Kukatja (Western Australia) facts for kids

The Kukatja people, also written Gugadja, are an Aboriginal Australian group. They come from the Kimberley area in Western Australia.

Where the Kukatja People Live

The Kukatja people have special traditional lands. These lands are their ancestral home. They are located in Western Australia. Their country covers about 11,900 square miles (30,800 square kilometers). The center of their land is around Lake Gregory. It stretches east to a place called Balgo.

To the north, their land reaches Billiluna. A waterhole called Ngaimangaima marks the border. This border is between the Kukatja and their northern neighbors, the Dyaru. To the east are the Ngardi people. The Kukatja also lived along the Canning Stock Route to the west. This was from Koninara (Godfrey Tank) to Marawuru (Well 40). The Nangatara people were on their western border.

Working Together for Land Rights

On August 21, 1980, a special request was made. This was a land claim for about 2,340 square kilometers (900 square miles). It was made by 90 people from the Warlpiri, Kukatja, and Ngarti groups. They were asking for their traditional lands back. This claim was made under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. This law helps Aboriginal people get their traditional lands recognized.

The Central Land Council helped present this claim. It was the 11th land claim of its kind. The land they claimed was where the Ngarti, Warlpiri, and Kukatja languages are spoken. People from these groups have lived together. They have influenced each other's cultures. This happened especially at Balgo, Western Australia and Lajamanu, Northern Territory.

The claim was presented at Balgo Mission. On August 23, 1985, Justice Sir William Kearney made a recommendation. He said that all the claimed land should be given to a Land Trust. This trust would hold the land for the benefit of Aboriginal people. These are the people who traditionally have rights to use or live on the land.

Kukatja Language

The Kukatja people speak a special language. It is called the Kukatja dialect. This dialect is part of the larger Western Desert language family.

Studies of Kukatja Culture

A researcher named Sylvie Poirier studied the Kukatja people. She wrote a book about their dreams. In Kukatja culture, dreams are called kapukurri. Many Kukatja people now live in the Mulan community.

Other Names for Kukatja People

See also

• Ngururrpa, a group of peoples including Kukatja language speakers