Yetimarala facts for kids

The Yetimarala people were an Aboriginal Australian group. They lived in eastern Queensland, Australia. They were also known by names like Bayali and Darumbal, and other spellings such as Jetimarala and Yetimarla.

Yetimarala Lands

The Yetimarala people had their own traditional lands. These lands covered about 3,885 square kilometers (1,500 square miles). Their country was located on the Boomer and Broad Sound ranges. It stretched north from the Fitzroy River. Their western border was near the Mackenzie and Isaac rivers.

Yetimarala Community

The Yetimarala people had different groups within their community. One known group was called the Taruin-bura.

Yetimarala Language

The Yetimarala language is no longer spoken today. It was also known by many names. These included Bayali, Darumbal, and Yaamba. This language was a dialect of the Biri language.

Yetimarala Stories

The Yetimarala people had many important stories. These stories were passed down through generations. They often explained how the world was created. They also taught important lessons. Here are two examples of their traditional stories.

The Turtle Hunters

This story is about two brothers, Wulburra and Ngni-ya. They lived with their grandmother in the Dreamtime. The brothers always found plenty of food for her. One day, they wanted to hunt a large turtle. They thought it would be easier to hunt alone.

One brother wanted to keep their grandmother with them. The other thought they should leave her. They decided to place her inside a large stone. This stone was on Cardowan run, near the Connors River. This place became very special to the Yetimarala people.

The brothers then went to find the turtle. They caught one by the coast at Broad Sound. They brought it back to camp. They put stones around it and started to cook it. While it was cooking, they left to find more food. But the turtle escaped! It took them days to find and catch it again.

This happened a third time. The turtle was stuck firmly this time. The brothers had to use sticks to lift its legs. When they did, the turtle kicked out. It flipped the brothers over its head. The land turned into a sea, and they fell in. Both brothers and their grandmother passed away.

The grandmother became a bright star in the Milky Way. This is the stream of stars we see in the night sky. The two brothers are believed to be fishers. They are seen with their fishing sticks by that starry river.

The Brave Boy and the Snake

In ancient times, people did not eat snakes. The Yetimarala tribe was very afraid of two huge snakes. These snakes were a male and a female. No one could ever kill them.

One day, the tribe left camp to find food. A small boy named Ngnapata stayed behind. He had been told not to go near the snakes. But he was very curious and brave. He made spears and dug holes in the ground. He planned to hide if he needed to. He was determined to try and kill the scary snakes.

Ngnapata fought bravely. He managed to kill the male snake. The female snake escaped into the sky. She turned into a star. Ngnapata cut up the snake. He cooked and ate it. He found the meat very tasty. He then rubbed some of the snake's fat on his body. Suddenly, he grew very big! He looked so different that no one recognized him.

When the tribe returned, they were scared. They thought the snakes had eaten the boy. But Ngnapata told them his brave story. He explained what he had done. The tribe then ate the rest of the snake meat. From that day on, eating snakes became a custom for them.

Other Names for Yetimarala

The Yetimarala people were known by several names. Some of these names helped describe them:

• Ja:mba (meaning "camp")
• Yaamba
• Yetti maralla (where mari means "man")
• Taruin-bura (meaning "big river people")