Bundjalung people

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Bundjalung people
Aka: Badjalang (Tindale)(Horton)
Bandjalang(SIL)
South Eastern Queensland bioregion
South Eastern Queensland bioregion
Hierarchy
Language Family: Pama-Nyungan
Language Branch: Bandjalangic
Language Group: Bundjalung
Group Dialects: Arakwal[1]
Baryulgal[2]
Dinggabal[2]
Gidabal[3]
Minjangbal[2]
Nganduwal[2]
Njangbal[2]
Waalubal[2]
Wiyabal(aka Widje[4])
Wudjeebal.[2]
Yugambal (aka Yugumbir[3])
Area (approx. 6,000 sq. km)
Location: North-Eastern
New South Wales
Coordinates: 29°15′S 152°55′E / -29.25, 152.917Coordinates: 29°15′S 152°55′E / -29.25, 152.917
Mountains: McPherson Range
Mount Warning
(aka Wollumbin )
Rivers[4] Lower Reaches of
Clarence River
aka Breimba[5]
Other Geological: Cape Byron
Urban Areas[4]: Ballina
Beaudesert
Casino
Gold Coast
Lismore
Tabulam
Tweed Heads
Warwick
Woodenbong
Notable Individuals

The Bundjalung people (aka Bunjalung, Badjalang & Bandjalang) are those Australian Aborigines who are the original custodians of northern coastal areas of New South Wales (Australia), 554 km northeast of Sydney: an area that includes the Bundjalung National Park and Mount Warning (known to the Budjalung people as Wollumbin.[6])

Bundjalung people all share in common descent from ancestors who once spoke as their first, preferred language, one or more of the dialects of the Bandjalang language

Contents

[edit] Country

Norman Tindale 's (1974) Catalogue of Australian Aborignal tribes identifies the identifying Baryulgal dialect (Badjalang) country as follows[4]:

"From northern bank of Clarence River to Richmond River; at Ballina; inland to Tabulam and Baryugil."


[edit] Religious Beliefs

People believe the spirits of wounded warriors are present within the mountains, their injuries having manifested themselves as scars on the mountainside, and thunder storms in the mountains recall the sounds of those warriors' battles.[6]

Wollumbin itself is the site at which one of the chief warriors lies, and it is said his face can still be seen in the mountain's rocks when viewed from the north.[6]

Much of the Bundjalung peoples culture and heritage continues to be celebrated..[7]

And people, these days, now gather annually in the Bundjalung national park as a community to celebrate as a Bundjalung People's Gathering[7].

"We want to celebrate our Aboriginal traditions and customs. We want to share them with other people an show them our beliefs and our culture is still alive today, it hasn't been lost" - Chris Phillips, event organizer"

On these occassions traditional garments are often worn by the Bundjalung peoples, who partake in custodial dances and other performances.[7]

Wollumbin is the site at which one of the chief warriors lies, and it is said his face can still be seen in the mountain's rocks when viewed from the north
Wollumbin is the site at which one of the chief warriors lies, and it is said his face can still be seen in the mountain's rocks when viewed from the north


[edit] See also


[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Accessed 20 May 2008
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Sharpe, Margaret C. (1994) An all-dialect dictionary of Banjalang, an Australian language no longer in general use.
  3. ^ a b Ethnlogue.com Accessed 20 May 2008
  4. ^ a b c d Tindale, Norman (1974) "Badjalang" in his Catalogue of Australian Aboriginal Tribes. South Australian Museum
  5. ^ Bunjalung Jugun (Bunjalung Country), Jennifer Hoff, Richmond River Historical Society, 2006, ISBN 1-875-474-24-2, citing Yamba Yesterday, Howland and Lee, Yamba Centenary Committee, 1985
  6. ^ a b c Crossing the Great Dividing Range from the Australian Government's Culture and Creation Portal, retrieved May 16, 2008
  7. ^ a b c Celebrating Indigenous Spirit from Echo News retrieved May 16, 2008
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