GUNAI INDIANS IN AUSTRAILIA

THE GUNAI LIVE IN SOUTHEAST AUSTRAILIA. THEY OCCUPIED THE VICTORIAN ALPS. MANY GUNA PEOPLE RESISTED EARLY EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT. THROUGH THE 19TH CENTURY AND THEY HAD CONFRONTATIONS. THEY HAVE FIVE MAJOR CLANS. THE GUNAI BORDER ON THE BIDALWALL PEOPLETO THE EAST. THERE IS EVIDENCE HERE OF HUMAN OCCUPATION DATING UP TO 17,000 YEARS.

THEIR CREATION STORY TELLS THAT THE KUENAI CAME DOWN FROM THE NORTHWEST MOUNTAINS WITH HIS CANOE ON HIS HEAD. HE WAS KNOWN AS THE PELICAN. HE CROSSED THE TRIBAL RIVER AND WALKED ON INTO THE WEST TO PORT WARACKEL. HE HEARD A CONSTANT TAPPING SOUND, BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY IT. AT THE DEEP WATER OF THE INLET HE PUT DOWN HIS CANOE AND DISCOVERED A WOMAN IN IT. SHE WAS TUSK THE MUSK DUCK. HE WAS HAPPY TO SEE HER AND SHE BECAME HIS WIFE AND MOTHER TO THE GUNAI.

IN 1863 A MISSION WAS ESTABLISHED BUT BY 1908 IT CLOSED WITH FEW REMAINING GUNAI SURVIVORS.

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