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Wakaya people facts for kids

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A shaman or medicine man with extensive body painting, Worga Wellcome V0015977EL
A Wakaya man

The Wakaya are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Northern Territory.

Country

Norman Tindale's estimate of the Wakaya's territory assigns them some 15,000 square miles (39,000 km2).

Language

The Wakaya language is now extinct.

Social economy

The Wakaya were one of the Australian peoples, the others being the Watjarri, Wanman, Pitjantjatjara, Ngadadjara and Alyawarre, who are known to have harvested purslane seeds, and threshed them within stone circles for the oily nutrients they provided.

Land

In 1980 the Wakaya people lodged a land claim along with the Alyawarre people for land somewhere near the remote outstation of Purrukwarra. As a result, they were handed back 1,874 square kilometres (724 sq mi) on 22 October 1992, while the Alyawarre were given 2,065 square kilometres (797 sq mi), both of which were only small parts of the original claim.

Alternative names

  • Wagaja, Waggaia.
  • Wagai, Waagai.
  • Wagaiau, Waagi.
  • Warkya.
  • Wogaia, Worgaia, Worgai, Workaia, Warkaia.
  • Workia, Workii, Woorkia.
  • Lee-wakya.
  • Akaja. ( Kaytetye exonym)
  • Ukkia, Arkiya.
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