Early Modern & the Imperial Age: Ngunnawal political relations

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Ngunnawal political relations

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: Regional History or Period History
Forum Name: Early Modern & the Imperial Age
Forum Discription: World History from 1500 to the end of WW1
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24534
Printed Date: 27-Apr-2024 at 14:34
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Topic: Ngunnawal political relations

Posted By: Omar al Hashim
Subject: Ngunnawal political relations
Date Posted: 31-May-2008 at 03:44

Some new information for me, and I suspect the rest of the forummers too.

This is a map of the aboriginal cultural/political groups in south-east NSW

From what I have learned primarily from here: http://www.kunama.com/custlaw/CH1.HTM
The Ngarigo and Walgalu were related, similar language and culture, and in that same way were the Ngunnawal and Gundangara related. As all border regions, the two languages for Walgalu and Ngunnawal were a cross between Ngarigo and Gundangara.

Between these groups there appears to be a significant amount of trade - including trade in salt, kangaroos and spears

Evidence from blanket issues and other historical evidence suggests that Aborigines local to the Canberra Region maintained relationships with both near and distant Aboriginal groups, including those located in the Tumut Valley, Yass, Boorowa, Goulburn, Gundaroo, Braidwood, Cooma and the Illawarra region (see Chapter 2). According to Bluett (1954: 4-5), the Kgumburry tribe made frequent visits to Braidwood to barter for salt, to the Yass Plains for kangaroos and grass seeds, to Shoalhaven for sandstone for spear sharpening, the Monaro for basalt and other volcanic material for axe-making, Kiandra for bogong moths, and the South Coast for "sea-fishing" (Sydney Morning Herald 14.6.1927).

More interestingly for me, is that these groups fought wars between each other as well. Some of which have been recorded.

In 1820 Patrick Cunningham witnessed a battle fought between the Pialligo and Narrabundah tribes (Ngunawal I think) against 300 aborigines from Cooma (by my guess that would make them Ngarigo)
The Wiradjuri name for the Walgalu was "Guramal", meaning hostile man. Indicating to me that Wiradjuri-Walgalu relations weren't too rosy. (Wiradjuri had a huge amount of territory by the way)
In 1844 Robinson noted that the tribes of the Bega region (maybe Djiringarj) had been severly depopulated because of raids from the "Yass Blacks", assuming these blacks came from Yass, that could be Ngunnawal speaking people
He also noted that the Onerwal at Yass (Ngunnawal) were not on good terms with the Koronial of the Limestone planes (either Ngunnawal or Walgalu)

It is a great pity I think, that what little Aboriginal history is known is so badly neglected. The schooling system only produces people who think in two ways;
1) There was nothing worth mentioning before British settlement;
2) Aboriginal society was perfect, static, and peaceful for the whole 40,000 years before settlement

The real history, of Aboriginal politics, nations, languages, and The War (between the aborigines and the settlers) is completely neglected.