4.6.3 Each of the five sites on the land claimed has one or more dreamings or histories associated with it. Again, it is no surprise that, in a desert, these histories should often have rain as their foci. Thus, Tjilpatha (site 1) is associated with the Eastern Simpson Desert Rain History, which connects the salt lake at (site 4) with Mirri-ngupa-ngupa (site 15) in Queensland. (site 2) is associated the Yalkiri Parlani Two Trees History, a complex story that has elements of both the collection of grass seed for food and the summoning of rain. (site 3) has its own version of a rain dreaming, Pulapurdunha another complex story. As well as its strong association with the Eastern Simpson Desert Rain History, (site 4) is also associated with the Mirri-ngupa-ngupa Seven Sisters History, a long-distance travelling dreaming, coming from Lake Eyre to the south-west, passing through the claim area and then heading north. This latter dreaming has aspects secret to women. It is also associated with (site 4a), Mirri-pungkinha which also has other dreaming associations, including one involving lightning from a thunder-cloud. 4.6.4 The authors of the report (exhibit CLC2) make it anthropologists’ clear that it is not possible to establish common spiritual affiliations between the all of the claimants and any of the sites on or associated with the land claimed, on the basis that all of the claimants hold those affiliations. They recognised that the dreaming traditions had ceased to be held during the 20th century. The severe drought at the very end of the 19th century completed the emigration of Wangkangurru people from the Simpson Desert, as they moved to survive on government rations, or to work on cattle stations. Ceremonies based on the histories associated with sites on the land claimed, and other Wangkangurru sites, were no longer performed regularly by the 1950s. By the time of the inquiry into this land claim, such ceremonies had not been held at all for a number of years, although it was said that some claimants participate in ceremonies relating to other places. The authors recognise that knowledge of the sites and their histories is not held widely within the claimant group.
4.6.3 Each of the five sites on the land claimed has one or more dreamings or histories associated with it. Again, it is no surprise that, in a desert, these histories should often have rain as their foci. Thus, Tjilpatha (site 1) is associated with the Eastern Simpson Desert Rain History, which connects the salt lake at Mirri-ngupa-ngupa (site 4) with Yalkiri (site 15) in Queensland. Parlani (site 2) is associated the Two Trees History, a complex story that has elements of both the collection of grass seed for food and the summoning of rain. Pulapurdunha (site 3) has its own version of a rain dreaming, another complex story. As well as its strong association with the Eastern Simpson Desert Rain History, Mirri-ngupa-ngupa (site 4) is also associated with the Seven Sisters History, a long-distance travelling dreaming, coming from Lake Eyre to the south-west, passing through the claim area and then heading north. This latter dreaming has aspects secret to women. It is also associated with Mirri-pungkinha (site 4a), which also has other dreaming associations, including one involving lightning from a thunder-cloud. 4.6.4 The authors of the anthropologists’ report (exhibit CLC2) make it clear that it is not possible to establish common spiritual affiliations between the all of the claimants and any of the sites on or associated with the land claimed, on the basis that all of the claimants hold those affiliations. They recognised that the dreaming traditions had ceased to be held during the 20th century. The severe drought at the very end of the 19th century completed the emigration of Wangkangurru people from the Simpson Desert, as they moved to survive on government rations, or to work on cattle stations. Ceremonies based on the histories associated with sites on the land claimed, and other Wangkangurru sites, were no longer performed regularly by the 1950s. By the time of the inquiry into this land claim, such ceremonies had not been held at all for a number of years, although it was said that some claimants participate in ceremonies relating to other places. The authors recognise that knowledge of the sites and their histories is not held widely within the claimant group.
Wangkangurru_Land_Claim.docx