Waanyi facts for kids

The Waanyi people, also known as Wanyi or Wanji, are an Aboriginal Australian group. They come from the area south of the Gulf of Carpentaria in both Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Understanding the Waanyi Language

The Waanyi language is a special part of the Waanyi culture. For a while, people thought this language had disappeared. However, the 2016 Australian census found that 16 people still spoke it. This was a decrease from 40 speakers recorded in the 2011 Australian census. The Waanyi language is part of a group called the Garawan languages.

Waanyi Traditional Lands

The Waanyi people lived in a beautiful area with lots of water, limestone, and sandstone. This included parts of the Gregory River. Experts believe the Waanyi traditionally held about 25,000 square kilometers (9,700 square miles) of land.

Their territory stretched from the upper Nicholson River to the west of Corinda. It also included areas around Spring and Lawn Hill creeks. To the east, their land reached the Barkly (Barclay) River, Lawn Hill, and Bannockburn. Their western border was near Old Benmara, and they traveled as far south-west as Mount Morgan.

The Waanyi lived south of the Kunindiri and Garrwa people. They were west of the Injilarija and Nguburinji peoples. To their east were the lands of the Wambaya and Wakaya peoples. Around 1880, the Waanyi took over land near Lawn Hill (now part of Boodjamulla National Park) from the Injilarija people, who were no longer present.

A Look at Waanyi History

The late 1800s brought big changes to northern Australia. Large cattle farms, called pastoral stations, started to appear in the Northern Territory in 1881. These farms were owned by people from other areas. They quickly brought in many cattle. This meant that important water sources were blocked off.

Indigenous groups, including the Waanyi and Garrwa, faced many challenges. Their traditional lands were taken over for these cattle farms. Many groups were forced to move east towards the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Sadly, the Eastern Waanyi people suffered greatly during this time. Settlers and police used force against Aboriginal groups, leading to tragic losses of life. For example, in 1880, reports from Gregory Downs said police rounded up Aboriginal people and shot them. Five years later, at Lawn Hill, a cattle owner reported that police had killed over a hundred Aboriginal people in three years. These actions were attempts to stop the hunting of livestock. Eventually, the Waanyi people who had been forced from their homes moved into the Lawn Hill area.

Native Title and Land Rights

Native title is a legal way for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to have their traditional rights to land and waters recognized.

The Waanyi people first asked for native title over an area they call Wugujaji in 1994. A mining company, CZL, was given permission to mine on 23,585 hectares of Waanyi land, where the Century Mine was built. After discussions, the Waanyi and CZL reached an agreement. CZL provided money, training, and jobs to the Waanyi people. This was known as the $90 million offer.

The Waanyi also want to help manage both the Boodjamulla National Park and the Riversleigh World Heritage Area. Riversleigh is very important because it has the world's richest collection of old mammal and reptile fossils. In 2010, the Waanyi were granted native title over a large area of 17,900 square kilometers (6,900 square miles) near the Northern Territory border. This included Boodjamulla National Park.

In 2018, the Waanyi brought another case for two more areas west of Doomadgee. One area stretched from Turn Off Lagoon to the Northern Territory border. The other was close to the border of Doomadgee Shire and Burketown, covering 441 square kilometers (170 square miles). On September 22, 2021, the Federal Court of Australia officially recognized their native title rights for these areas. This happened at the same time as new funding from the Queensland Government for four Indigenous rangers to work in Boodjamulla and Riversleigh.

Famous Waanyi People

• Alexis Wright is a well-known writer with Waanyi heritage. Her novel, Carpentaria (2006), won the important Australian Miles Franklin Award.

Other Names for Waanyi

• Waangyee
• Wanee
• Wanji
• Wanyee
• Wonyee