Wakara people facts for kids
The Wakara or Wakura were an Indigenous Australian people who lived in the state of Queensland. They were one of the many Aboriginal groups in Australia with a rich history and culture.
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Where Did the Wakara Live?
The Wakara people lived in a large area of land, estimated to be about 3,100 square miles (8,000 square kilometers). Their traditional country was along the southern side of the upper Mitchell River. It stretched east all the way to Mount Mulligan. To the west, their land reached areas around Wrotham Park and Blackdown.
What Happened When Europeans Arrived?
Europeans first made contact with the Wakara people around 1875. At that time, settlers described the Wakara as a strong and powerful group in the region. They also noticed another group living west of Mount Mulligan, called the Wunjurika. It's not clear if the Wunjurika were a separate tribe or a smaller group connected to the Wakara.
However, things changed quickly. By 1890, just 15 years later, the Wunjurika had become part of the Wakara people and no longer had their own separate identity. Even though the Wakara were numerous at first, a government official named H. M. Mowbray wrote that their numbers had "much reduced." This was due to many clashes with the Native Police and settlers. Sadly, new diseases brought by the Europeans also caused many deaths among the Wakara people.
Other Names for the Wakara
The Wakara people were known by a few different names, including:
- Koko-wogura
- Kookoowarra (This name was used by a researcher named R. H. Mathews and meant "bad speakers.")
- Wakoora
- Wakura
- Wun-yurika
Wakara Words We Know
We know a few words from the Wakara language:
- amoo (This word meant 'mother'.)
- beeroo-beeroo (This word was used to describe a 'white man'.)
- kia (This word meant 'tame dog'.)
- nunchun (This word meant 'father'.)
