Kugu Nganhcara Explained

See also: Kugu Nganhcara language. The Kugu Nganhcara, also Wikngenchera, Wik-Ngandjara (Ngandjara) are an Australian group of peoples living in the middle western part of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland in Australia. Today they are primarily concentrated at Aurukan and the Edward river settlement.

Language

Kugu Nganhcara is a Wik-language complex consisting of six varieties or patrilects, Kugu Uwanh, Kugu Ugbanh, Kugu Yi'anh, Kugu Mi'inh, Kugu Miminh, and Wik Iyanh, where 'kugu' is a classifier for speech, and the following word the infinitive of the respective verbs for 'go'. These closely related languages are called patrilects by Steve Johnson since the respective groups belong to a society composed of patrilineal clans joined by exogamous relationships.

Country

The northern bounds of the Kugu Nganhcara are around the Kendall River, and their southern limits are around Moonkan Creek, beyond which lie their southern neighbours the Thaayorre.

Socio-linguistic division markers

The Kugu-Nganychara embrace the following groups:

• Kugu Miminh
• Kugu-Mu'inh
• Kugu Uwanh
• Kugu Ugbanh
• Kugu-Mangk
• Kugu Yi'anh
• Wik-Iiyanh
• Kugu Mi'ing
• Wik Iyanh

Wiknantjara

Norman Tindale used this term to refer to a Kugu group he identified as that whose clan estates covered about 300mi2 in the area between the mouths of the Holroyd River, which would appear to be coterminous with the area assigned to the Kugu Ugbanh. Peter Sutton remarks that this term does not refer to a single dialect, but covers all the clans forming part of a dialect chain between the Kendall and Holroyd Rivers, and that the local name for the cluster is local term is Kugu-Nganycharra (known at Cape Keerweer as Wik-Ngenycharra.

Notes

Citations

Sources

• Web site: Y59: KUGU NGANHCARA . 26 July 2019 . AIATSIS . .
• Book: Gaby, Alice . Some participants are More Equal than Others and the Composition of Arguments in Kuuk Thaayorre Competition and Variation in Natural Languages: The Case for Case . Perspectives on Cognitive Science . Amberber . Mengistu . de Hoop . Helen . 2005 . . 9–39 . https://books.google.com/books?id=tJyJVWFx63UC&pg=PA10 . 978-0-080-45977-6 .
• Book: Johnson, Steve . Social Parameters of linguistic change in an unstratified Aboriginal society . Patterns of Change, Change of Patterns: Linguistic Change and Reconstruction Methodology . Baldi . Philip . Philip Baldi . 1991 . . 203–218 . https://books.google.com/books?id=d9ZI7C1WhHwC&pg=PA204 . 978-3-110-13405-6 .
• Social Organization of the Tribes of Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland . McConnel . Ursula H. . Ursula McConnel . . 10 . 1 . 54–72 . September 1939 . 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1939.tb00256.x . 40327744 .
• Social Organization of the Tribes of Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland (Continued) . McConnel . Ursula H. . Ursula McConnel . . 10 . 4 . 434–455 . June 1940 . 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1940.tb00305.x . 40327867 .
• Book: von Sturmer, John Richard . The Wik Economy, Territoriality and Totemism in Western Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland . 1978 . . PhD .
• PhD thesis. Wik: Aboriginal society, territory and language at Cape Keerweer, Cape York Peninsula, Australia . Sutton . Peter . Peter Sutton (anthropologist) . 1979 . .
• Book: Tindale, Norman Barnett . Wiknantjara (QLD) . Norman Tindale . 1974 . Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names . . http://archives.samuseum.sa.gov.au/tindaletribes/wiknantjara.htm . 978-0-708-10741-6 .