The Millie

Barababaraba

From Tindale, the Barababaraba (Baraparapa^†) nation is located along the Victorian side of the Murray from Echuca down to Cohuna. It straddles the Murray from around Kow Swamp and extends northeast to past the Wakool and Edwards rivers. More recent work suggests the southern reach was near Bendigo.

Today, the land around Gunbower Island from Cohuna to Echuca is formally recognised as being part of the Yorta Yorta nation.

• They had close connections with the Wemba Wemba.
• Most words of the language are shared with the Wemba Wemba (93%).

Wemba Wemba

The Wemba Wemba (Wembawemba^†) nation traverses from Cohuna down to Swan Hill.

• They had close connections with the Barababaraba.
• Most words of the language are shared with the Barababaraba (93%).
• Many ended up on the Moonacullah Mission on the Edwards River.

An account from Ernest Gribble, (ca 1932) of the method used to hunt possums:

A native would examine a gum-tree for recent scratches on the bark made by ascending possums; then with his tomahawk, he would ascend, cutting small steps in the bark just sufficient to put his toes into. Reaching the hollow, he would examine the entrance for traces of the animal … He would then probe the hollow with a long switch. If he could reach the bottom of the hollow, he would be able to feel if the animal was “at home”. Then tapping the outside of the tree to find the end of the hollow by the sound, he would soon cut through, and inserting his hand, draw out by the legs and tail the little animal, and killing it by banging its head against the tree, drop it to the ground. I have seen as many as twenty or thirty caught in this way during a morning’s hunt.

Wadi Wadi and Weki Weki

From Tindale, the Wadi Wadi (Woti Woti) nation traverses from Swan Hill down almost to the Murrumbidgee Junction. The Weki Weki (Warkawarka^†) nation was placed around Tyrrell Creek and Lake Tyrrell. A later analysis of the historical language records suggests that that Weki Weki was most likely spoken around Piangil / Tooleybuc.

From a cultural statement in one of the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Projects indicate a wider connection to country for both tribes:

The Wadi Wadi are people of the river Country and have lived and traveled all over the river Country, but specifically from Belsar, Boundary Bend through the floodplain river country to Nyah-Vinifera.

The Weki Weki identify as river people (mille grounditch), with strong associations with the Murray River, its tributaries, and surrounding lakes and wetlands.

Considering the close kinship between the two groups and unclear boundaries, I've combined the two entries.

Mutti Mutti

The Mutti Mutti (Muthimuthi^†) nation traverses along the lower Murrumbidgee to the Murray. Tindale suggests their lands reach from Lake Benanee (NE of Euston) to 'Reedy Lake'. The only Reedy Lake I found was north of Maude that appears to be on Nari Nari (Wathi Wathi) country that begins around Balranald and stretches up to Booligal (Lachlan River) and Hay (Murrumbidgee River).

Dadi Dadi

The Dadi Dadi (Tati Tati) nation traverses from just above the Murrumbidgee Junction to below Euston, mostly on the Victorian side. The Mutti Mutti nation was on the NSW side.

Cameron (1885) describes a traditional story behind the treeless plains found in the area away from the river.

Ngwoorangbin (water rat), who lived in the Murray River, had a large hut in which he kept the fire for the purpose of cooking the mussels which he brought out of the river. This fire he very jealously guarded, but one day whilst he was down in the river gathering mussels, a spark flew out of the hut and was caught by Kiridka (a small hawk), who, having some inflammable materials ready, kindled a fire, by means of which he burned down the house of Ngwoorangbin, and also at the same time a large tract of forest, so that it is now open plains.

Kureinji^†

Kureinji nation is on the northern side of the Murray and stretches down from Euston to Wentworth. Most now live in Mildura, VIC. Two major language sub-groups are the Kemendok (around Mallee Cliffs Station) and Yerre-yerre (from Mildura).

Kemendok National Park resides in the middle of the Kureinji lands and still contains a diverse range of evidence of Aboriginal occupation and use, including modified trees, fire hearths, flaked stone artefacts, burial sites, and middens. Joint management of the park is expected into the future.

One of the worst Aboriginal massacres seen on the Murray was at Mount Dispersion that lies on Kureinji lands. Much of the story comes from Major Mitchell's account that claimed that as many as 150 Aboriginals started following their party near Lake Benanee. As the party became "more intrusive", he instructed his men to set up an ambush. From Major Mitchell's own account to the Australian, at least 30 Aboriginals were slain, many were shot as they tried to swim across the Murray to safety. The only Aboriginal account of the story was from Tilki, who lost a finger as he was shot while being carried on his mother's back while she and other women were collecting mussels from the river. On the 184th anniversary of the killings, the NSW Government officially gazetted Mount Dispersion as an Aboriginal place, giving it legal recognition and protection as a significant site.

• Some of the known totems include the eel-tailed catfish (water), tree dtella (land), and whistling kite (sky).

Maraura^†

From Wentworth to South Australia, the Maraura (Marrawarra, Marawara) nation traditionally lived by the Murray on the NSW side with close ties to the southern members of the Paakantji (Paakantyi; Barkindji) tribe that lived to the north along the Darling.

Believed to have migrated south along the Darling, they had different customs than other tribes seen on the Murray. They were based around the Avoca region and downstream of Wentworth. Their arid zone hunting and gathering practices were also distinct from the Meru tribes in NW Victoria and northern SA. The Maraura congregated around Lake Victoria in summer and would travel back into the dry plains in winter during good seasons.

Jari Jari and Latje Latje

On the Victorian side, the Jari Jari (Yari Yari) and Latje Latje (Latji Latji) nations stretch from Robinvale down to around Neds Corner on the Victorian side of the river.

The exact locations and relationships appear a bit unclear with references to the Latje Latje eastern border appearing to be at Robinvale down to Lake Tyrell, with the western border being somewhere between Neds Corner and Cullulleraine, extending south "50 miles (80 km)".

• Clans from the upper Darling River traded stone mortars and pestles for nets, twine, and fish hooks with the Jari Jari.
• The Jari Jarihave a very similar creation story to the Dadi Dadi

In the long-forgotten past, the only light upon the earth (tungie) came from the moon (mitian) and the stars (toorts). No people inhabited the earth, only animals. One day during this semi-darkness, the female native companion (Koortinie) and the emu (Kurwie) were quarrelling. The native companion, during this quarrel, threw an emu egg up into the sky (tyrrily) where it broke upon a pile of wood prepared by Ngondenont, the Good Spirit. The concussion of the breakage caused a spontaneous fire which flooded the world in light. Ngondenont saw the advantage of the light for the dwellers on the earth, and thence forth vowed never to leave the earth in perpetual darkness.