Gidhabal facts for kids
The Gidabal people, also called Kitabal or Githabul, are an Indigenous Australian group. They traditionally lived in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Their lands are now part of the Southern Downs, Tenterfield, and Kyogle areas.
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Gidabal Language: Speaking Their History
The Gidabal people call their language Githabul. It is part of the Condamine-Upper Clarence language group. This group belongs to the larger Bundjalungic language family. Even though it's related, the Githabul people prefer their language not to be called Bundjalung.
Gidabal Country: Their Traditional Lands
According to a researcher named Norman Tindale, the Gidabal people's traditional lands covered about 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometers). This area was around the sources of the Clarence, Richmond, and Logan rivers. These rivers are found on the Great Dividing Range.
Their country stretched from Killarney to Urbenville, Woodenbong, Unumgar, and Tooloom. It also included areas near Rathdowney and Spicer Gap. The southern parts of their land were close to Tabulam and Drake.
Gidabal Social Life: How They Organized Themselves
In 1898, R. H. Mathews visited the Gidabal people. He learned about their social groups, which were divided into four main parts. These divisions helped organize their families and communities. They were important for understanding who was related to whom and how people should interact.
Native Title: Recognizing Their Rights
In September 1995, a Githabul lawyer named Trevor Close made a native title claim for his people. This claim covered about 140,600 hectares (about 543 square miles). The land was in the Kyogle, Woodenbong, and Tenterfield areas of northern New South Wales, and south of Rathdowney in Queensland.
On November 29, 2007, Justice Catherine Branson of the Federal Court of Australia made an important decision. She recognized the Githabul people's non-exclusive native title rights. This means they have special rights to use and enjoy about 1,120 square kilometers (432 square miles) of land. This land includes nine national parks and 13 state forests in northern New South Wales.
Other Names for the Gidabal People
The Gidabal people are also known by several other names, including:
- Kidabal, Kidjabal, Kit(t)a-bool, Kittabool, Kitabool, Kitapul
- Gidjoobal
- Kuttibul
- Noowidal
