Ngarla
Aboriginal Australian people of Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ngarla are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Country
Norman Tindale estimated their territory, to the west of Port Hedland, at around 2,000 square miles (5,200 km2), describing it as lying along the coast to the west of Solitary Island as far as the mouth of the De Grey River.[a] He set their upriver boundary between Kudingaranga (Mulyie Station) and Tjaljaranja (otherweise known as Taluirina Pool). Their traditional inland extension was said to run up to Yarrie.[2]
Social organisation
The Ngarla had a four class system:
- Poorungnoo marries a Parrijari producing Kiamoona.
- Banakoo marries a Kiamoona, giving birth to Parrijari.
- Parrijari marries Poorungnoo, producing Banakoo.
- Kiamoona marries Banakoo, producing Poorungnoo.[3]
History of contact
White colonisation of Ngarla domains began in 1864. Over the following two years, smallpox swept through the area killing off large numbers of Ngarla. By 1886 there were said to be several hundred.[3]
Alternative names
Some words
- yookaroo (wild dog)
- mala, maltha (father)
- wanire, wirnea (mother)
- nurloo (white man)[5]