Kuyani facts for kids
The Kuyani people, also written Guyani and other variants, and also known as the Nganitjidi, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the state of South Australia who speak the Kuyani language. Their traditional lands are to the west of the Flinders Ranges.
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Country
According to the estimation made by Norman Tindale, the Kuyani held sway over some 13,200 square miles (34,000 km2) of tribal land, extending northwards from Parachilna to the western flank of the Flinders Ranges at Marree. Their northeastern boundary was at Murnpeowie. Their western frontier lay at Turret Range and Andamooka. They also occupied the area to the north of, but not including, Lake Torrens. However, Lake Torrens was of great significance to the Kuyani people, known to them as Ngarndamukia, meaning "shower of rain". Kuyani woman Regina McKenzie said that the Kuyani were "the law holders of what anthropologists would call the lake's culture people".
The Kuyani around Beltana and Leigh Creek were known as the Adjnjakujani from a word, adjna meaning "hill," while those near Lake Torrens were called plainspeople (Wartakujani.)
Their neighbours to the east are the Adnyamathanha people, whose language is closely related.
Alternative names
- Kujani, Kuyanni
- Kwiani, Kwiana
- Kooyiannie
- Gujani
- Owinia
- Cooyiannie
- Kooyeeunna, Kooteeunna
- Nganitjidi (Barngarla exonym, meaning "those who sneak and kill by night")
- Ngannityiddi
Language
The Kuyani language is extinct today, with no speakers recorded since 1975.
Some words
- wilker (dog, both tame and wild)
- papi (father)
- comie/knumie (mother)
- coodnoo (white man)
