The Marrithiyal, also written Marrithiel, are an Aboriginal Australian people whose traditional territory lay 100 to 130 miles (160 to 210 km) south of Darwin from Litchfield National Park and extend to the Daly River in the Northern Territory. They are also known as the Berringen (Berinken, Brinken) people to represent their affiliation and deep connections across the neighbouring South Western Daly region.[1][2][3]
Their traditional grounds lay south-west of Darwin, in the heart of Litchfield National Park, in an area which is known as Woolaning, Rakula. Like a dozen other tribes, as the white invasion got underway in the 1880s, the local tribes travelled between Litchfield and the Western Daly region with their remnants either dispersed or crammed into smaller outstations. Many Marrithiel, as the tribe spread out into a variety of locations, some shifting to neighbouring lands, others taking up jobs in Darwin, or working as stockmen on their country Mt. Litchfield cattle station, or drifting into the Port Keats mission station.[4]
Strong alliances existed between the Marrithiyal-Marringar cluster, bundled together as a coalition of neighbouring tribes, sharing ceremony, songlines and resources.[5]
W. E. H. Stanner, who described them as a "powerful tribe"[3] in the 1930s, originally spent some 6 weeks among the Marrithiyal in 1932, finding it somewhat difficult to enter into friendly relations with them – troubles with the local police over the killing of a prospector accounting for their diffidence – though he eventually managed to gain their confidence and was allowed to be present and observe two complete circumcision ceremonies.[6]
Languageedit
Marrithiyal is classified as one of the Western Daly Languages Areal group,[7] one of the prefixing non-Pama–Nyungan languages, exhibiting a distinctive phonemic inventory rare among Australian tongues.[8] The Marrithiyal recognize three dialect variants: Marri Ammu, Marridan, and Marrisjabin,[9] and at last count (2006) had an estimated 80 surviving speakers, though slightly earlier the figure had been put at over 100. Most now speak a variety of Kriol.[1] The autonym Marrithiyal has been conjectured to be derived from a combination of the words marri (speech) and thiel, meaning paperbark,[10][3] reflecting the fact that their homeland was rich in paper-bark forests. It was considered, by both whites and natives in the area, as particularly euphonious, especially compared to the 'rougher' sounding language of the Wagiman further west up river.[4]
Mythologyedit
In the Marrithiyal version of the Dreamtime story of the rainbow serpent, the serpent, lacking a wife, stole one from a flying fox who had two. The latter retaliated by spearing the rainbow serpent who plunged into the water, while the flying fox soared up to the sky. It is one variation on a story which has many different versions in this area.[11]
^Northern Territory Lands Group (21 June 2007). . Archived from the original on 23 January 2008. Retrieved 15 December 2007. Brinkin is named after an Aboriginal tribe who inhabited an area to the south of the Daly River mouth.
Green, Ian (September 1989). Marrithiyel, a language of the Daly River region of Australia's Northern Territory(PDF). ANU PhD.
Grimes, Barbara Dix (2003). "Daly Languages". In Frawley, William (ed.). International Encyclopedia of Linguistics: AAVE-Esperanto. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 415–416. ISBN978-0-195-13977-8.
Stanner, W. E. H. (September 1938). "Notes on the Marithiel Language". Oceania. 9 (1): 101–108. doi:10.1002/j.1834-4461.1938.tb00220.x. JSTOR 40327703.
Tindale, Norman (1974). "Marithiel (NT)". Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Australian National University.
