Warndarrang facts for kids
The Warndarrang people (also spelled Warndarang or Wanderang) were an Aboriginal Australian group who mainly lived along the coast in the eastern part of the Northern Territory. While they are no longer a separate language and cultural group, their descendants are still part of the nearby Nunggubuyu community today.
Who Were the Warndarrang People?
The Warndarrang people were one of many Aboriginal groups in Australia. They had their own unique culture and way of life. Although their distinct group is no longer active, their heritage lives on through their descendants.
Their Language
The language spoken by the Warndarrang people is called Warndarang. It belongs to a larger group of languages known as Gunwinyguan languages. For a while, people thought the Warndarang language had completely disappeared by 1974. However, in 1989, a person who spoke the language fluently was found. This person shared many stories and texts in Warndarang, which were then translated into Kriol. This discovery helped keep some knowledge of the language alive.
Where They Lived
The traditional lands of the Warndarrang people covered about 1,100 square miles (2,800 km2) in an area called Arnhem Land. Their territory stretched from the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Phelp River, going inland towards Mount Leane. To their north lived the Nunggubuyu people. Their western borders reached inland, extending east to the lands of the Ngandi people, located between the Walker River and the Rose River.
A Difficult History
In 1903, a company called the Eastern and African Cold Storage Company bought land that included the Hodgson Downs cattle station and other areas where Aboriginal people lived. The company wanted to use this land for farming and cattle. Sadly, they tried to remove all Aboriginal people from these lands. Groups of armed men were sent out to clear the land.
To find safety, many Warndarrang people, along with survivors from other local groups like the Alawa, Marra, Ngalakgan, Ngandi, and some Rembarrnga and Nunggubuyu clans, gathered at the Roper River Mission. This mission was set up by the Church of England in 1908. Over time, some Warndarrang clans joined the Nunggubuyu people and began to speak their language. This helped them survive and continue their heritage.
