W35: Martuthunira

AIATSIS code: 
W35
AIATSIS reference name: 
Martuthunira

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Name
Thesaurus heading language
Thesaurus heading people
ABN name
-
ABS name
Other Australian Indigenous Languages, nec (Martuthunira)
Horton name
Martuthunira
Ethnologue name
Martuyhunira
ISO 639-3 code
vma
Tindale name
Mardudunera
Tindale (1974)
Mardudjungara, Mardudhunera, Mardudhunira, Mardudhoonera, Mardutunira, Mardatunera, Marduduna, Mardathoni, Mardatuna, Maratunia, Jawunmala (Indji-bandi term).
O'Grady et al (1966)
Mardudhoonera, Mardatunera, Mardathoni, Mardatuna, Maratunia
Glottocode
mart1255
Other sources
Mardudjungara, Mardudhunera (Radcliffe_Brown 1913), Mardudhunira (Wurm 1970), Mardudhoonera (Connelly 1932), Mardathoonera (Daisy Bates), Mardutunira, Mardutunera, Marduduna, Mardathoni ('Yabaroo' 1899), Mardatuna, Maratunia, Marduthunira (Brandenstein 1967, Wordick 1982) [Dench 1995:1] Marthadunera [Dixon 2011:36]
Synonyms
Other Australian Indigenous Languages, Martuyhunira, Mardathon, Mardatuna, Mardayunira, Mardudjungara, Mardudunera, Padupadu, Jawunmala, Maratunia, Mardadhunira, Mardadhuniya, Mardathoni, Mardathoonera, Mardathunera, Mardathunira, Mardatunera, Mardudhoonera, Mardudhunera, Mardudhunira, Marduduna, Marduthunira, Mardutunira, Marduyhunira, Martuthuniya, Martuyunira, Mardutunera
Comment
Comments: 
References: 
  • Dench, Alan. 1995. Martuthunira, a language of the Pilbara region of Western Australia: Pacific Linguistics C-125. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.
  • Lang, Johannes. 1968. Die Australischen Terminsysteme [The Australian Terminologies]. Budapest. ( B L269.63/A1)
  • Radcliffe-Brown, A.R. 1913. Three tribes of Western Australia. Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. 43, pp. 143-194. (RS 57/5)
Status: 
Confirmed
Location
State / Territory: 
WA
Location information: 

Radcliffe-Brown (1913:175) describes the Martuthunira as occupying "the coast of Western Australia from a point somewhere between the Cane and Rob Rivers as far as the Maitland River". His map shows the territory extending as far to the south-east as the Hamersley Range.

Dench supports this. The north-eastern boundary between the Martuthunira, Ngarluma and Yapurarra/Pijurru is marked by a group of three hills - Mount Leopold, Moondle Hill and Mount McLeod - just to the south of the Maitland River. On the Fortescue River, the Martuthunira extended as far inland as Booloomba Pool, though much of the gorge country was shared with the Kurrama and Yindjibarndi. The ancient river valley linking the Robe and Fortescue Rivers, in the shadow of Mount Elvire, effectively represents the south-eastern boundary with the Kurrama. The Robe River (Jajiwurra), Jimmawurrada Creek and the Buckland Hills were also Martuthunira. Warluru Pool, where the Robe River leaves the Mamersley Range, marks the eastern extent of Martuthunira country. Warluru also marks the eastern boundary between Kurrama and Pinikura, whose country borders the Maruthunira in the Buckland Hills from Warluru to Chalyarn Pool on the Robe. The Nhuwala and Pinikura meet nearby at Darnell Hill. Ono the west coast, the grass plaiins and mudflats between the Robe River and the Cane River were shared with the Nhuwala. Warramboo Creek (Wartampu) is described as the boundary althought the Nhuwala foraged as far to the north-east as the Robe River (Dench 1995:2).

Contemporary location: Onslow, Karratha and surrounding towns, Tom Price, Port Hedland

 

Maps: 
-
Links
Programs
Activities: 
-
People: 
Alan Dench, von Brandenstein, Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre
Indigenous organisations: 
-
Speakers
Year Source Speaker numbers
1975Oates>10
1984Senate-
1990Schmidt-
1996Census-
2001Census-
2004NILS15
2005Estimate5
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 Small (20-100 pages) 2
Grammar Large grammar (more than 200 pages) 4
Audio-visual 1-10 2
Manuscript note: 
tape transcription/field note available
Grammar: 

Dench, Alan. 1995. Martuthunira: a language of the Pilbara region of Western Australia: Pacific Linguistics C125. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics.

Dictionary: 

Dench, Alan. c2001 Martuthunira wordlist. South Hedland, WA: Wangka Maya PALC.

Classification
Source Family Group Sub-group Name Relationship
Ethnologue (2005) Pama-Nyungan South-West Coastal Ngayarda Martuyhunira  
Dixon (2002)   GASCOYNE RIVER TO PILBARA AREAL GROUP Pilbara/Ngayarta areal group Martuthunira Martuthunira Dench (1995)
Wurm (1994) Pama-Nyungan South-West   Martuyhunira  
Walsh (1981) Pama-Nyungan South-West Coastal Ngayarda Martuyhunira  
Oates (1975) Pama-Nyungan Pilbara-Nyungar (Southwest) Coastal Ngayarda Mardudhunira  
Wurm (1972) Pama-Nyungan Southwest (or Nyungic) Ngayarda Mardadhunira  
O'Grady, Voegelin and Voegelin (1966) Pama-Nyungan Southwest Ngayarda Mardudunera