Yanyuwa people facts for kids

The Yanyuwa people are an Aboriginal Australian group. They live in the Northern Territory of Australia. Their home is along the coast and on the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands. These islands are in the southern part of the Gulf of Carpentaria. You might also see their name spelled as Yanuwa or Yanyula.

Yanyuwa Lands and Home

The Yanyuwa people have a large traditional homeland. It covers about 16,300 square kilometers (6,300 square miles). This area stretches from the McArthur River near Borroloola to the coast. It also goes southeast along the coast to Tully Inlet.

The Yanyuwa also lived and fished on the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands. They have many special names for places in their territory. There are about 1,500 placenames in the Yanyuwa language. These names describe the unique features of their land.

A Rich History of Trade

The Yanyuwa people had a long history of trading. They traded with "trepangers" from Makassar. Trepangers were people who collected sea cucumbers. They came from a port called Makassar in Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia.

These traders started visiting the Gulf of Carpentaria in the 1720s. They sailed south with the strong northwesterly winds in December. Then, they returned home with the southeasterly winds starting in April. The Yanyuwa had excellent trade relationships with these visitors. Some Yanyuwa people even sailed back to Makassar with the traders. They would stay there for months before returning home.

Many Aboriginal groups in the Gulf region, including the Yanyuwa, used the Makassarese language for trade. It became a common language that everyone understood. Many Makassarese words can still be found in Aboriginal languages of the Gulf.

The Unique Yanyuwa Language

The Yanyuwa language is part of a larger group called the Pama–Nyungan languages. It is also linked to the Ngarna languages. Many Yanyuwa people also speak the Garrwa language.

The Yanyuwa language is very special. It has different ways of speaking for men and women. This is called "gendered speech." Men use liyi-wulu-wu (speech for men). Women use liyi nhanawaya-wu (speech for women). This difference affects how nouns, verbs, and pronouns are used.

In Yanyuwa creation stories, male and female spirits kept these language differences. Young boys often spoke the women's dialect. They would switch to the men's dialect after their initiation ceremonies.

People who speak nearby languages like Marra or Garrwa find Yanyuwa hard to learn. This is because of the gendered grammar. However, Yanyuwa speakers can easily learn these other languages. The reason for these two distinct dialects is not fully known. This feature makes Yanyuwa a very unique language.

Yanyuwa Social Groups

Yanyuwa law divides people into three main groups based on generations:

• The li-ambirrijingu are the ancestors. They are the wise ones who fully understand Yanyuwa ways.
• The li-wumbijingu are the current elders. They are the leaders of today.
• The li-ngulakaringu are the young people. This group includes children and those who are yet to be born.

Other Names for Yanyuwa

The Yanyuwa people are also known by several other names, including:

• Yanula
• Yanular
• Anjula
• Anyula
• Anyoola
• Anyuwa
• Janjula
• Aniula
• Anula
• Anuwa
• Leanawa
• Leeanuwa
• Unalla
• Djirukurumbant (a name given by eastern tribes)
• Njangga (an eastern name for the Yanyuwa)
• Njangkala
• Yangala
• Iangkala
• Yuckamurri
• Yuggamurra
• Yanuwa

Notable Yanyuwa People

• Jada Alberts, an actor, director, playwright, and artist.
• John Kundereri Moriarty, a footballer, activist, and businessman.