marrithiyal, people, marrithiyal, also, written, marrithiel, aboriginal, australian, people, whose, traditional, territory, miles, south, darwin, from, litchfield, national, park, extend, daly, river, northern, territory, they, also, known, berringen, berinken. The Marrithiyal also written Marrithiel are an Aboriginal Australian people whose traditional territory lay 100 to 130 miles 160 to 210 km south of Darwin from Litchfield National Park and extend to the Daly River in the Northern Territory They are also known as the Berringen Berinken Brinken people to represent their affiliation and deep connections across the neighbouring South Western Daly region 1 2 3 Contents 1 History 2 Language 3 Mythology 4 Suburb of Darwin 5 References 5 1 Citations 6 SourcesHistory editTheir traditional grounds lay south west of Darwin in the heart of Litchfield National Park in an area which is known as Woolaning Rakula Like a dozen other tribes as the white invasion got underway in the 1880s the local tribes travelled between Litchfield and the Western Daly region with their remnants either dispersed or crammed into smaller outstations Many Marrithiel as the tribe spread out into a variety of locations some shifting to neighbouring lands others taking up jobs in Darwin or working as stockmen on their country Mt Litchfield cattle station or drifting into the Port Keats mission station 4 Strong alliances existed between the Marrithiyal Marringar cluster bundled together as a coalition of neighbouring tribes sharing ceremony songlines and resources 5 W E H Stanner who described them as a powerful tribe 3 in the 1930s originally spent some 6 weeks among the Marrithiyal in 1932 finding it somewhat difficult to enter into friendly relations with them troubles with the local police over the killing of a prospector accounting for their diffidence though he eventually managed to gain their confidence and was allowed to be present and observe two complete circumcision ceremonies 6 Language editMarrithiyal is classified as one of the Western Daly Languages Areal group 7 one of the prefixing non Pama Nyungan languages exhibiting a distinctive phonemic inventory rare among Australian tongues 8 The Marrithiyal recognize three dialect variants Marri Ammu Marridan and Marrisjabin 9 and at last count 2006 had an estimated 80 surviving speakers though slightly earlier the figure had been put at over 100 Most now speak a variety of Kriol 1 The autonym Marrithiyal has been conjectured to be derived from a combination of the words marri speech and thiel meaning paperbark 10 3 reflecting the fact that their homeland was rich in paper bark forests It was considered by both whites and natives in the area as particularly euphonious especially compared to the rougher sounding language of the Wagiman further west up river 4 Mythology editIn the Marrithiyal version of the Dreamtime story of the rainbow serpent the serpent lacking a wife stole one from a flying fox who had two The latter retaliated by spearing the rainbow serpent who plunged into the water while the flying fox soared up to the sky It is one variation on a story which has many different versions in this area 11 Suburb of Darwin editThe suburb of Brinkin in Darwin is named after this group 12 References editCitations edit a b Grimes 2003 p 415 Tryon 1974 p 70 a b c Stanner 1938 p 101 a b Stanner 1938 p 102 Stanner 2011 pp 19ff 39 Frazer 2000 p 50 Dixon 2002 p xli Green 1989 p 1 Green 1989 p 8 Tindale 1974 p 231 Maddock 1978 p 6 Northern Territory Lands Group 21 June 2007 The origin of suburbs localities towns and hundreds in the Greater Darwin area Archived from the original on 23 January 2008 Retrieved 15 December 2007 Brinkin is named after an Aboriginal tribe who inhabited an area to the south of the Daly River mouth Sources editDixon Robert M W 2002 Australian Languages Their Nature and Development Vol 1 Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 0 521 47378 1 Frazer James George 2000 First published 1937 Totemica A Supplement to Totemism and Exogamy Collected Works of James G Frazer Vol 7 Psychology Press ISBN 978 0 700 71338 7 Green Ian September 1989 Marrithiyel a language of the Daly River region of Australia s Northern Territory PDF ANU PhD Grimes Barbara Dix 2003 Daly Languages In Frawley William ed International Encyclopedia of Linguistics AAVE Esperanto Vol 1 2nd ed Oxford University Press pp 415 416 ISBN 978 0 195 13977 8 Maddock Kenneth 1978 Introduction In Buchler Ira R Maddock Kenneth eds The Rainbow Serpent A Chromatic Piece Walter de Gruyter pp 1 22 ISBN 978 3 110 80716 5 Stanner W E H September 1938 Notes on the Marithiel Language Oceania 9 1 101 108 doi 10 1002 j 1834 4461 1938 tb00220 x JSTOR 40327703 Stanner W E H 2011 The Dreaming and Other Essays Black ISBN 978 1 921 87018 7 Tindale Norman 1974 Marithiel NT Aboriginal Tribes of Australia Their Terrain Environmental Controls Distribution Limits and Proper Names Australian National University Tryon Darrell T 1974 Daly family languages Research School of Pacific Studies ANU ISBN 978 0 858 83106 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marrithiyal people amp oldid 1188236458, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
