Ngintait facts for kids
The Ngintait (also called Ngindadj) were an Aboriginal Australian people. They lived in the northwest part of Victoria and some areas of South Australia. In the 1800s, their community was spread out. Today, nine people from one family say they are descendants of the Ngintait.
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Ngintait Language
The Ngintait people spoke the Ngintait language. It was part of a group called the Lower Murray languages. Many experts think it was a dialect (a different version) of the Yuyu language.
Where the Ngintait Lived
The Ngintait people lived on a large area of land. This land was about 6,200 square kilometers (2,400 square miles). It was mainly along the southern side of the Murray River. Their territory stretched from Paringa in South Australia. It went almost to Mildura in Victoria.
Their land also reached about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of the Murray River. It included places like Ned's Corner. It also covered the Salt Creek area in New South Wales. Some other Aboriginal people, the Jaraldekalt, told anthropologists that the Ngintait might have lived a bit further from the Murray River. They said the Erawirung people lived in some of the areas often called Ngintait land.
Ngintait History
The Ngintait people faced many challenges in the 1800s. Darren Perry is a leader who traces his family's roots to the Ngintait. He says that the original Ngintait groups were scattered. This happened during conflicts in the early 1840s. These conflicts took place around the Rufus River.
Native Title Claims
Today, the Ngintait people are working to protect their heritage. Darren Perry represents the Ngintait in a native title claim. This claim states that they have special responsibilities. They are the traditional custodians of important burial grounds in their area.
Other Names for Ngintait
- Inteck
- Merri (This name referred to their language).
- Nutcha
- Takadok
Some Ngintait Words
- Broolach (kangaroo)
- nutchaa (mother)
- ruchaa (father)
- thougha (whiteman)
- wilking (tame dog)
