Wangkamardla Mob:
The Wangkamardla, also spelled Wanggamala, Wangkamahdla, Wangkamadla, Wangkamanha, Wangkamana, Wonkamala, Wongkamala, Wonkamudla, and other variants, are the native peoples to the Bedourie area. Their country expands over the present day Queensland and Northern Territory border.
In Norman Tindale's estimate, Wanggamala tribal lands covered some 20,000 square miles (52,000 km2) of territory. They roamed north-west of Annandale, at Kalidawarry and around the lower Field and Hay rivers, along the Plenty river, and on the eastern margins of the Simpson Desert. Their traditional language is today extinct. In July 2021, the Wangkamardla, (Wangkamahdla in the claim), won native title rights to over 3,000,000 ha (7,400,000 acres) west and south-west of Boulia, stretching from around Bedourie, Queensland, across to the Northern Territory border, including Cravens Peak Reserve (named Pilungah Reserve in October 2021) and part of the Munga-Thirri National Park. This means the Wangkamardla can hunt, fish, gather, conduct ceremonies, teach, and maintain places of importance on country.
The Wangkamardla are renowned for growing and distributing the pituri plant (mingkulpa). Pituri is a mixture of leaves and wood ash traditionally chewed as a stimulant by early Indigenous Australians. Leaves were gathered from native tobacoo plants, or from, at least one distinct population of the species "Duboisia hopwoodii", then mixed with the ash of various species of Acacia, Grevillea, or Eucalyptus. The term "pituri" may also refer to the plants from which the leaves were gathered or from the ash from which it is made. Other nineteenth century reports also said chewing pituri made old men wise, induced valour in warfare and allowed Aboriginal people to walk hundreds of kilometres without food or water. In a small area west of the Mulligan River in the Boulia Shire, a distinct population of Duboisia hopwoodii grows. The Boulia area was part of an extensive network of trade routes and pituri was bartered for such goods such as boomerangs, spears, shields and ochre.
The leaves either fresh or dried were broken up, mixed with ash and chewed to form a "quid" (a roll about the size and shape of a cigarette). The ash is thought to facilitate the release of nicotine fro mthe plant and its absorption through the mouth wall. The quid is chewed from time to time and held behind the lower lip or cheek for long periods, where the thin skin, richly endowed with blood vessels, readily absorbs the nicotine. It may be shared with others, passing from person to perosn until returned to its owner. The quid was also carried pressed behind the ear, under a breast or beneath a head or arm-band. A fresh quid may be prepared and held in the mouth while sleeping, so that for some chewers the nicotine absorption is constant. A report into Pituri also indicated that Indigenous Australians used the smoke from burning pituri leaves as an anaesthetic during surgical operations.
Wangkangurru-Yarluyandi Mob:
The Yarluyandi, also spelled as Jeljujendi, Yelyuyendi, and Yarleeyandee, are the native Indigenous Australian's to what is general area known today as Birdsville, Queensland. The Yarluyandi now form an aggregate with the Wangkangurru people (who's country was west of Yarluyandi), and are represented by the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Aboriginal Corporation. Their native title over a large area of the Simpson Desert was recognised in 2014.
In Norman Tindale's calculations, the Yarluyandi had some 18,000 square kilometres (6,900 sq mi) of land within their tribal domain, taking in the Mulligan River south of Annandale to Alton Downs. Their western confines were in the vicinity of Atna Hill, while their eastern extension went as far as Birdsville and the Diamantina River.
Source: Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names (Tindale), North West Star, NITV, Boulia Shire Council, AITSIS,
