Kuyani Explained

The Kuyani people, also written Guyani and other variants, and also known as the Nganitjidi, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the state of South Australia who speak the Kuyani language. Their traditional lands are to the west of the Flinders Ranges.

Country

According to the estimation made by Norman Tindale, the Kuyani held sway over some 13200mi2 of tribal land, extending northwards from Parachilna to the western flank of the Flinders Ranges at Marree. Their northeastern boundary was at Murnpeowie. Their western frontier lay at Turret Range and Andamooka. They also occupied the area to the north of, but not including, Lake Torrens. However, Lake Torrens was of great significance to the Kuyani people, known to them as Ngarndamukia, meaning "shower of rain". Kuyani woman Regina McKenzie said that the Kuyani were "the law holders of what anthropologists would call the lake's culture people".^[1]

The Kuyani around Beltana and Leigh Creek were known as the Adjnjakujani from a word, adjna meaning "hill," while those near Lake Torrens were called plainspeople (Wartakujani.)

Their neighbours to the east are the Adnyamathanha people, whose language is closely related.

Alternative names

• Kujani, Kuyanni
• Kwiani, Kwiana
• Kooyiannie
• Gujani
• Owinia
• Cooyiannie
• Kooyeeunna, Kooteeunna
• Nganitjidi (Barngarla exonym, meaning "those who sneak and kill by night")
• Ngannityiddi

Language

See main article: Kuyani language. The Kuyani language is extinct today, with no speakers recorded since 1975.

Some words

• wilker (dog, both tame and wild)
• papi (father)
• comie/knumie (mother)
• coodnoo (white man)

Notes

Citations

Sources

• Web site: Aboriginal South Australia . . . 21 December 2017 . 1 May 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130501143508/http://www.reconciliationsa.org.au/learn/map-of-aboriginal-australia . dead .
• Web site: AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia . . .
• The Social Organization of South Australian Tribes . Elkin . A. P. . A. P. Elkin . . September 1931 . 2 . 1 . 44–73 . 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1931.tb00022.x . 40327353 .
• Book: Eylmann , Erhard . Die Eingeborenen der Kolonie Südaustralien . 1908 . D.Reimer . Berlin .
• Observations on aborigines of the Flinders Ranges and records of rock carvings and paintings . Hale . H. M. . Tindale . Norman . Norman Tindale . . Adelaide . 1925 . 3 . 1 . 45–60 .
• Anthropology of the Elder Exploring Expedition. 1871-1872 . Helms . Richard . . Adelaide . 1896 . 16 . 237–332 .
• Book: Savage life in Central Australia . Horne . G. A. . Aiston . G. . 1924 . . London .
• Book: Howitt , Alfred William . The native tribes of south-east Australia . Alfred William Howitt . 1904 . .
• Legends of the Dieri and Kindred Tribes of Central Australia . Howitt . Alfred William . Siebert . Otto . Alfred William Howitt . . January–June 1904 . 34 . 100–129 . 10.2307/2843089 . 2843089 .
• Book: Jessop , William Rowlestone Henry . Flindersland and Sturtland; or, the Inside and Outside of Australia . 1962 . . London .
• Book: Kingsmill , J. W. . Beltana . 1886 . The Australian race: its origin, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia and the routes by which it spread itself over the continent . Curr . Edward Micklethwaite . Edward Micklethwaite Curr . 2 . 118–121 . J. Ferres . Melbourne . https://archive.org/download/cu31924026093827/cu31924026093827.pdf .
• Divisions of the South Australian Aborigines . Mathews . R. H. . Robert Hamilton Mathews . . January 1900a . 39 . 161 . 78–91+93 . 983545 .
• Phallic Rites and Initiation Ceremonies of the South Australian Aborigines . Mathews . R. H. . Robert Hamilton Mathews . . October–December 1900b . 39 . 164 . 622–638 . 983778 .
• Book: Schürmann , Clamor Wilhelm . The Aboriginal Tribes of Port Lincoln . 1879 . The Native Tribes of South Australia . Woods . James Dominick . E.S. Wigg & Son . Adelaide . 207–252 . https://archive.org/download/nativetribessou00taplgoog/nativetribessou00taplgoog.pdf .
• Book: Strehlow , Carl . Die Aranda- und Loritja-stämme in Zentral-Australien . Carl Strehlow . 1910 . 3 . de . Städtisches Völker-Museum . Frankfurt am Main .
• Book: Tindale , Norman Barnett . Kujani(SA) . Norman Tindale . 1974 . Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names . . http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/kujani.htm . 978-0-708-10741-6 .
• Manners and customs of the Australian natives, in particular of the Port Lincoln district . Wilhelmi . Charles . Carl Wilhelmi . . 1860 . 5 . 164–203 . 978-0-708-10741-6 .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lysaght . Gary-Jon . Indigenous sacred site Lake Torrens faces exploratory drilling for resources . ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 27 September 2020 . 9 October 2020.