Wakabunga facts for kids
The Wakabunga are an Indigenous Australian people. They come from the state of Queensland, which is in Australia.
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What Language Did the Wakabunga Speak?
It's a bit tricky to know exactly what language the Wakabunga people spoke. A long time ago, a researcher named Norman Tindale looked at notes from early explorers. These notes were about the Wakabunga and their language.
However, the list of words found doesn't seem to be from the Wakabunga language. Most people think that we don't have any information left about their original language.
But another expert, Barry Blake, had a different idea. He thought a word list collected by Montagu Curr (E. M. Curr's brother) might be a Mayi dialect. This makes some people think that the Wakabunga language might have been part of the Mayi language family.
Where Did the Wakabunga Live?
The Wakabunga people lived on their traditional lands in Queensland. Their country covered about 4,900 square miles (12,700 square kilometers). This area was around the Upper Leichhardt River and Gunpowder Creek.
Who Were the Wakabunga People?
According to Norman Tindale, the Wakabunga people were connected to the Kalkatungu people. They were skilled hunters, especially of crocodiles. They would hunt Australian freshwater crocodiles using spears. They did this along the upper parts of the Leichhardt River.
Other Names for the Wakabunga
Sometimes, the Wakabunga people were known by other names, such as:
- Workabunga
- Workoboongo
- Wakobungo
- Waukaboonia
- Waggabundi
- Waggaboonyah
- Kabikabi
