The Wiri were 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 ...

people of an area on the eastern side of 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 , establishe ...

. They spoke a dialect of the

Biri language Biri, also known as Biria, Birri Gubba, Birigaba, Wiri, Perembba and other variants, is an Australian Aboriginal language of the Mackay area of Queensland spoken by the Birri Gubba people. There are at least eight languages regarded as dial ...

called Wiri (also known as Widi).

Country

The Wiri's tribal lands spread over some from the Coast Range east of the coastal area around

Mackay Mackay may refer to: *Clan Mackay, the Scottish clan from which the surname "MacKay" derives Mackay may also refer to: Places Australia * Mackay Region, a local government area ** Mackay, Queensland, a city in the above region *** Mackay Airpor ...

and running inland as far as Nebo and the headwaters of the Bowen and Suttor rivers. They took in both the Connor and Denham ranges. Wiri territory was basically rainscrub, with drier country on its western flank. A

Traditional Owner Native title is the designation given to the common law doctrine of Aboriginal title in Australia, which is the recognition by Australian law that Indigenous Australians (both Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander people) have rights ...

Reference Group consisting of representatives of the

Yuwibara The Yuwibara, also written Yuibera and Juipera and also known as Yuwi, after their language, are an Aboriginal Australian people, originating from the area around present-day Mackay, on the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Country Accordin ...

, Koinmerburra, Barada Barna, Wiri, Ngaro, and those

Gia ''Gia'' is a 1998 American biographical drama television film about the life and times of one of the first supermodels, Gia Carangi. The film stars Angelina Jolie as Gia and Faye Dunaway as Wilhelmina Cooper, with Mercedes Ruehl and Elizabeth M ...

and

Juru people The Juru people also known as the ‘Yuru’ people are the proud Aboriginal people of the state of Queensland Country In Norman Tindale's estimate, the Yuru had some of land, extending northwards from Bowen to the Burdekin River at the site of ...

whose lands are within Reef Catchments Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region, helps to support

natural resource management Natural resource management (NRM) is the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations (stewardship) ...

and look after the cultural heritage sites in the area.

Language

Wiri Wiri is a mostly industrial-commercial focused suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It was formerly part of Manukau City until the merger of all of Auckland's councils into the ' super city' in 2010. The area was named after the chief Takaanini ...

is a dialect of the

, also spelt Wirri, Widi, Widi, Wierdi, Wirdi, Witi, and also known as Gongolo.

Alternatives names

* ''Widi'' * ''Wierdi''

Notes

Citations

Sources

* * {{Authority control Aboriginal peoples of Queensland