The Wurango or Wurrugu 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 the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
.
Country
The Wurango's tribal lands encompassed about around the western end of the
Cobourg Peninsula
The Cobourg Peninsula is a peninsula located east of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is deeply indented with coves and bays, covers a land area of about , and is virtually uninhabited with a population ranging from about 20 ...
including
Port Essington
Port Essington is an inlet and historic site located on the Cobourg Peninsula in the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in Australia's Northern Territory. It was the site of an early attempt at British settlement, but now exists only as a remot ...
.
People
Crawford Pasco described the Wurango as he found them in 1838 as numerous, and of very good health since many reached the venerable age of 70.
Social organisation
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 ...
speculated that mentions of the ''Tji'' and ''Jalo'' in this area clearly referring to the Wurango probably denoted
hordes. If so, then he classified their respective localities as follows:
* ''Tji'', a Wurango horde located at the western end of the Peninsula
* ''Ja:lo'', a Wurango horde in Port Essington
The following clan marriage sections are said to have existed:
* ''Manderojelli''
* ''Manburlgeat''
* ''Mandrowilli''
Alternative names
* ''Auwulwarwak''
* ''Ja:lo'' (''ja:lo'' = 'no')
* (?) ''Limba-Karadjee'' (See
Iwaidja)
* ''Wa:reidbug, Woreidbug''
* ''Warooko''
* ''Wurrunga, Wurrango''
* ''Wuru:ku, U:ru:ku''
* ''Yarlo''
Source:
Some words
* ''naween'' (father)
* ''noyoke'' (mother)
Source:
Notes
Citations
Sources
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{{Authority control
Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory