Nyigina facts for kids

The Nyikina people are an Aboriginal Australian group. They live in the Kimberley area of Western Australia. Their traditional home is near the lower Fitzroy River. They call this important river mardoowarra.

Map of the traditional lands of Australian Aboriginal tribes around Derby, Western Australia.

The Nyikina Language

The Nyikina people speak the Nyigina language. It is part of a group called Nyulnyulan languages. This language is similar to Warrwa and Yawuru. In 2012, only about 10 people still spoke Nyigina. This makes it a very special language.

Learning and Schools

The Nyikina people care a lot about education. They work with the Mangala people to run a school. This school is called the Nyikina Mangala Community School. It is located at Jarlmadangah in West Kimberley. They also help run another school. This second school is in Looma. They work with the Walmajarri people there.

Native Title Rights

In 1998, the Nyikina people started a legal process. They wanted to claim their native title rights. Native title means that Aboriginal people have special rights to their traditional lands.

Nyikina Mangala Claim

One claim was called Nyikina Mangala. They shared this claim with the Mangala people. The Shire of Derby made an agreement with them. This agreement was about how to use the land. It also set up rules for checking Aboriginal cultural sites. This had to happen before any building projects.

Nyikina-Warrwa Claim

Another claim was the Nyikina-Warrwa claim. They pursued this with the Warrwa people.

Court Decision in 2014

After 18 years, the Federal Court of Australia made a decision. In 2014, the court agreed that the Nyikina-Mangala people had native title. This covered a huge area of land. It was about 26,000 square kilometres (10,000 square miles). This land stretches from King Sound through the Fitzroy Valley. It goes all the way to the Great Sandy Desert.

Important Nyikina People

• Paddy Roe was an important Nyikina elder. He wrote books about Nyikina culture and beliefs.
• Butcher Joe Nangan was a famous Nyikina artist. He was also a Mabanjarra, which is a traditional healer and songman.