Muthi Muthi
| Muthi Muthi | |
|---|---|
| aka: Muthimuthi, Muti Muti, Mutte Mutte, Matimati, Madi-madi, Mataua, Moorta, Matthee-matthee, Bakiin (by southern tribes), Madi Madi and Madhi Madhi (AIATSIS), nd (SIL)[1] | |
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| |
| Hierarchy | |
| Language family: | Pama–Nyungan |
| Language branch: | Kulin |
| Language group: | Western |
| Group dialects: | Madhi Madhi[2] |
| Area | |
| Location: | Northern Riverina and Far West regions of New South Wales |
| Coordinates: | 33°30′S 145°30′E / 33.500°S 145.500°E |
| Rivers | |
| Lakes | |
| Urban areas | |
| Notable individuals | |
The Muthi Muthi people are an Aboriginal group of the Kulin Nation whose traditional lands are located in the Northern Riverina and Far West regions of New South Wales.
The Muthi Muthi are the traditional owners of Nimmie Caira and the Lowbidgee as well as the Willandra Lakes, Lake Mungo and the Lake Mungo remains (which are co-owned by the neighbouring Paakantyi and Nyiampaar tribes).
Language
The Muthimuthi endonym is form from their word for 'mouth', namely mut/muth, meaning 'tongue or speech.'[3]
Country
Muthi Muthi territory covered an estimated 2,200 sq. miles of land, with a southeastern boundary beneath Balranald across the Murrumbidgee River, where its borders ran down to the northern boundaries of the Watiwati. To the southwest they touched the Murray River. To the west, their boundaries approached the areas of Lake Benanee and at Reedy Lake, and ran from north to west of Carrawathal.[3] The Muthimuthi tribal lands were a meeting place for many indigenous groups for ceremonies and marriages. The Muthi Muthi lands are often referred to as the "Five Rivers Region" of Australia. The rivers are the Lachlan, Murray, Murrumbidgee, Edward and Wakool.
Neighbouring tribal boundaries are the Barindji to the west roughly along the line of the Willandra Lakes to Mount Dispersion; the Ngyiampaar/Ngemba to the north above Willandra Creek, and the Wemba-Wemba/Barabarapa on the south side of the Murray River. The Nari Nari/Wathi Wathi boundary to the east has not been formally marked out but the Nari Nari Tribal Council refer to Dry Lake [near Tchelery] as being the western most reach of their lands. Archaeological investigation has confirmed a tribal boundary in this location as this is the last known location of Muthi Muthi burial mounds.[4]
Muthi Muthi lands include the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area, Mungo National Park, Yanga National Park, Booligal National Park, Nimmie Caira and the Lowbidgee Conservation Area.
Society
It has been inferred, by Norman Tindale among others, that the Muthimuthi were close related to their Jitajita tribal neighbours, since their word for 'no', jeto is similar to the Jitajita word.[3]
Alternative names
- Muti muti, Mutte Mutte.
- Matimati, Madi-madi.
- Mataua.
- Moorta Moorta.
- Matthee-matthee.
- Bakiin (of tribes to the south, means 'stealthy marauders by night').[3]
Native title
In 1997 a claim for native title was made for an area in the south of New South Wales.[5] As of 2016 a native title claim is before the Federal Court of Australia.
Notable people
- Kutcha Edwards, musician
- Mungo Man and Mungo Lady
Notes
Citations
References
- "Applications – New South Wales" (PDF). Native Title Newsletter. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. April 1998. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- Dousset, Laurent (2005). "Muthimuthi". AusAnthrop Australian Aboriginal tribal database. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- Hercus, Luise (1989). Three Linguistic Studies from Far South-Western NSW (PDF). 13. Aboriginal History. pp. 45–62.
- "Language information: Madhi Madhi". Australian Indigenous Languages Database. AIATSIS. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
- Martin, S. (2010). Archaeological Research, Characterisation and Predictive Modelling Project. DECCW.
- Tindale, Norman Barnett (1974). "Muthimuthi (NSW)". Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Australian National University Press. ISBN 978-0-708-10741-6.