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Humpy facts for kids

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For the John Williamson album, see Gunyah (album). For the chess player, see Koneru Humpy.
Native Encampment by Skinner Prout, from Australia (1876, vol II)
A 19th-century engraving showing Aboriginal people and humpy

A humpy, also known as a gunyah, wurley, wurly or wurlie, is a small, temporary shelter, traditionally used by Australian Aboriginal people. These impermanent dwellings, made of branches and bark, are sometimes called a lean-to, since they often rely on a standing tree for support.

Etymology

The word humpy comes from the Jagera language (a Murri people from Coorparoo in Brisbane); other language groups would have different names for the structure. In South Australia, such a shelter is known as a "wurley" (also spelled "wurlie"), possibly from the Kaurna language.


Usage

Both names were adopted by early white settlers, and now form part of the Australian lexicon. The use of the term appears to have broadened in later usage to include any temporary building made from any available materials, including canvas, flattened metal drums, and sheets of corrugated iron.

Gallery

  • StateLibQld 2 239273 Bark humpy on Cleveland Road, Brisbane, 1874

    Bark humpy, Brisbane, 1874

  • StateLibQld 1 113072 Bushman with his dog and horse outside a humpy, Hughenden district^, 1910-1920

    Bushman humpy, 1910s

  • Humpy, Gunyah, south west Queensland. part of scenes of far western Queensland, Fred McKay gulf patrol, 1937 - (John Flynn?) (19306853893)

    Humpy in far western Queensland, 1937

  • Native Wurley

    Native Wurley, 1886

See also

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