Ngardi facts for kids

The Ngardi (also spelled Ngarti) are an Aboriginal Australian people. They live in parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Who are the Ngardi?

Some people, like Arthur Capell, thought the Ngardi were a part of the Warlpiri. But others, like Norman Tindale, believed they were a separate group.

The Ngardi share important beliefs with other Aboriginal groups. They are connected to the Wanjina and Wunggurr spirits. These spirits are very important to the Worrorra, Wunambal, and Ngarinyin peoples of the Kimberley region. This group is sometimes called the Wanjina Wunggurr cultural bloc.

In 2006, the Ngardi were also grouped with the Worrorra people. This was for a mining agreement and they were called Dambimangari. They share the Wanjina-Wunggurr belief system. Ancient rock paintings and Wanjina paintings show this shared culture.

Ngardi Traditional Lands

According to Norman Tindale, the Ngardi's traditional land was about 25,000 square miles (64,750 square kilometers). This area included the sandhill country west of the Tanami track.

Their land stretched from places like Chilla Well, the Granites, and Gardiner Range. It went over the border into Western Australia near Ima Ima. They also lived near Sturt Creek and the Pallottine Mission at Balgo Hill. Their land reached south across the mulga scrubland to Milidjipi and Tekkari, north of Lake Mackay.

Working Together for Land Rights

On August 21, 1980, a group of 90 people made a land claim. They were from the Warlpiri, Kukatja, and Ngarti peoples. They were asking for land rights as traditional owners of an area about 2,340 square kilometers.

This claim was made under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. It was the 11th land claim helped by the Central Land Council. The land they claimed was where Ngarti, Warlpiri, and Kukatja languages are spoken. People from these groups had influenced each other while living at Balgo, Western Australia and Lajamanu, Northern Territory.

The claim was presented at Balgo Mission. On August 23, 1985, Justice Sir William Kearney recommended that the land be given to a Land Trust. This was for the benefit of Aboriginal people who traditionally used or lived on the land.

Mining Agreement

In April 2006, a mining company called Aztec Resources (now Mount Gibson Iron) made an agreement. They signed it with the Dambimangari (Worrorra-Ngardi) traditional owners. This agreement was about their iron ore mining on Koolan Island.

The agreement aimed to make sure that 30% of the workers would be Indigenous people. This goal was set to be reached by the eighth year of the mining operation.

Ngardi Language

The Ngardi people traditionally spoke the Ngardi language.

Other Names for Ngardi

See also

• Ngururrpa, a group of peoples including Ngardi language speakers