The Ngameni are an
indigenous Australian
Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...
people of
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
who once spoke the
Ngameni language.
Country
According to
Norman Tindale
Norman Barnett Tindale AO (12 October 1900 – 19 November 1993) was an Australian anthropologist, archaeologist, entomologist and ethnologist. He is best remembered for his work mapping the various tribal groupings of Aboriginal Australians ...
's estimation, the Ngameni held of tribal territory, along the southern edge of
Goyder Lagoon
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The Goyder Lagoon is a large ephemeral swamp in the Australian state of South Australia in the state's Far North region. The lake is part of the Diamantina River floodplain, lying beside the Birdsville Track close to the state borde ...
, and on the
Warburton River
The Warburton River (or Warburton Creek) is a freshwater stream in the far north of South Australia that flows southwest and discharges into the eastern side of Lake Eyre. It is one of the state's largest rivers, and is part of the Lake Eyre Bas ...
, and Lakes Howitt and Berlino. The northern reach extended to
Pandipandi and, over the border into what is now southwest Queensland, the area south of
Birdsville
Birdsville is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Diamantina, Queensland, Australia. The locality is on the Queensland border with both the Northern Territory and South Australia. The town is situated north of the South Australian bord ...
and Miranda.
Social organization and customs
Both circumcision and
subincision
Penile subincision is a form of genital modification or mutilation consisting of a urethrotomy, in which the underside of the penis is incised and the urethra slit open lengthwise, from the urethral opening (meatus) toward the base. The slit can ...
were integral parts of Ngameni rites of
initiation.
Alternative names
* ''Ngamini, Ngaminni, Gnameni, Ngnaminni''
* ''A:mini, Aumini, Auminie, Aumine, Amini''
* ''Ominee''
* ''Ahminie, Ahminnie''
* ''Uminnie''
* ''Agaminni''
* ''Awmani''
Some words
* ''chookeroo'' (kangaroo)
* ''kinthalla'' (tame/wild dog)
* ''appurree'' (father)
* ''andree'' (mother)
Notes
Citations
Sources
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{{authority control
Aboriginal peoples of South Australia