The Pakadji people, also known by the southern tribal
exonym
An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group, ...
as the Koko Yao (Kuuku Yau), are an
Aboriginal Australian
Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Isl ...
group of
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupació ...
in northern
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
, establishe ...
. The
ethnonym ''Koko Yao'' is said literally to mean " talk, speech" (''koko''/''kuku'') 'this way' (''yao''), though this has been questioned.
Language
Pakadji is one of the
Umpila group of dialects within the
North Cape York Paman languages. They had a highly developed
sign language
Sign languages (also known as signed languages) are languages that use the visual-manual modality to convey meaning, instead of spoken words. Sign languages are expressed through manual articulation in combination with non-manual markers. Sign l ...
, but used generally only one hand, with rapid movements, and little secondary reinforcement by physical or facial tics or gestures.
Country
Pakadji territory embraced roughly an area of 1,300 sq. miles around
Weymouth Bay
Weymouth Bay is a sheltered bay on the south coast of England, in Dorset. It is protected from erosion by Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland, and includes several beaches, notably Weymouth Beach, a gently curving arc of golden sand which st ...
, the
Pascoe River
The Pascoe River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia.
The headwaters rise under Mount Yangee in the Table Range, part of the Great Dividing Range at the northern end of Cape York Peninsula. The river initially flows south t ...
, and Temple Bay. It reached northwards as far as
Cape Grenville
Cape Grenville (), is a small, east-facing promontory along the Queensland, Australia coast of Cape York Peninsula. It lies between Shelburne Bay to the north and Temple Bay to the south. The nearest significant settlement is Weipa, along the ...
; and ran to the southeast at Cape Weymouth. Inland it extended to the
Dividing Range.
Lifestyle and economy
The Pakadji were one of the
Kawadji, or sandbeach people. These coastal tribes basically exploited the rich food resources on and off the sea-line facing the
Coral Sea. The year was divided into two seasons, the ''kawali'' or dry season that began with the onset of the south-east trade winds, from April through to November, and ''wullo wantjan''/''wullo waiyin'' ('when thunder cries') the season ushered in with the arrival of the northwest
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal osci ...
, beginning in late November/early December. In the ''kawali'' period they were often venture inland to harvest vegetables (''mai'yi''), yams (''dampu'') and bush honey, and construction materials like spear wood and weaving grasses.
Ceremonies
Donald Thomson
Donald Finlay Fergusson Thomson, OBE (26 June 1901 – 12 May 1970) was an Australian anthropologist and ornithologist who was largely responsible for turning the Caledon Bay crisis into a "decisive moment in the history of Aboriginal-Europea ...
gained the confidence of the Pakadji while spending 4 months with them during the season in which their initiation ceremonies (''Okainta'') were held, and was permitted to be present during the rites. He focused in particular on stories related to ''Iwayi'' (Old Man Crocodile).
Native title
On 25 November 2021, of land on the eastern side of the
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large peninsula located in Far North Queensland, Australia. It is the largest unspoiled wilderness in northern Australia.Mittermeier, R.E. et al. (2002). Wilderness: Earth’s last wild places. Mexico City: Agrupació ...
were handed back to the Kuuku Ya'u people, at the same time as ( were awarded to the
Uutaalnganu people, in a
native title
Aboriginal title is a common law doctrine that the land rights of indigenous peoples to customary tenure persist after the assumption of sovereignty under settler colonialism. The requirements of proof for the recognition of aboriginal title, ...
claim that was lodged seven years prior. The landmark ruling was delivered by Justice
Debra Mortimer of the
Federal Court of Australia, sitting at the
Supreme Court of Queensland in
Cairns.
Some words
* ''papa'' (mother).
Notes
Citations
References
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{{authority control
Aboriginal peoples of Queensland