The Walmadjari (Walmajarri) people, also known as Tjiwaling and Wanaseka, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Name The two names reflect different Walmadjari preferences. Their western bands accept Tjiwaling as an ethnonym, as it is a designation peoples neighbouring them further west employ. The eastern bands prefer the Walmadjari autonym, or conversely, define themselves as the Wanaseka, as opposed to the Tjiwaling, side.
Language Walmadjari belongs to the Ngumpin–Yapa branch of the Pama-Nyungan language family.
Country Norman Tindale's estimation assigned the Walmadjari roughly of territory on the desert plateau south of the Fitzroy and Christmas Creek valleys and from Kunkadea (Noonkanbah), as far east as the Cummins Range. Their southern limits ran along the Canning Stock Route to Kardalapuru (Well 47). Sometime in the latter half of the 19th century, a group of Walmadjari, who are called Ngainan, took over some Gooniyandi territory, the downs north of Christmas Creek between Mellon Spring and Landrigan Cliffs.
Alternative names Walmajari, Walmadjeri, Walmade're, Wolmadjari, Walmajeri, Wolmaijari Wulumari, Wolmeri, Wolmera Walmaharri, Walmaharry, Wolmaharry Warigari Pundur (Gugadja exonym signifying 'cannibals') Walmajai (Nyigina pronunciation) Wulumarai Wanmadjari Tjiwaling (Mangala exonym) Djualin Tjiwali Tjiwalindja, Djiwalinja Djuwali, Djiwalinj Ngadjukura (language name) Pitangu (pejorative Gugadja ethnonym) Wanaeka, Waneiga Ngainan, Nganang Warmala (generic term for several Western Desert tribes)
Notable Walmadjari Ningali Lawford (1967–2019), actress Jimmy Pike (c.1940–2002), artist Mitch Torres (born 1964), actress, filmmaker, radio presenter, and writer Kankawa Nagarra (Olive Knight) (born 1943), musician
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