Iwaidja people facts for kids
The Iwaidja are an Indigenous Australian people. They come from the Northern Territory of Australia.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Iwaidja might come from their word for 'no', which is ii. This was noted by a researcher named Norman Tindale.
The Iwaidja Language
The Iwaidja language is part of the Iwaidjan languages family. These languages are spoken on the Cobourg Peninsula. It's a special kind of language, different from many other Australian languages. About 150 people still speak Iwaidja today. Most of them live in Minjilang, a community on Croker Island.
Where the Iwaidja Lived
The Iwaidja people traditionally lived on about 100 square miles (260 square kilometers) of land. Their main area was around Mountnorris Bay. This bay is in the eastern part of the Cobourg Peninsula. An early explorer, Paul Foelsche, described their land. He said it stretched from Raffles Bay to Port Essington Harbour. It also went midway up the Cobourg Peninsula to Popham Bay. Their neighbors included the Ajokoot, Wurango, Angara-Pingan, and Yiarik peoples.
How They Lived Together
Besides the main Iwaidja group, there were four other smaller groups. It's not fully clear if these were separate tribes or smaller parts of the Iwaidja. These groups were:
- Wonga:ran (living on the mainland, across from Croker Island)
- Ka:ri:k. (east of Cape Don)
- Nga:dalwuli. (a coastal group, east of the Ka:ri:k.)
- Mandu:wit. (northwest, and east of the Nga:dalwuli).
A Look at Their History
Early records suggest the Iwaidja people were once very numerous. However, after contact with people from other countries, their numbers dropped. By 1881, only about 30 Iwaidja people were recorded. This change happened after Malay traders visited in 1866. They brought new diseases that affected the community.
Other Names for the Iwaidja
- Eae-warge-ga
- Eaewardja
- Eaewarga
- Eiwaja
- Iwaija
- Iwaiji
- Iyi
- Ji:wadja
- Jiwadja
- Juwadja
- Limba-Karadjee
- Limbakaraja
- Tarula. (This name was given by Melville Islanders. It means 'riflemen'.)
- Unalla
- Uwaidja
Some Iwaidja Words
Here are a few words from the Iwaidja language:
- illpoogee (kangaroo)
- kamoomoo. (mother)
looloot. (tame dog)
- lurkakie. (wild dog)
- nowajuk. (father)
- warranganababoo. (white man)
