"All my People, my Ancestors, Our Stories are in the Song lines..."

Our Ngaachi (Country, Homelands)

‘Maatha’ (Mt Carter) on Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Ngaachi (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

According to Kuuku I’yu oral tradition the landscape was shaped by the events of the ‘Story-time’, when a series of creator figures shaped the landscape and left Pama (Aboriginal) Lore for the humans who would follow them. This period saw the eruption of a number of volcanoes – that remain as the high mountains and peaks of Kuuku I’yu Ngaachi – erupting out what would become the people, flora and fauna of the land. Kaanichi country was the first to be populated, followed when the floods and saltwater receded, by the lower ground or Paakichi country. Paakichi country was populated by the ‘Sandbeach’ people of the coastal areas, which include the Wuthathi, Kuuku Ya’u, Kanthanumpu, Uuthalnganu, Umpila and Lamalama peoples.

Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Ngaachi holds social, biocultural, spiritual, historical and ecological importance for its Traditional Custodians. Our Ngaachi features many significant Story (or Dreaming) places, as well as sacred ceremonial grounds, totemic sites and areas of rock carving and painting. The Wenlock River has enormous cultural significance as the Creator of all of Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Ngaachi under the umbrella of Payanamu (Rainbow Serpent) and I’wai (Crocodile).

‘Malandaji’, Lightening/Thunder Story, ‘the Heart’ (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

Other important Story Places on Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Ngaachi include Malandaji (Thunder, Lightening, Coming of wet season), Ching’ka (Northern Quoll), Umaachi (Black-Headed Python), Yang’ki (Carpet Python) and Nhanthanji (Sea Eagle). We are obligated under our Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Lore and Custom to ‘look after’ our Ngaachi in a sustainable manner. In return our Stories, which are the land, will look after us physically, culturally and spiritually. 

Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Ngaachi feature a range of natural environments – open savanna in the west, riverine environments and extensive lagoon systems centred on the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers, and upland tropical and sub-tropical rainforest environments along the east. There are also pockets of open bushland, sand ridge country and areas that feature vine thickets and sink holes. Further, our homelands feature vast wetland areas and riparian forests that are considered nationally important.

David Claudie, Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju Traditional Custodian, looking over his Ngaachi (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

Our Ngaachi is rich in biodiversity, supporting a myriad of fish, bird, amphibia, reptile, mammal, insect and plant species. Our lands provide habitat for a number of rare, threatened and endangered fauna species, including the North Eastern Tree Kangaroo, the Cape York Rock-wallaby (Iyitpi), the Antillopine Wallaroo (Maangkay), the Spotted Cuscus (Kulaan), the Northern Quoll (Ching’ka), the Black-headed Python (Umaachi), the Eclectus Parrot (Piimpa), the Magnificent Rifle Bird, the Cassowary (Kutani) and the Palm Cockatoo (Kila). Further, the area of Chuulangun on the upper Wenlock has been identified as potential suitable habitat for an undescribed species, the Pseudophyrne frog. From our perspective as Kuuku I’yu Northern Kaanju people this frog is an important story and totem. Further, we have Stories of ‘Albino’ crocodiles (I’wai) and ‘Lightning’ and ‘Rainbow’ fish (Wapi) found only in the spring fed lagoons and water systems in and around the upper Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers.