Miyan people facts for kids

The Miyan people, also known as the Mian, were an Aboriginal group who lived in the state of Queensland, Australia. They were one of the many First Nations groups in Australia with a rich history and culture.

What's in a Name?

The word mian means 'man' in their own language. This is how the Miyan people referred to themselves.

Where Did They Live?

The Miyan people lived in an area of Central West Queensland. Their traditional lands covered about 5,000 square miles (13,000 square kilometers). This territory stretched north from the lower Belyando River to the southern parts of the Cape River and Mount Douglas.

Their land also included a place called Bulliwallah. The western edge of their country was near the Great Dividing Range. To the south, their territory reached around Lake Galilee and Labona.

Miyan Family Groups

The Miyan people lived in different groups, often called clans or 'hordes'. These groups were like extended families or communities that lived and hunted together. Some of the known Miyan groups included:

• Munkibura
• Wokkelburra (who lived near Bulliwallah)
• Koombokkaburra
• Pegulloburra
• Oncooburra

Hunting for Food

The Miyan people were skilled hunters. They had clever ways to catch animals for food.

Hunting Kangaroos

One method for hunting kangaroos was to use nets. They would set up nets to capture the kangaroos, showing their knowledge of the animals' movements.

Hunting Emus

Emus were also an important food source. During dry weather, when water was scarce, emus would gather at the few remaining waterholes. Miyan hunters would find these spots by following the emu tracks. A hunter would then climb a nearby tree, taking a spear with them. From the tree, they would hang a bunch of emu feathers on a string. When emus came to drink, the hunter would make sounds like an emu. Emus are very curious, so they would come closer to investigate the feathers. This allowed the hunter, hidden in the tree, to spear one of the birds.

A Look at Their History

In 1862, people from other countries began to settle on Miyan lands. At that time, it was thought that about 400 Miyan people lived there.

Over the next 20 years, the Miyan population sadly decreased. This was due to new diseases brought by the settlers, like colds and fevers, which Miyan children often suffered from. Changes to their traditional way of life also had a big impact on their health and numbers.

Sometimes, there were very difficult and sad events. For example, a young Miyan man who had worked on settler stations returned to his family. His family was on land that was now used for cattle. The owner of the cattle station ordered that the Miyan group be moved away. Tragically, the young man was killed during this event. Another time, a 15-year-old Miyan girl was badly hurt when her group accidentally started a small fire while fishing on their own land. These events show the harsh challenges the Miyan people faced during this period.

Other Names for Miyan Groups

Sometimes, the Miyan people or their specific groups were known by other names, such as:

• Koombokkaburra
• Munkibura
• Oncooburra
• Pegulloburra
• Wokkelburra
• Wokkulburra (This name comes from their word wak:ul, which means 'eel'.)

Some Miyan Words

Here are a few words from the Miyan language:

• knagana – This word means 'forbidden'. It was used for laws about not eating certain foods for different groups of people.
• knurra – wild dog
• meearew – whiteman (a person of European descent)
• waddey / yabboo – father
• wandi – tame dog
• yanga – mother