They include Kunwinjku, Kuninjku, Kundjeyhmi, Manyallaluk Mayali, Kundedjnjenghmi, and two types of Kune. The Bininj word for Europeans is balanda. This word came from the Macassan traders, and in their language, it meant "Hollanders" (people from Holland).
When speaking to special spirits called djang (which you'll read about below), the Bininj use a unique language called kundangwok. Each clan has its own specific kundangwok language.
Different Groups and Where They Live
The Bininj people are made up of different groups, often named after the language they speak.
- The Kunwinjku originally lived in the hilly areas south of Goulburn Islands. Their land stretched south of Tor Rock and reached Sandy Creek in the north. They were also present southeast at the start of Cooper's Creek and part of the King River. Their traditional area was about 2,800 square miles (7,250 km²) south of Jungle Creek and at the top of the East Alligator River. The Gumader swamps near Junction Bay and the creeks east of Oenpelli were also part of their land.
- The Kundjeyhmi, especially the Mirrar or Mirarr clan, live around Jabiru, between the East and South Alligator rivers. They formed the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation to represent the interests of the traditional owners of the land, the Mirrar, and other Bininj people in Kakadu. They play a big role in looking after their land and managing changes in the area.
- The Mayali lived further south, across the South Alligator River, with the Katherine River to their east.
- The Kundedjnjenghmi moved around the Upper Liverpool and Mann rivers, east of the Kunwinjku and Kundjeyhmi groups.
- The Kuninjku lived north of the Kundedjnjenghmi and southwest of Maningrida. Maningrida is a central place for their services. Many Kuninjku people live in about 15 smaller communities, called outstations, like Kumurrulu.
- The Kune lived east of the Kuninjku, around the Cadell River.
Stories and Beliefs
Like many Aboriginal people in Western Arnhem Land, the Bininj believe in a powerful creator spirit called the Rainbow Serpent. This spirit is often called Ngalyod and is usually seen as having female qualities.
One story says that Ngalyod came to Australia from the sea northeast of the Cobourg Peninsula. She was full of spirit-children and settled at a place called Coopers Creek on the East Alligator River. There, she turned her children into people. She created waterholes for them to drink from and gave men spears and woomeras (spear-throwers). She gave women dilly bags (woven bags) and digging sticks. She also gave everyone intelligence and their senses.
Ngalyod is a powerful spirit. If people break her laws, she might swallow them. She can also drown children who cry, because she doesn't like noise. In Dreaming stories, when Ngalyod rises from the earth to consume something, it's because a rule has been broken. This act makes the place sacred.
For the Kuninjku people, important Dreaming sites (called djang) include the Leech Dreaming at Yibalaydjyigod and the Maggot Dreaming at Yirolk. These sites are linked to the Rainbow Serpent and represent ideas of change and new life. The souls (kunmalng) of the Kuninjku are believed to come from the water spirits at these places.
The refreshing monsoon rains are thought to be caused by Ngalyod flying from her home underground into the sky, which creates the rainbow. Ceremonies like the Kunabibi and yabbadurruwa rites are performed to encourage the djang spirits to bring the fertilizing rains.
Famous Bininj People
- John Mawurndjul: A Kuninjku artist who is famous around the world.
- Bardayal 'Lofty' Nadjamerrek
- Bobby Nganjmirra: A Kunwinjku artist.
See also
- Lorrkkon: A hollow log coffin or memorial pole used in ceremonies.
