Ngadjumaya facts for kids
The Ngadju are an Aboriginal Australian people. They live in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. They have a rich history and a strong connection to their traditional lands.
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Ngadju Traditional Lands
The Ngadju people have always lived on a large area of land. Their traditional country covered about 20,600 square miles (53,000 km2). This land stretched from Goddard Creek in the north. It went south to places like Mount Ragged and Israelite Bay. Their western border was near Fraser Range. The eastern edge was close to Narethal and Point Culver. Mount Andrew and Balladonia were also part of their territory.
Recognizing Ngadju Land Rights
The Ngadju people worked for many years to have their land rights recognized. In 2014 and 2017, the Federal Court made an important decision. It officially recognized the Ngadju's traditional ownership. This recognition covered over 102,000 square kilometres. About 45,000 square kilometres of this land is now under their exclusive native title. This area is located around the town of Norseman.
Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area
In 2020, a special area was created called the Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area. This area is on Ngadju land. It covers about 43,993 square kilometres. This is a big part of the Great Western Woodlands. The Ngadju people are the traditional custodians of this land. This means they are responsible for looking after it.
Ngadju Rangers: Caring for Country
The Ngadju Rangers play a very important role. They use a mix of traditional knowledge and modern science. Their work helps to protect the land's plants and animals. They also manage fires, control weeds, and look after cultural sites. This helps keep the protected area healthy and safe.
Ngadju Names and Identity
The Ngadju people are also known by several other names. These names often come from different dialects or how other groups referred to them.
- Ngadjunpakara
- Ngadjunpukara
- Ngadjunma
- Ngadju (their word for 'yes' is nadan)
- Ba:donjunga
- Bardok (meaning 'subincised')
- Pardoak (a name used by the Wiilman people)
- Ngadjumaja (a name used by the Njunga tribe)
- Malba
- Fraser Range tribe
- Minninng
- West Meening, West Mining
- Buljigu (the name of a dialect spoken by northern groups)
The researcher Norman Tindale identified the tribe in this area as the Ngadjunmaia.
