Kurrama people facts for kids
The Kurrama people, also known as the Puutu Kunti Kurrama people, are an Aboriginal Australian group. They come from the Pilbara region in Western Australia. The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura peoples work together through the PKKP Aboriginal Corporation. This group helps manage their traditional lands.
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The Kurrama Language
The Kurrama people have their own language, called Kurrama language. It belongs to a larger group of languages called the Ngayarta group. Sadly, the Kurrama language is endangered. This means very few people still speak it. In 2002, it was thought that only about 10 people could speak it.
Traditional Lands
The traditional lands of the Kurrama people cover a large area. It's about 9,600 square kilometres (3,700 square miles). This land is mostly in the higher parts of the Hamersley Range in the Pilbara region. Their land stretches from Mount McCrae in the east to the upper Hardey River in the south.
Native Title Rights
The Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura peoples are two different groups, but they are connected. They worked together to claim their rights to their traditional lands and waters. On December 2, 2015, their rights were officially recognised. This means they have special rights over about 10,888 square kilometres (4,204 square miles) of land. This area is located between Onslow and Tom Price. The PKKP Aboriginal Corporation helps manage these lands for both groups.
Community Life
Even though the Kurrama and Pinikura peoples are distinct, they share many things. They follow similar traditional laws and customs. They also share and protect much of the same land and its natural resources.
Other Names for the Kurrama People
Sometimes, the Kurrama people are known by other names or spellings:
- Jawunmara (a name used by the Yindjibarndi people)
- Gurama
- Kerama, Karama, Korama
- Jana:ri
Juukan Gorge Incident
In May 2020, something very sad happened. A mining company called Rio Tinto destroyed a very important sacred and heritage site in Juukan Gorge. This site was a cave that was very special to the Puutu Kunti Kurrama people. They, along with the Pinikura people (as the PKKP group), were very upset by this destruction. It was a huge loss of their cultural history and heritage.
