Y85: Koko Bera

AIATSIS code: 
Y85
AIATSIS reference name: 
Koko Bera

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Thesaurus heading people
ABN name
Kokoberra language (Koko-Bera language)
ABS name
Koko-Bera
Horton name
Koko-bera
Ethnologue name
Gugubera
ISO 639-3 code
kkp
Tindale name
Kokopera
Tindale (1974)
Koko-bera, Kukaberra, Kungkara (valid alternative), Konanin (name used by surrounding tribes), Goona-nin, Gunani, Gunanni, Goonamin, Goonamon, Koko papung, Kokopapun (misprint), Ba:bung [sic].
O'Grady et al (1966)
Kokobera
Glottocode
gugu1254
Other sources
Kok-Kaper, Kok-Per, (Yirrq-) Kongarrlh (Yir Yoront name), Kok-Kapér (Koko Bera name) [Alpher 2006 p.c.] Kok-Chel (possibly Kok-Kaper name for one of the Yirrk-Thangalkl "mobs") [Alpher 2007 p.c.]
Synonyms
Kok Kaber, Gugubera, Koko bera, Kokopera, Anavilla, Ba:bung, Babung, Badedj, Bera, Berang, Gogo Bera, Gonani:n, Goonamen, Goonamin, Goonamon, Goonanin, Gumani, Gunami, Gunani, Gunanni, Kok Per, Koko babung, Koko Pera, Koko Peryn, Kokopapun, Kokopapung, Konanin, Kukaberra, Kungkara, Nanna, Ninnggora, Paperyn, Papung, Peryn, Wab, Kokobera, Gugu Bera, Kok Kaper, Kongarrlh, Kok Kapér
Comment
Comments: 

Koko-Bera is widely spoken by Kokoberrin Y223 people at Kowanyama and Normanton. In modern times, Koko-Bera speakers also use Kurtjar G33 (Black, c2007:1). See also Koko Babangk Y203. Black uses the common spelling Koko-Bera, but indicates it is 'properly Kok Kapér' (2010: 262).

See also Gundara G29.

 

References: 
  • Black, Paul. 1978. Koko-Bera : partial draft sketch completed June 1978. MS 1175.
  • Black, Paul. c2007. The Kokoberrin and their languages / Kokoberrin Tribal Aboriginal Corporation. (Dictionary) MS 4584.
  • Black, Paul. 2010. Co-narration of a Kiko-Bera story: giants of Cape York Peninsula. In Indigenous language and social identity: papers in honour of Michael Walsh, eds B. Baker, I. Mushin, M. Harvey & R. Gardner. Pacific Linguistics 626. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Tindale, Norman B. 1974. Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Berkeley: University of California Press/Canberra: Australian National University Press.
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
QLD
Location information: 

Koko-Bera is actually only one of three named dialects formally spoken throughout much of an area lying within some 30 km of the Gulf of Carpentaria coast between the South Mitchell and Nassau River; (Koko-Bera was a relatively central dialect spoken along Topsy Creek. The other two dialects were Kok-Wap, to the northeast, and Kok-Peponk, to the south (Black 1978:19).

About the mouth of the Nassau River; a coastal tribe ranging inland for about thirty miles (50 km.); north to Mitchell River, south in the present day along the coast to Delta Station but formerly no farther than near Inkerman, north of the Staaten River (Tindale 1974).

 

Maps: 
-
Links
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Barry Alpher, Paul Black, Donald Emerson Crim, Sandra Keen, Bruce Sommer
Indigenous organisations: 
-
Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates40
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt50
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS120
2005Estimate20
2006Census101
2011Census31
2014NILS2
2016Census10
2018-2019NILS3

Speaker numbers were measured differently across the censuses and various other sources listed in AUSTLANG. You are encouraged to refer to the sources.

Speaker numbers for ‘NILS 2004’ and ‘2005 estimate’ come from 'Table F.3: Numbers of speakers of Australian Indigenous languages (various surveys)' in 'Appendix F NILS endangerment and absolute number results' in McConvell, Marmion and McNicol 2005, pages 198-230 (PDF, 2.5MB).

Documentation
Type Documentation Status Documentation Score
Word list Small (20-100 pages) 2
Text Collection None 0
Grammar Sketch grammar (less than 100 pages) 2
Audio-visual More than 10 3
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available
Grammar: 

Black, Paul. 1978. Koko-Bera: partial draft sketch completed June 1978, ms.

Dictionary: 

Sommer, Bruce. 1973 Koko-Bera word-list, ms.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Pama-Nyungan Paman Central Pama Gugubera  
Dixon (2002)   WESTERN CAPE YORK PENINSULA AREAL GROUP Coastal southwest Pama group Koko Bera (or Kok Kaber) Koko Bera* (or Kok Kaber) further dialects: Kok Peponk, Kok Wap, Koko Beberam
Wurm (1994) Pama-Nyungan Paman   Koko Pera  
Walsh (1981) Pama-Nyungan Paman Coastal Pama Koko Pera  
Oates (1975) Pama-Nyungan   Coastal Pama Gugu Bera  
Wurm (1972) Pama-Nyungan Pama-Maric Coastal Pama Koko Bera  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966) Pama-Nyungan Pama-Maric Western Pama Koko Pera