Gunggari people facts for kids
The Gunggari, or Kunggari, are an Aboriginal Australian people of southern Queensland. They are to be distinguished from the Kuungkari.
Country
The traditional tribal lands of the Gunggari stretched over some 8,200 square miles (21,000 km2), taking in the Upper Nebine and Mungallala creeks from Bonna Vonna and Ballon north to Morven and Mungallala.
Language
They speak the Gunggari language, a member of the Maric language family. Their language is closely related to, and sometimes considered a dialect of neighbouring Bidjara and Manandanji languages.
History of contact
As white pastoralists began to seize and develop properties, the neighbouring Mandandanji began to be absorbed into the Gunggari, as the latter moved eastwards.
Social Organisation
According to information supplied by James Lalor to Alfred William Howitt, the Gunggari clan names were as follows:
- Urgilla. Totem = Ngorgu (Kangaroo)
- Anbeir. Totem = Bondun (Bandicoot)
- Wango. Totems =(a)Tonga (opossum) (b)Bulbora (flying fox)
- Ubur. Totems = (a) Tambool (Brown snake) (b)Abboia (lizard)
Native title
The Gunggari people received a positive determination of native title in 2012. This is now administered by the Gunggari Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (GNTAC), a Registered Native Title Body Corporate (RNTBC). More information on native title in Australia and Gunggari land and culture is available at the GNTAC website.
Alternative names
- Congaro
- Coongurri
- Gungari, Gunggari, Goongarree
- Kogai (language name)
- Kogurre
- Kungeri
- Kungri
- Ngaragari. (Koamu word for the tongue spoken between Bollon and Nebine Creek)
- Unggari
- Unggri, Unghi
- Ungorri
