Galibal facts for kids

The Kalibal (also called Gullibul) were an Indigenous Australian group of people. They lived in the area of New South Wales, Australia.

What's in a Name?

The name Kalibal, or Galibal, was sometimes used by other groups to describe them. It was a way to tell different language groups apart. For example, if a group said the word 'this' in a certain way, others might call them 'Galibal'. It was like a nickname based on their speech.

Where They Lived

The Kalibal people lived in rainforest areas. Their land was near the border of modern-day Queensland and New South Wales. They often visited places like Tyalgum and the Brunswick River in New South Wales.

Their territory stretched north from the Macpherson Range. It went towards Unumgar and crossed into Queensland near Christmas Creek. To the east, their land reached the upper parts of the Nerang River. It also extended south to Mount Cougal and the Tweed Range.

Social Life and Ceremonies

The Kalibal people lived in groups called clans. We know the names of at least two clans near Murwillumbah:

• Murwillumbah (a clan southwest of Murwillumbah)
• Moorung-moobar (a clan to the northwest)

Boys had a special ceremony called Bool. This ceremony changed them from 'tabboo' (adolescents) into 'cabra' (fully grown men). The ceremony took place at a special site called a 'bora'. A bora site was a large circle of earth, about 35 yards wide, with a low wall around it.

One bora site was at the top of the Tweed River, near the Macpherson Range. It was connected to a nearby creek by a long ditch. During the ceremony, the boys would travel down this ditch. It was like a tunnel made of branches. They would reach the creek and stay hidden for three days as part of their journey to becoming men.

A Look at Their History

In 1901, a police officer named J. Bray shared what he had seen. When he first arrived in the Murwillumbah area, he saw hundreds of Kalibal people. He even saw about 600 of them gathered together at one time. However, by the time he wrote about it, he said there were very few children left. He noted that the group had almost disappeared.

Other Names for the Kalibal

The Kalibal people were also known by these names:

• Murwillumbah
• Moorung-moobar