Unjadi facts for kids

The Unjadi (Unyadi) were an Indigenous Australian people. They lived in the northern part of Queensland, on the Cape York Peninsula.

What Language Did the Unjadi Speak?

The Unjadi people spoke a language that was very similar to the Luthigh language. This language was also spoken by their neighbors, the Okara people.

Where Did the Unjadi Live?

The traditional lands of the Unjadi covered about 500 square miles (1,300 km²). Their territory was located around the upper part of the Dulhunty tributary, which flows into the Ducie River. Their land stretched north to the beginning of the Jardine River.

How Was Unjadi Society Organized?

An American expert named R. Lauriston Sharp studied the Unjadi people. He noted that their social structure was similar to what he called the Jathaikana type, especially how they organized their totems.

The Unjadi did not have the same kind of social divisions (like "moiety" or "section") that some other Indigenous groups had. Instead, their society was organized around totemic clans. A totem is like a special symbol, often an animal or plant, that connects a group of people to their ancestors and land.

• Clans and Totems: These clans were patrilineal, meaning that children belonged to their father's clan.
• Totem Rules: Usually, the totems of a person's own clan were not considered forbidden or "tabu." However, there were strict rules for personal totems. These personal totems came from a person's mother's clan. They were given to both boys and girls when they reached puberty. These specific totems were considered very sacred and had strict rules about what a person could or could not do with them.

Other Names for the Unjadi People

The Unjadi people were also known by several other names, including:

• Unyadi
• Onyengadi
• Oyungo or Oyonggo (This name was used by the Tjongkandji people.)
• Empikeno (This name was used by the Jathaikana people.)
• Umtadee (?)
• Wundjur (?)