Ngan'gimerri facts for kids

The Ngan'gimerri (pronounced Ngan-gi-mer-ee) are an Aboriginal Australian people. They live in the Northern Territory of Australia, especially around the Daly River area. You might also see their name spelled as Nangiomeri or Nanggumiri.

Ngan'gimerri Language

The Ngan'gimerri people speak a language called Ngan'gi. It is part of a group known as the Southern Daly River languages. Many people think Ngan'gi is a special way of speaking (a dialect) of the main Ngan'gi language.

Traditional Lands

The Ngan'gimerri people's traditional lands are located east of the areas belonging to the Maramanandji and Murrinh-Patha peoples. Their country covers about 1,000 square miles (2,600 square kilometers). It stretches south from the middle part of the Daly River. Their land is south of the Mulluk-Mulluk and Madngella peoples' areas. It also follows the Flora River until it meets the Daly River.

History After European Arrival

Finding enough food was always important for Aboriginal groups who moved around. When Europeans settled in new places, it became easier to get food, tobacco, and sugar. This often led to Aboriginal groups moving closer to these settlements.

Around the 1900s, the Ngan'gimerri heard exciting stories through the Bush Telegraph about a new gold mine. This mine had started operating south in a place now called the Victoria Daly Region. The Ngan'gimerri, along with the Wagiman people, decided to move there. They stayed in this new area and did not return to their original homeland.

One group within the Ngan'gimerri tribe was called the Ngargaminjin. After Europeans arrived, this group joined with the Murrinh-Patha people.

Society and Relationships

The Ngan'gimerri people and their friends, the Mulluk-Mulluk, were sometimes rivals with the Marringar and Marrithiyal tribes. However, they still had to work together for important ceremonies. One such ceremony was the Dingiri initiation rite. Dingiri is a mythical hunter who turned into stone.

The Ngan'gimerri's family system is based on an "eight-subsection principle." This is a way of organizing people into different groups to show how they are related to each other.

Ngan'gimerri Stories and Beliefs

The Dreamtime is a very important part of Aboriginal culture. It tells stories about how the world was created and how people should live. The rainbow serpent is a major figure in many Dreamtime stories, especially for tribes along the Daly River.

In some stories, like those of the Wagiman and Marrithiyal, the rainbow serpent steals one of the wives of the flying fox. In the Ngan'gimerri version, like with the Murrinh-Patha, the rainbow serpent is seen as having both male and female qualities.

Durmugan: A Strong Leader

An Australian expert named W. E. H. Stanner wrote a famous paper about a Ngan'gimerri man named Durmugan. Stanner first met Durmugan during a large battle between Aboriginal groups. Stanner noticed Durmugan because he was very brave and skilled in fighting.

After the battle, Durmugan introduced himself. Stanner realized this was the man Europeans called 'Smiler', who was known for his strength and leadership in the area. Stanner believed Durmugan's strong character came from a special initiation ceremony he went through. This happened around the time of WW1.

For many people around the Daly River, their traditional beliefs were changing quickly. They felt that their main spiritual figure, Angamunggi (the All-Father, or Rainbow Serpent), had left them. This was because they were losing their land, animals were disappearing, and new diseases were spreading. A new belief system, called the Kunapipi cult, became important. This new belief focused on an All-Mother figure, represented by a bull-roarer called Karwadi. Stanner thought this new spiritual movement inspired men like Durmugan to become strong leaders.

Stanner's long story about Durmugan became very well-known. It showed the deep connection between an Aboriginal person and the anthropologist studying their culture. Another writer, Robert Manne, called it "the finest essay by an Australian."

Durmugan's name showed a connection to the Murrinh-Patha people. It was similar to a place name, Dirmugam, in their territory. Durmugan's only equal, especially in dance, was a Murrinh-Patha warrior named Tjimari. Tjimari became famous after he became friends with the Australian poet Roland Robinson.

Other Names for Ngan'gimerri

• Nanggiomeri, Nangiomeri, Nangumiri
• Nangimera, Nangimeri
• Nanggiwumiri, Nangi-wumiri
• Ngen-gomeri
• Mariwumiri
• Murinwumiri
• Wumiri
• Nanggikorongo