Kooma facts for kids
The Kooma are a group of Indigenous Australians who live in the border area between Queensland and New South Wales. They are descendants of the Koamu people. The Kooma have a rich history and strong connections to their traditional lands.
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Kooma Country and Home
The Kooma people say their ancestors lived near Nebine Creek and the Culgoa River. This area is upstream and east of where the Kunja people lived. The Kooma call their land yumba, which means "camp" but now means "home." A very important place for them is the Murra murra station.
Other Aboriginal groups lived in this wider area too. These included the Bitjara, Kalili, Wangkumara, Kunggari, and Muruwari peoples. This region covers parts of the Warrego, Paroo, Bulloo, and Wilson rivers.
Native Title Recognition
The Kooma people have worked hard to have their traditional land rights recognized. This is called Native Title. The Federal Court of Australia held a special meeting on Kooma country in Bollon. This meeting officially recognized the Kooma people's Native Title rights.
The Kooma people's Native Title area covers about 2,950 square kilometres. This is in the south-west part of Queensland. It includes areas within the Maranoa, Balonne, Murweh, and Paroo local government regions. This land includes the Bendee Downs and Murra Murra pastoral properties. It also covers other areas around Bollon. The area stretches from Wyandra in the north-west to the Culgoa River in the south. It goes from Wideegoara Creek to Belingra from east to west. This land is very important to the Kooma people for their culture, spirituality, and history.
Kooma People and Traditions
According to one Kooma story, there was a group among them who were taller and had lighter skin. They seemed to have an appearance like people from Asia.
Kooma Dreamtime Stories
The Kooma people's Dreamtime stories are called Matya Mundu. One famous story tells how the rainbow serpent created many things. As it moved along the Warrego River, it dug out waterholes. Then, it filled these waterholes with fish like yellow-belly, catfish, and cod.
