Panyjima people facts for kids

The Panyjima people, also known as the Banjima, are an Aboriginal Australian group. They come from the Pilbara region in Western Australia.

Language of the Panyjima

The Panyjima people speak a language that belongs to the Ngayarda group. This group is part of the larger Pama-Nyungan language family. In 2002, it was estimated that about fifty people still spoke the Panyjima language.

Traditional Homeland

The Panyjima people traditionally lived on a large area of land. Their territory covered about 17,000 square kilometers (6,600 square miles). They lived on the high plateau of the Hamersley Range. Their land stretched south to the Fortescue River. To the east, their border was near Weeli Wolli Creek, close to Marillana. Their southern lands reached around Rocklea and the upper parts of Turee Creek. This area extended east to the Kunderong Range.

History and Movements

Before Europeans arrived, the Panyjima people experienced changes in their territory. The Kurrama people, who lived in the highlands, put pressure on them. This caused the Panyjima to move east. They moved towards Yandicoogina and the Ophthalmia Range. This movement, in turn, caused other groups, like the Mandara and Niabali people, to also move further east.

Other Names for Panyjima

The Panyjima people are known by several different names, including:

• Bandjima (a common way to say their name in the west)
• Mandanjongo (meaning "top people" in the Nyamal language, used for groups like the Panyjima and Yindjibarndi who lived on plateaus)
• Panjima
• Pand'ima