Yirrganydji People - Past

Past

The Yirrganydji people lived in units of Yila: la with their Pipunpay and older relatives, often on the sand dunes of the beach and close to water ways or native springs. Tyimurru were erected using Yapulam or River mangrove, which were tied with strips of Pukul or Tumpul . The roofing was completed with the bark of Kiti or Wurpu .

Fires were very important to all Aboriginal people of Australia. To the Yirrganydji, the Piri was used for cooking food, preparing medicines or artefacts, keeping warm, and chasing away the mosquitoes and sand flies. Fires were usually made close to the entrance of a shelter.

The Yirrganydji were a hunter-gatherer society. They would move about from place to place within their traditional country following the seasons and food resources. Men would hunt for the large game and fish, while the women would gather and prepare the plant foods. Women would also be the predominant caretakers of the children.

The Yirrganydji people sought food from waterways (creeks, rivers, coast and sea) such as Kuyu (fish), Nyingkarra / Kuykal (eels), Ngawuyu / Patyikal (turtles), Tyala (oysters) and Kanytyil / Tyunparra (crustaceans).

The Yirrganydji people also hunted animals in their region such as Tulpil (wallabies), Tyuntyurru (bandicoot)s, Puta: tyi (scrub pythons), Kanyal / Ngunal / Patya Patya (lizards), Kukiny (flying foxes), Punta: rra (cassowaries), and other Tyarruy (birds).

Ma: (Fruits and vegetables) that were gathered were: Karu: / Tanti (yam), Ngalka (figs), Munumpa / Wakatay (plums) and Ngapala / Kurrntu (nuts) and (berries). They would also treat and prepare toxic items such as Mutala (Orange mangrove fruit), Tanykatcha (Grey Mangrove fruit), Yiwurra (Black bean), and Patil (Cycad nut), from the rainforest, coastal plains and mangroves to add to their diet.

Fire burn offs were an important part of the annual life cycle and were performed at various times of the year. They were a way on managing the country, cleansing and encouraging regrowth as well as attracting food resources back to the country. It also lowers the risk of a major Tawaray which could be devastating to both the country and people. Fires were usually carried out during the Kurraminya from April to October. From October through to March was a dangerous time for fire burn offs with the exception of a small burn off before the onset of the Kurrapana .

Annually, they would meet with their neighbouring groups at various sites along the coast. They would fight, trade, feast, celebrate, and sometimes intermarry. Some of the meeting sites include: Tyirri: wantay, Tyakal, and Tyapulkanytyi . Some meetings were only for special occasions such as the initiation ceremony for male members of the tribe.

The trading of goods between tribes would consist of Miya Miya / Milka (nautilus shell necklaces), Yimpi (Dilly baskets), Wakuy (swords) and Matyay (shields). Regular trades were made between the Yirrganydji and neighbouring tribal groups of the Djabugay, Yidinyji, Gunggandji, Kuku Yalanji, and Kuku Muluridji.

The Barron and Port Douglas areas exported hour glass pattern dilly bags, round based dilly bags, beeswax necklaces, straight shell shafted spear throwers, a variety of bamboo spears, square cut nautilus shell necklaces and cockatoo top knot head dresses.

They imported Bent spear throwers, swords and shields from Cape Grafton...

(Jones 1976:294)