N33: Kamu

AIATSIS code: 
N33
AIATSIS reference name: 
Kamu

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Thesaurus heading people
ABN name
-
ABS name
-
Horton name
Malak Malak (Gamu/Kamor)
Ethnologue name
Kamu
ISO 639-3 code
xmu
Tindale name
Kamor
Tindale (1974)
Gamy, Kamorrkir, Komorrkir, ? Murra-Kamangee.
O'Grady et al (1966)
Glottocode
kamu1258
Other sources
Ngangigmor [Tryon 1974] Gamu, Kamor [Top End Handbook]
Synonyms
Malak Malak, Gamu/Kamor, Gamu, Junggor, Kamor, Madngela, Matngela, Mulluk Mulluk, Ngulul Wanggar, Wooliana, Yunggor, Gamor, Gamy, Kamorrkir, Komorrkir, Murra Kamangee, Ngangigmor, Eastern Daly language
Comment
Comments: 

Kamu (N33) is a non-Pama Nyungan language from the Northern Territory, classified as a member of the Eastern Daly language family, closely related to Matngele N12. See also Yunggor N26.

Harvey presents the case there is not sufficient evidence to support a genetic link between the Northern Daly languages, Guwema N10 and MalakMalak N22, and the Eastern Daly languages Matngele N12 and Kamu (N33) (2003:159, 172-3).

 

References: 
  • Green, Ian & Nordlinger, Rachel. The Daly Languages (Australia). Web Resource http://dalylanguages.org
  • Harvey, Mark. 1990. A sketch grammar of Gamu. MS 2882.
  • Harvey, Mark. 1990. A provisional Gamu-English dictionary. PMS 4886.
  • Harvey, Mark. 2003. The evolution of verb systems in the eastern Daly language family. In The Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia : comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region (ed) Nicholas Evans, Canberra : Pacific Linguistics 552, p. 159-184.
  • Harvey, Mark. 2003. The evolution of object enclitic paradigms in the eastern Daly language family. In The Non-Pama-Nyungan Languages of Northern Australia : comparative studies of the continent's most linguistically complex region (ed) Nicholas Evans, Canberra : Pacific Linguistics 552, p. 185-201.
  • Tryon, Darrell, T. 1974. Daly family languages, Australia. Canberra: Research School of Pacific Studies C-32.
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
NT
Location information: 

... near Mount Haywood, on the north side of the Daly River (Stanner 1933 as quoted in Tryon 1974). ... around the Daly River Crossing and Tipperary station, including the lower Fish River valley south of the daly River (Harvey 1990:3). Tipperary Station westwards to Daly River Mission (Top End Handbook). The general association was to northern portion of the hill and range country which runs north-south. The association extended to include the portion of the Daly in this area. There was little precise information on the limits Kamu associations in 2007. The Daly from upstream of Browns Creek to Chilling Junction was associated with Kamu. The following places were associated with Kamu: Woolianna, Nauiyu Nambiyu, Daly River Crossing, Mt Hayward, Mt Thomas. In the east, the Hayward Range appears to have been the eastern boundary of Kamu. There is no precise information on the northern limits. Blackfellow Creek was associated with Kamu, and it appears that the upper Reynolds generally was associated with Kamu. The western limit was the change from hill to lowland country. Marion Hill was on the western edge of Kamu associations. It appears that Kamu affiliations included only a small area south of the Daly (Harvey AILEC 0802).

It is generally accepted that the Kamu language is associated with the area around the Daly River Crossing and Tipperary station, including the lower Fish River valley south of the Daly River. However, very little is known about the traditional Kamu population and their clan estates (Green & Nordlinger viewed Novmber 2020).

 

Maps: 
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Links
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Mark Harvey
Indigenous organisations: 
-
Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates2
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt-
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS1-
2005Estimate-
2006Census-
2011Census-
2014NILS2
2016Census-
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 Small grammar (100-200 pages) 3
Audio-visual More than 10 3
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available
Grammar: 

Harvey, Mark. 1990. A sketch grammar of Gamu.

Dictionary: 

Harvey, Mark. 1990. A provisional Gamu-English dictionary.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Daly Malagmalag Daly Proper Kamu  
Dixon (2002)   DALY RIVER AREAL GROUP Eastern Daly subgroup* Kamu Kamu Harvey (ms.d)
Wurm (1994) Daly Malagmalag   Kamu  
Walsh (1981) Daly Malagmalag Daly Kamu  
Oates (1975) Daly Mullug Daly Gamor  
Wurm (1972) Daly Mulluk Daly Kamor  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966)