The Madjandji, also known as the ''Majañji,'' are
indigenous Australian
Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...
people in the area south of
Cairns
Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...
in the state of
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
.
Language
The Madjandji spoke ''Madjay'', now classified as a dialect of
Yidiny.
Country
The Madjandji were rain-forest dwellers, inhabiting a small territory, estimated by
Norman Tindale
Norman Barnett Tindale AO (12 October 1900 – 19 November 1993) was an Australian anthropologist, archaeologist, entomologist and ethnologist.
Life
Tindale was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1900. His family moved to Tokyo and lived ther ...
at some , in the area north of the mouth of the
Russell River. Their inland extension to the west lay at
Babinda
Babinda is a rural town and locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Babinda had a population of 1,253 people.
Geography
Babinda is located south of Cairns.
The town is noted for its proximity to Queensla ...
. Their northern limits approached
Deeral. The Madjandji had close ties to the
Wanjuru people to their south.
Alternative names
* ''Matjai.'' (language name)
* ''Matjandji.''
* ''Madyay'' (?)
* ''Majay''
* ''Mooka.''
Notes
Citations
Sources
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{{authority control
Aboriginal peoples of Queensland