Wuthathi facts for kids

The Wuthathi people, also called the Mutjati, are an Aboriginal Australian group from Queensland. A researcher named Norman Tindale thought the Mutjati and the Otati were different groups. However, the AIATSIS sees them as different names for the same Wuthathi people.

Wuthathi Language and Words

The Wuthathi language is believed to be a dialect of the Uradhi language group. This group is part of the larger Paman languages family.

In the late 1800s, members of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits wrote down some Wuthathi words. Charles Gabriel Seligman recorded about 400 words. George Pimm also wrote down another 60 words.

Wuthathi Traditional Lands

The Wuthathi people traditionally lived on a beautiful piece of land. This area stretched north from Shelburne Bay to near Orford Ness. It covered about 150 square miles (388 square kilometers).

This coastal area is known for its amazing beauty. It is home to over 30 rare and endangered animals. These include the double-wattled cassowary and the palm cockatoo.

The land also has incredible white sand dunes. These dunes look like snow-covered hills. They are part of the largest and best-formed "Gegenwalle" patterns in the world. These patterns are low, V-shaped ridges in the sand.

Some researchers had slightly different ideas about the exact boundaries. Donald Thomson placed the Otati people along the coast. This was south of Oxford Bay down to Margaret Bay. Norman Tindale said the Otati lived on about 300 square miles (777 square kilometers) of land. This land went from southern Shelburne Bay east and south to the Macmillan River. It also went inland to the Dulhunty River's beginnings.

Wuthathi Stories and Beliefs

The Wuthathi people have special stories about their origins. These stories often feature their totem animal, the Diamond stingray. In their language, the stingray is called yama.

One story tells how a stingray was washed ashore during a big storm. It flipped onto its back, showing its pure white belly. This tale helps explain why the sand dunes in their land are so dazzling white.

Wuthathi Way of Life

The Otati people were known as "Kawadji," or sandbeach people. They lived along the coast facing the Coral Sea. Like other groups such as the Pakadji and Olkola, they found their food by fishing. They fished in the rivers and the ocean.

Wuthathi History and Challenges

For a long time, the Wuthathi people faced many challenges. They were moved from their homes in the Shelburne Bay area. The Queensland Government relocated them to the Lockhart Mission. There, they were not allowed to follow their traditions or speak their language. Their traditional land was then given to other people for farming.

In 1985, a big problem arose. A group from Japan and Australia wanted to mine the white silica sand dunes at Shelburne Bay. They planned to dig up and export 400,000 tonnes of sand each year. This sand was for making glass in Japan.

The Wuthathi people, who had lost their land, and environmental activists joined together. They fought against the mining plan in court. The mining group even claimed that the Wuthathi people no longer existed. But a Wuthathi descendant named Alik Pablo proved them wrong. He showed his deep knowledge of the bay when the miners' lawyers tried to trick him with an upside-down map.

Even though a court official ruled in favor of the Wuthathi people, the government at the time ignored the decision. Eventually, the Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, stepped in. He made Shelburne Bay one of four important conservation areas in Australia. The others were The Daintree Wet Tropics, Kakadu, and the Tasmanian Wilderness.

Finally, in 2016, after more than 100 years, the Wuthathi people's rights were officially recognized. They gained back control of 118,000 hectares of their amazing coastal land.

Other Names for Wuthathi