Unggarrangu facts for kids
The Unggarranggu people, also known as Ongkarango, are an Aboriginal Australian group from the Kimberley area in Western Australia. They are the traditional owners of the Buccaneer Archipelago near Derby. They share this ownership with the Yawijibaya people. Together, they are known as the Mayala group for native title purposes. Native title means they have special rights to their traditional lands and waters.
Their Traditional Land
The Unggarranggu people lived on a large area of land, about 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers). Their country stretched from the northeastern part of King Sound and the eastern side of Stokes Bay. It went north to Crawford Bay. They also lived on Helpman Island and other islands in the eastern part of King Sound, as far as Caffarelli. On the mainland, their land went about 10 miles (16 kilometers) inland from the coast.
Their Language
The Unggarranggu people spoke a language from the Worrorran family. Not much is known about their language today. A person named Howard Coate wrote down some information about it in the 1960s.
How They Lived
The Unggarranggu people mainly lived along the coast. They were very close with the Umiida people, who were more focused on the sea. Both groups used rafts made from mangrove wood. They would use these rafts to travel to places like Wilima Island. This island is near the mouth of the Meda River, close to the land of the Warrwa people.
Other Names for the Unggarranggu
The Unggarranggu people were also known by a few other names:
- Ongkarang
- 0kwata
- Unggarangi
