Tanganekald people facts for kids

The Tanganekald people were an Aboriginal Australian group from South Australia. They were part of the larger Ngarrindjeri nation.

Their Land

The Tanganekald lived southeast of the Jarildekald people. Their land covered about 1,942 square kilometers (750 square miles). It was mainly a narrow strip along the Coorong coast.

Norman Tindale, a researcher, worked with Clarence Long (also known as Milerum), who was the last full-blooded adult Tanganekald person. Based on Milerum's information, Tindale described their land as:

• From Middleton south to Twelve Mile Point (north of Kingston).
• Inland only a short distance, usually 8 to 16 kilometers (5 to 10 miles), to the edge of the first inland swamp and dune area called the Woakwine terrace.
• On islands in Lake Alexandrina, except for the very east and west parts of Hindmarsh Island.
• Around Meningie at the south end of Lake Albert, and at Salt Creek and Taratap (Ten Mile Point).

The Tanganekald people had different names for different parts of their land:

• teŋgi: These were sandy, grassy limestone slopes just behind the Coorong lagoon (pandalapi). They liked to camp here and fish.
• pariŋari: This was the southern side facing the sea. It was protected by sandhills called natunijuru, which were between them and the seashore (jurli).
• lerami: This was the inland area with mallee trees and swamps. It was a good place for hunting.

When European settlers brought sheep, cattle, and rabbits, it greatly changed the Tanganekald's traditional land. These new animals damaged the environment and reduced the native plants and animals the Tanganekald relied on. This made it harder for them to find food and continue their way of life.

How They Organized Themselves

According to Norman Tindale, the Tanganekald people had about 22 different groups, often called bands. One such band was the Kondoliorn, which means "whale men."

The Tanganekald were also divided into different family groups called clans. Each clan had special animals or things they felt connected to, called totems.

Language

The Tanganekald language, also known as Thangal, was one of several dialects of the Ngarrindjeri language. Sadly, it is no longer spoken today.

Culture

Tindale recorded many Tanganekald songs from Milerum. Some stories tell about people the Tanganekald believed lived in their land before them. These people, called the Thakuni, lived around the lagoons near the Robe district's limestone coast. They were said to be able to become invisible. Their eyes were believed to be very powerful, able to harm a person with just a look. The only way to see them was by looking quickly and sideways. The Tanganekald ancestors eventually drove these Thakuni into the sea. There, they were said to have turned into jagged limestone rocks on the reefs or into fairy penguins.

Mythology

The Tanganekald believed that special human-like beings, like Ŋurunderi, and totem animals (mostly birds), called maldawuli and ŋaitje, created the landscape they lived in.

One story tells about an old woman named Prupe and her sister Koromarange, both from the Marntandi clan. Prupe was losing her eyesight and had eaten almost all the children in the area, except for her sister's granddaughter, Koakaŋgi. To protect Koakaŋgi, Koromarange would bring Prupe food. But Prupe became suspicious and thought about taking Koakaŋgi's eyes to regain her own sight.

One day, while Koromarange was fishing, Prupe kidnapped Koakaŋgi, who had cried out for water. Prupe took the child back to her camp. When Koromarange realized what happened, she followed their tracks. She found Prupe about to take Koakaŋgi's eyes. Koromarange pretended to be tired and asked Prupe to get her some water, giving her a skull with a hole in it as a water-dish. This made Prupe take a long time to collect water. While Prupe was busy, Koromarange quickly set up a trap nearby and escaped with the child.

When Prupe discovered the trick, she rushed forward and got caught in the trap. As she struggled, she kicked some hot coals, which caused a huge fire. The fire was so intense that it created a crater where she had camped. This is how Koromarange and Koakaŋgi safely returned to their beach camp.

Other Names for the Tanganekald People

The Tanganekald people were known by several other names, sometimes by different groups or for specific reasons:

• Dangani
• Kalde (which means "language")
• Milmenrura (This was originally a clan name, but was sometimes used for the whole group.)
• T(h)unga, Thungah
• Tangalun
• Tangane (a shorter form), Tanganalun, Tanganarin, Tangani.
• Tenggi (a term from the Potaruwutj people, which actually refers to the Coorong itself)
• Tenkinyra
• Wattatonga (a name given by the Bunganditj, meaning "men of the evening" because the Tanganekald lived to the west)