Djiru

The Djiru, otherwise spelt Jirru, were an Indigenous Australian people who lived along the coasts of Northern Queensland.

Language

Djiru was a dialect of the Dyirbal language

Country

The Djiru, a rain-forest people, occupied a large part of the coastal area now called Cassowary Coast. Norman Tindale estimated their lands as covering some 100 square miles (260 km2) around Clump Point and as far north as Murdering Point. Their southern extension ran to the mouth of the Tully River.[1]

Social organization

Two names noted down in a list of Queensland tribes compiled by William Parry-Okeden arguably refer, not to distinct tribes, but to Djiru hordes:-

  • Boolboora
  • Warryboora[1]

History

The first dispute with settlers occurred in 1872 when the survivors of the ship "Maria" that was shipwrecked near Johnstone River on the coast. Sub-Inspector Robert Johnstone led a search party to look for survivors and to punish the Mamu who had abused them. Commanding Native Police troopers, he systematically shot any Djiru encountered in his long beach trek and burnt their dwellings.[2]

Last members

The last speakers of the language were Joe Jamboree (Joe Tambourine?)[3] and Pompey Clumppoint, the latter from Clump Point opposite Dunk Island. Pompey had been incarcerated on Palm Island for an incident of cannibalism in 1920.[4][5] According to him the best-tasting human flesh was Chinese, followed by Aboriginal and, last, the otherwise tough and bitter flesh of Englishmen.[6]

Alternative names

  • Iimba.
  • Djirubagala, Dyirubagala.
  • Dyiru.
  • Gerrah.
  • Gillah.[1]

Notes

    Citations

      Sources

      • Dixon, R. M. W. (1972). The Dyirbal Language of North Queensland. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-08510-6.
      • Dixon, R. M. W.; Duwell, Martin (1990). The Honey-ant Men's Love Song and Other Aboriginal Song Poems. University of Queensland Press. ISBN 978-0-702-22278-8.
      • Dixon, R. M. W. (2011). Searching for Aboriginal Languages: Memoirs of a Field Worker. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-02504-1.
      • Tindale, Norman Barnett (1974). "Djiru (QLD)". Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Australian National University Press.
      • Turnbull, Paul (2017). Science, Museums and Collecting the Indigenous Dead in Colonial Australia. Springer. ISBN 978-3-319-51874-9.
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