The
Kamilaroi or
Gamilaraay are an
Indigenous AustralianIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
people who are from the area between
TamworthTamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
and Goondiwindi, and west to Narrabri, Walgett and Lightning Ridge, in northern
New South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. In the south-west, their country extends to
CoonabarabranCoonabarabran is a town in Warrumbungle Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 2,609.-History and description:...
and the eastern foothills of the
Warrumbungle RangesThe Warrumbungles is the name of a mountain range and National Park located in northern New South Wales, Australia. The nearest town to the Warrumbungles is Coonabarabran...
and includes
Warrumbungle National ParkWarrumbungle National Park is located in central northern New South Wales, Australia, 550 km northwest of Sydney. Outside of the Sydney metropolitan area parks, it is the most-visited national park in New South Wales....
.
Etymology
The name
Gamilaraay literally means "having not", derived from
gamil "not" and
-(b)araay "having".
The
Kamilaroi HighwayKamilaroi Highway is a state highway in New South Wales. It has been given the national route number 37. Its status as a highway is fairly new....
is named after them.
Sydney Ferries Limited's vehicular ferry "Kamilaroi" (1901–1933) was also named after them.
A variety of
DurumDurum wheat or macaroni wheat is the only tetraploid species of wheat of commercial importance that is widely cultivated today...
wheat widely grown in their territory today is named after the Kamilaroi.
The Northern Kamilaroi people have a strong cultural connection with the
BigambulThe Bigambul are an Indigenous Australian tribe living in the border region of Queensland and New South Wales. The name of this tribe is derived from the Bigambul word biga or pika which translates in English to yes....
People and the tribes met regularly for joint ceremonies at
Boobera LagoonBoobera Lagoon is a permanent water hole approximately 20 kilometers west of Goondiwindi, Australia. It is located at . It lies several kilometres south of the Macintyre River, which forms the border between Queensland and New South Wales, and is just north of the Mungindi - Goondiwindi road...
near the present day town of Goondiwindi.
Mythology
Kamilaroi mythology includes
BaiameIn Australian Aboriginal mythology Baiame was the Creator God and Sky Father in the dreaming of several language groups , of Indigenous Australians of South-East Australia....
, the ancestor or patron god. He was married to
BirrahgnoolooIn Australian Aboriginal mythology , Birrahgnooloo is a goddess of fertility who would send floods if properly asked. Ash et al. spell her name as 'Birra-ngulu', i.e...
, with whom he was the father of
DaramulumIn several of the Aboriginal cultures of South-East Australia such as Wiradyuri, Kamilaroi, Eora, Darkinjung, and Guringai, Daramulum is a son of Baiame and his emu-wife Birrahgnooloo....
.
Please note that there are various spelling, such as Gomeroi, Gamilaroi, Gumillaroy, Comelroy, all of which the attempts of a transliteration to the Latin alphabet. Nowadays, the term "Gomeroi", meaning One of the Rising Sun. The Gomeroi is one of the four largest nations in Australia.
Famous Kamilaroi
- Australian Test cricketer Jason Gillespie
Jason Neil Gillespie is an Australian cricketer who formerly represented Australia at international level, in both Tests and One Day Internationals, and South Australia, Yorkshire and Glamorgan at first-class level. His primary role is as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, but he is also a competent...
.
- Roger Knox
Roger Knox is an Australian country singer known as the Black Elvis and the Koori King of Country. He is an Gamilaroi man , was born in Moree and grew up in the Toomelah Aboriginal Mission near Boggabilla near the border between New South Wales and Queensland.In 1980s Knox was in a plane crash that...
, Country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer known as "The Koori King of Country".
- Con Colleano
Con Colleano was an Australian tightrope walker who was the first person to successfully attempt a forward somersault on a tightrope and became one of the most celebrated and highly-paid circus performers of his time...
, tightrope walkerTightrope walking is the art of walking along a thin wire or rope, usually at a great height. One or more artists performs in front of an audience or as a publicity stunt...
.
External links