Girramay facts for kids

The Girramay people are an Aboriginal group from northern Queensland, Australia. They are one of the many First Nations peoples who have lived on this land for thousands of years. Their traditional lands are rich in rainforests and open forests.

What's in a Name?

The name Girramay comes from their own language. It is based on the word jir:a, which means "man." This is how they referred to themselves.

Their Language

The Girramay people spoke a special dialect of the Dyirbal language. This dialect was the most southerly (southernmost) version of Dyirbal.

Where They Lived

The traditional lands of the Girramay people covered about 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometers). This area stretched south from Rockingham Bay to Cardwell. Their territory also reached north towards the upper Murray River and the Cardwell Range. It included inland areas near the Herbert River.

Life in Their Society

Before European settlers arrived, the Girramay people lived in harmony with their environment. Their lands included both dense rainforests and more open forest areas. This mix of environments provided them with many different resources for living.

Tools and Food

The Girramay people were very skilled at using what nature provided.

• They used bark from trees to make a special type of cloth. This cloth could be shaped into a "rain shield" to protect them from the weather.
• Neighboring groups, like the Dyirbal and Ngajanji people, called this shield a keramai. This word sounded similar to "Girramay," showing how well-known these shields were.
• A common food for them was wila, which were cakes made from brown walnuts.

Other Names for the Girramay

Over time, the Girramay people have been known by several different names. These include:

• Kiramai
• Giramai, Giramay, Giramaygan
• Kirrama, Kirrami, Kerrami
• Wombelbara (a name given by the Warakamai people)

A Few Girramay Words

Here are some words from the Girramay language, showing how it compares to the Dyirbal language:

• gamu (water) – compared to Dyirbal bana
• gumbul (woman) – compared to Dyirbal jugumbil
• garba (ear) – compared to Dyirbal manga
• wuyan – a verb meaning to "keep on taking bit by bit from a group, or from a pile of objects, until scarcely any remain"
• whoyerr (tame dog)