The Jingili or Jingulu are an indigenous Australian people of the Northern Territory.

Language

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Jingulu is classified as belonging to the Mirndi family of non Pama–Nyungan languages. An early word-list was compiled by F. A. Gillen.[1] Following in the wake of pioneering work by Neil Chadwick in the 1970s, Robert Pensalfini wrote out a grammar of Jingulu on the basis of fieldwork with its last known fluent speakers.[2]

Country

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Norman Tindale estimated the range of Jingili lands at approximately 5,900 square miles (15,000 km2). The southern frontier was around the Renner Springs area about Mount Grayling, extending northwards to Newcastle Waters and also took in the area of the Ashburton Range. To the east they encompassed Cattle Creek south of Wave Hill and Ucharonidge. Their western extension ran as far as the 25 miles from Lake Woods.[3][a]

Social organization

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R. H. Mathews constructed an early scheme to set forth the marriage divisions of the Jingili.[4]

Divisions of the Jingili tribe[5]
Phratry Section of Parents Section of Offspring
Husband Wife Son Daughter
A Jimmitcha
Chunainjah
Chemarainjah
Tampachina
Nungalleeinja
Nalainjah
Naraleeinjah
Nungareeinjah
Taraleeinjah
Tungareeinjah
Chulainjah
Chungaleeinjah
Naraleeinjah
Nungareeinjah
Nalainjah
Nungalleeinja
B Chungaleeinjah
Chulainjah
Tungareeinjah
Taraleeinjah
Nameeinjah
Nanainjah
Nabajinah
Nemarainjah
Tampachina
Chemarainjah
Chunainjah
Jimmitcha
Nabajinah
Nemarainjah
Nanainjah
Nameeinjah

Some eight years later he reconfigured the data in the following terms:-

Divisions of the Jingili tribe[6]
Phratry Section of Parents Section of Offspring
Wife Husband Offspring
Cycle A Chungalee
Chula
Taralee
Tungaree
Chimitcha
Chuna
Chemara
Champina
Taralee
Tanagree
Chula
Chingaree
Cycle B Chimicha
Chuna
Champina
Chimara
Chungalee
Chula
Tangaree
Taralee
Champina
Chemara
Chuna
Chimitcha

History of contact

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According to oral tradition, the Jingili originally migrated from the Great Western Desert.[3]

Alternative names

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  • Chingalee, Chingalli
  • Djingili, Djingali, Djinggili
  • Leechunguloo
  • T(h)ingalie
  • Tjingale, Tchingalee
  • Tjingilli, Tjingali, Tjingalli
  • Tjingilu

Source: Tindale 1974, p. 236

Some words

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  • mowija. (pieces of crystallized quartz used, according to Ravenscroft, to kill an enemy by creeping up to him when the latter slept, and placing the stones on his chest.)[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ "The Chinaglee tribe occupy a large area of country of which Charlotte Waters (error for Newcastle Waters) is the centre; extending northward 96 miles to Daly Waters; southwards 60 miles to Powell's Creeks; eastwards 100 miles; and westwards 70 miles." (Ravenscroft 1892, p. 121)

Citations

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  1. ^ Pensalfini 2004, p. 143.
  2. ^ Pensalfini 1997.
  3. ^ a b Tindale 1974, p. 236.
  4. ^ Mathews 1900, pp. 495–496.
  5. ^ Mathews 1900, p. 495.
  6. ^ Mathews 1908a, p. 101.
  7. ^ Ravenscroft 1892, p. 122.

Sources

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