Duulngari facts for kids
The Doolboong people, also called Duulngari, were an Aboriginal Australian group. They lived in parts of the Northern Territory and the northeast of Western Australia.
Contents
What Language Did They Speak?
The Doolboong people spoke a language called Doolboong. It was also known as Tuplung or Duulingari. Experts think it was part of the Jarrakan languages family. Sadly, this language is no longer spoken today, and we don't know much about it.
Where Did the Doolboong Live?
We don't know a lot about the Doolboong people. A researcher named Norman Tindale said they lived in coastal areas. These areas included mangrove flats and springs. Their land was north and west of Ninbing Station. He believed their land stretched from Wyndham eastwards. It went as far as the mouth of the Keep River. This river crosses into the Northern Territory. Tindale thought their land covered about 5,200 square kilometers (2,000 square miles).
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies has a map. This map shows the Doolboong people lived more inland. They were north of the Miriwung people. They were also south of the Gadjerong people. Another expert, William B. McGregor, said their language was spoken near the Cambridge Gulf. He also noted they lived west of the Gadjerong people.
Doolboong Family Groups
Norman Tindale identified three main family groups. These groups were part of the Doolboong people. They are sometimes called "hordes" or subdivisions.
- Pokai
- Kanjai (This group lived west of a place called Knob Peak.)
- Wardaia (This group lived east of Knob Peak.)
Other Names for the Doolboong
The Doolboong people were also known by other names:
- Kurramo (This was another name for their language.)
- Pokai
- Kanjai
- Wardaia, Wardai, Wardia
