Uutaalnganu facts for kids
.jpg)
The Uutaalnganu people are an Aboriginal Australian group. They live in the northern part of Queensland, on the Cape York Peninsula. They are also known as the Night Island Kawadji. Sometimes, the name Uutaalnganu is used for several groups in this area. This includes the Pontunj / Jangkonj people.
Contents
Who Are the Uutaalnganu People?
The word Kawadji used to describe people living on Night Island. It also referred to those on the nearby coast. Today, Kawadji usually means a group of six different peoples. They are called kawadji because it means "people of the sandbeach." This is pama malnkana in their language.
These groups are the Umpithamu/Koko Ompindamo, Pakadji, Yintyingka, Otati, Umpila, and Pontunj. They are the traditional owners of the coastal lands. These lands stretch from Oxford Bay to Princess Charlotte Bay. They are located east of the Great Dividing Range in northeastern Cape York.
A Look Back at Their History
The original Kawadji people of Night Island were a small community. They often married people from the mainland Barungguan clans.
The Night Island Kawadji were very skilled at building and using special canoes. These were double-outrigger wooden canoes called tango. They used these canoes for exciting trips to distant reefs. There, they would hunt for dugong and turtles. They also collected eggs from sea birds and turtles.
In 1858, a French sailor named Narcisse Pelletier survived a shipwreck. His crew left him behind. The Kawadji, or Pama Malngkana, took him in. He lived with them for 17 years. Evidence suggests he stayed with the Uutaalnganu people.
Their Language
The Night Island Kawadji spoke a language called Yankonyu. This was a dialect of the Umpila language. The Umpila and Pontunj peoples also spoke this language. The Night Island Kawadji were closely related to these groups.
Native Title Rights
On November 25, 2021, a large area of land was given back to the Uutaalnganu people. This land covers about 986 square kilometers. It is located on the eastern side of the Cape York Peninsula. At the same time, about 1,202 square kilometers was given to the Kuuku Ya'u peoples.
This decision was part of a native title claim. The claim had been started seven years earlier. Justice Debra Mortimer of the Federal Court of Australia made this important ruling. She announced it at the Supreme Court of Queensland in Cairns.
Other Names for the People
The original people of Night Island were also known by these names:
- Kawadji: This name was also used by other tribes. It generally meant 'east'.
- Night Island people
Other groups also called 'Kawadji' include:
- Mälnkänidji: This name comes from malqkan (beach) and -idja (meaning 'belonging to').
- Jangkonju or Yankonyu: This is a name for their language, also shared by the Pontunj people.
