Wanggamala facts for kids
The Wanggamala people are an Aboriginal Australian group. They have lived for a very long time in parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland. Their name can be spelled in many ways, like Wangkamahdla or Wangkamana.
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Where the Wanggamala Lived
The Wanggamala people lived across a large area. This land covered about 20,000 square miles (52,000 km2) (which is about 51,800 square kilometers). Their traditional lands were north-west of a place called Annandale. They lived near the lower Field and Hay rivers. They also lived along the Plenty River and on the eastern edge of the Simpson Desert. The rivers in their country often dried up. So, they dug special native wells called mikari to find water.
Native Title Rights
In July 2021, the Wanggamala people (spelled Wangkamahdla in the claim) won important native title rights. This means they now have special legal rights over a huge area of land. This land is over 3,000,000 ha (7,400,000 acres) (about 30,000 square kilometers). It is west and south-west of Boulia. It stretches from around Bedourie, Queensland, to the Northern Territory border. This area includes Cravens Peak Reserve, which is now called Pilungah Reserve. It also includes part of the Munga-Thirri National Park.
Wanggamala Language
The language spoken by the Wanggamala people was also called Wanggamala. Sadly, this language is now extinct. This means it is no longer spoken by anyone.
Traditional Economy and Trade
The Wanggamala people lived in areas where a special native plant called pituri grew. This plant was very important to them. They used pituri themselves for traditional purposes. They also used it as a valuable item to trade with other groups. Trading pituri helped them get other things they needed.
Other Names for the Wanggamala People
The Wanggamala people are known by several different names. These names have been recorded by researchers over time. Some of these names include:
- Tharlimanha
- Wanggamala
- Wanggamanha
- Wangkamadla
- Wangkamahdla
- Wangkamala
- Wangkamana
- Wonggaman
- Wonggawan
- Wongkamala
- Wonkamala
- Wonkamudla
