Kalkatungu facts for kids

The Kalkadoon (also known as Kalkatungu) are an Indigenous Australian group. Their traditional lands are in the Mount Isa region of Queensland, Australia. Their ancestors were known as strong and skilled warriors. In 1884, many Kalkadoon people were killed in a major conflict at a place now called "Battle Mountain."

Language and Communication

The Kalkadoon people traditionally spoke the Kalkatung language. This language belonged to the Kalkatungic branch of the Pama-Nyungan language family. Another language in this group was Yalarnnga, spoken near Djarra, Queensland. Kalkatung was spoken around Mount Isa.

Experts like Barry Blake have studied the Kalkatung language. They worked with the last native speakers to learn about its grammar and words. The Kalkatung language shared some words with Yalarnnga. However, their grammars were quite different.

Like many other Aboriginal groups, the Kalkatungu also used a sign language. This allowed them to communicate without speaking. For example, to show a large kangaroo, they would join their forefinger and thumb. They would then flick their wrist forward, like a hopping motion. To show a land snake, they would point their forefinger. They would then rotate their wrist while extending their arm.

Traditional Lands and Culture

The Kalkatungu's traditional lands covered a large area. They started at the Cloncurry River and went across the Leichhardt and Gregory Rivers. This included the Barkly Tableland and the Selwyn ranges. Their lands also stretched south towards Chatsworth and Buckingham Downs. Neighboring groups included the Mayi-Thakurti and Maigudung tribes.

The Kalkatungu lands were important for trade. Walter Roth documented how much trading happened in the Selwyn Range. Goods were exchanged from Boulia to Cloncurry. A large quarry near Lake Moondarra shows how active the Kalkatungu were. Over 800,000 stone axe blanks are still found there. These axes were traded up to 1,000 kilometers away.

The Kalkatungu were also important in spreading the Mudlunga (Molonga) ritual dance. This dance started near the Georgina River. A photo from 1895 shows Kalkatungu men ready to perform their version of this dance. This ritual later spread across Australia.

Their homeland in the Selwyn Range also has amazing rock art. These ancient paintings include human-like figures.

Social Structure

The Kalkatungu tribe had two main groups. These were the Muntaba (southern people) and the Roongkari (western people). This information was sometimes shared by the nearby Mayi-Thakurti tribe.

Mythology and Stories

The Kalkatungu people had many traditional stories. One myth explains the origin of fire. It tells of a lightning bolt that set the plains on fire. The tribe was preparing to eat raw meat. The flames swept over their camp. They found that the charred meat tasted much better.

An old woman was sent to find the fire and bring it back. She returned with a burning stick. She became the fire-keeper and watched over it for many years. One day, a flood put out the camp-fire. She was sent away until she could bring back fire. In her anger, she rubbed two sticks together. A flame appeared, and she was welcomed back to the tribe.

History and European Arrival

The first Europeans to enter the Kalkatungu area were explorers Burke and Wills in 1861. Although they didn't mention the tribe, the Kalkatungu oral history remembers their passing. The Kalkatungu people created the word walpala (from "white feller") for Europeans. Later search parties for Burke and Wills also passed through. One leader, Frederick Walker, was involved in conflicts with Indigenous people.

In 1864, Edward Palmer settled near Kalkatungu land. He was a pioneer who brought livestock to North Queensland. Palmer was interested in Indigenous tribes and tried to learn their language. He had good relations with the Kalkatungu people.

In 1866, Ernest Henry arrived. With help from Kalkatungu guides, he found copper deposits. He even hired some Kalkatungu people to work in his mines. Early settlers like W. and T. Brown also had peaceful relations with the Indigenous landowners.

However, things changed when Alexander Kennedy settled in the area in 1877. He owned a vast amount of land and cattle. Kennedy is believed to have started serious conflicts with the Kalkatungu people. Some historians describe him as a key figure in the destruction of tribes in North West Central Queensland.

Early European accounts often described the Kalkatungu as hostile warriors. They were said to use clever tactics to fight back. These accounts often presented the settlers as heroes. They believed they were bringing progress to Queensland.

The Battle at Battle Hill

In December 1878, a settler and three of his men were killed near Cloncurry. This event led to increased conflict. Settlers and police forces began to fight against the Indigenous tribes in the region. Many Kalkatungu people were killed in the hills during this time.

Over the next few years, the Kalkatungu became known for their clever resistance. They fought back against police and settlers. They also hunted the cattle that were on their traditional lands. Alexander Kennedy asked for more police support from Brisbane. The Commissioner of Police, D. T. Seymour, reportedly gave Kennedy permission to deal with the tribe. Marcus de la Poer Beresford was sent to lead the local native police unit.

In January 1883, Beresford and his troopers had a conflict with a group of Kalkatungu. Beresford and three of his men were killed. For about a year, the Kalkatungu maintained control over their lands. Both settlers and police felt intimidated by their strength.

In March 1884, Frederic Urquhart was sent to handle the situation. He was part of the Queensland Native Mounted Police Force. The Kalkatungu reportedly challenged him to fight. Urquhart set up a camp outside Cloncurry.

In August, Urquhart learned that a settler named James White Powell had been killed. Powell was a partner of Kennedy's. Urquhart and others buried Powell. Urquhart then vowed to take revenge.

The group responsible for Powell's death was found and many were killed. For the next nine weeks, settlers and police relentlessly pursued the Kalkadoon. Many more were killed in these attacks.

In September, a Chinese shepherd was killed. Soon after, about 600 Kalkatungu warriors gathered on a rocky outlook. They prepared to defend themselves against armed settlers, local police, and native troopers. The attackers tried to surround them. The Kalkatungu warriors charged directly at them. Many fell under the gunfire from the muskets, which the Kalkatungu called makini. Around 200 Kalkatungu are believed to have died in this battle. Urquhart himself was knocked out. This battle broke the organized resistance of the tribe. It was often said that the Kalkatungu had been wiped out. Over six years, from 1878 to 1884, an estimated 900 Kalkatungu people were lost during these conflicts.

Memorial and Recognition

In 1984, a plaque was put up to remember the Kalkatungu people. This was 100 years after the main conflict. Charles Perkins, a well-known Aboriginal activist, and George Thorpe, a Kalkatung elder, unveiled it. The plaque is at the Kajabbi bush pub near Cloncurry.

It states:

This obelisk is in memorial to the Kalkatungu tribes, who during September 1884 fought one of Australia's historic battles of resistance against a para-military force of European settlers and the Queensland native Mounted Police at a place known today as Battle Mountain - 20klms [sic] south west of Kajabbi.

The Kalkadoon people are also honored in the name of a bird. The Kalkadoon grasswren is a small bird. It lives only on the slopes of the Mount Isa region.

See also

• List of massacres of Indigenous Australians