Lardil people facts for kids
The Lardil people, also known as Kunhanaamendaa, are an Aboriginal Australian group. They are the traditional owners of Mornington Island in the Wellesley Islands chain, located in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland. The name Kunhanaamendaa means "people of Kunhanhaa," which is the traditional name for Mornington Island.
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Lardil Language
The Lardil language is part of the Tangkic language family. Sadly, it is now nearly gone, meaning very few people still speak it.
The Lardil language had a special feature: it used different ways of speaking depending on how people were related to each other. This was a unique part of their language.
There was also a secret language called Damin. The Lardil people believed the Yellow Trevally fish ancestor, Kaltharr, created Damin. It was taught during a special initiation ceremony for young men. Linguists, who study languages, found Damin fascinating because it had sounds not found in other languages around the world. It was a very clever language that could express the entire Lardil vocabulary using only about 200 words. One linguist called it a "monument to the human intellect." However, missionaries did not approve of the rituals connected to Damin, so it disappeared when these ceremonies were stopped.
Traditional Life and Environment
The Lardil people were very skilled at living off the land and sea. They built rockwall fish traps called derndernim along the coast. These traps would catch different types of fish when the tide went out.
They also had amazing knowledge about plants. They understood plants so well that their way of classifying them was as detailed as modern scientific ways. This knowledge helped them find food, medicine, and materials for tools.
When the Christian mission was established, many Lardil people moved away from their traditional hunter and gatherer lifestyle. Some worked on farms as drovers, moving cattle. This change meant that later generations sometimes lost touch with the old ways of life.
The Christian Mission
Most of the Wellesley Islands, except for Sweers Island, were set aside as special areas for Aboriginal people. In 1914, Presbyterian missionaries were allowed to build a mission on Mornington Island.
The first missionary, Reverend Robert Hall, and his team started the mission. Hall tried to help the islanders become self-sufficient. For example, he organized for them to harvest and prepare trepang (sea cucumbers) to sell. At first, the Lardil people welcomed the missionaries. However, in 1917, Reverend Hall was speared by a Lardil man named "Burketown Peter." This man was a respected drover who had faced difficulties and conflicts.
Dormitory System
After Reverend Hall, Reverend Wilson took over the mission. He started a system where children were separated from their families and lived in dormitories. This system made it hard for the older generations to pass on their traditional knowledge and laws to the children.
The missionaries focused on the youngest children, teaching them their religion. They also tried to change traditional marriage customs. Few Lardil girls raised in the dormitory married according to their community's old rules. The mission head often played a role in deciding who they would marry. The dormitory system finally ended in 1954.
Community Life and Changes
Over time, the population of Mornington Island changed. Other Aboriginal groups, like the Kaiadilt people from Bentinck Island, were moved there by missionaries.
In 1978, the Mornington Island Mission was replaced by a community administration. The local council took over running the island.
The community has faced many challenges. For example, there have been issues with health, including diabetes and kidney problems. The average life expectancy on the island is much lower than for other Australians. Organizations like Save the Children have worked to help children with nutrition.
Alternative Names
The Lardil people prefer to be called Kunhanaamendaa. This means "people of Kunhanhaa," which is the traditional name for Mornington Island. They only use the name Lardil for their language.
Other names that have been used for the Lardil people include:
- Lardi:i
- Laierdila
- Ladil
- Kunana (name for Mornington Island)
- Kuna'na
- Gunana
- Mornington Island tribe
- Kare-wa (a dialect name)
Notable People
