Welcome to Week Eighteen of the A-Z of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages!
State Library is back to the start, so this week's language of the week is Agwamin, which was traditionally spoken in the Etheridge region, notably the localities of Einasleigh, Georgetown and Mt Surprise. Agwamin is also known as Wimanja, Egwamin, Gwamin, Ak Waumin, Wamin, etc. - there is discussion on Austlang as to the classification and naming of the language. Sutton's work suggests that Agwamin was the name of the people and Wamin was the name of the language; while another source indicates that Agwamin and Wamin were dialects of the same language.
There is minimal documentation on Agwamin; however, it is believed to be connected to neighbouring languages of Mbabaram and Wagaman. Tindale and more recently Sutton have undertaken linguistic work in the region. Agwamin is considered endangered with no known speakers - it is currently undergoing community language revival supported by Pama Language Centre.
Pama Language Centre map showing location of Agwamin.
The above map extract from Pama Language Centre shows the location of Agwamin and neighbouring languages. Tindale's work on Agwamin is held at the South Australian Museum in his fieldwork on Ewamin as he identifies the language; Roth in his Ethnography Bulletins of North Queensland also includes some material, mainly relating to customs and kinship structures. State Library holds publications by Tindale, Roth and Sutton which contain some information relating to Agwamin people and language - these are listed in the References and Further Readings.
Join State Library for next week's Language of the Week - Buluguyban from Palm Island, North Queensland!
Desmond Crump
Indigenous Languages Coordinator, State Library of Queensland
State Library of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Webpages
State Library of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Map
Spoken: Celebrating Queensland languages exhibition
Jarjum Stories exhibition
Old Words, New Ways upcoming exhibition
Minya Birran: What next for Indigenous Languages?
Images
Cover image: Road signs are a reminder of the remoteness of the area between Georgetown and Croydon, Queensland, 1989. 7435 Ron and Ngaire Gale Collection, Image Number 908-06-03
Map showing location of Agwamin and neighbouring languages [Accessed from Pama Language Centre website]
References and Further Reading
State Library collections has limited material relating to Agwamin and neighbouring languages; however, most of these items are part of larger, general linguistic or historical references on the Lower Cape and Gulf regions.
Curr, E. M. (1887) The Australian Race: its origins, languages, customs, place of landing in Australia and the routes by which it spread itself over that continent. John Ferres Government Printer: Melbourne. RBF 572.994 cur
Evans, N. (ed.) (2003) The non-Pama-Nyungan languages of northern Australia. J 499.15 NON
Nekes, H., Wurms, E. and McGregor, W. (2006) Australian Languages. J 499.15 NEK
Roth, W. E. (1901-1910) North Queensland Ethnography: Bulletins 1-18. NAT 306.089 rot
Roth, W. E. (1898-1903) "Reports to the Commissioner of Police and others, on Queensland aboriginal peoples 1898-1903." FILM 0714
Sutton, P. (ed) (1974) Languages of Cape York: papers presented to the Linguistic Symposium, Part B, held in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Biennial General Meeting, May,1974. G 499.15 1976
Tindale, N. B. (1974) Aboriginal tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits and proper names. Q 994.0049915 tin
Websites
AIATSIS - Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
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