PITJANTATJARA INDIANS IN AUSTRALIA

THESE FOLKS LIVE IN THE THE CENTRAL AUSTRALIANDESERT AND ARE RELATED TO THE YANKUNTYATJARA AND OTHERS CAN SPEAK A WESTERN DESERT LANGUAGE. THEY HAVE GIVEN UP THEIR NOMADIC HUNTING AND GATHERING LIFESTYLE BUT HAVE RETAINED THEIR LANGUAGE AND MUCH OF THEIR CULTURE IN IN SPITE OF INCREASED INFLUENCES FROM THE BROADER AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY. THEY HAVE ABOUT 4000 ANANGIU IN SCATTERED COMMUNITIES FORMING A SUCCESSFUL JOINT LAND ARRANGEMENT IN THE ABORIGINAL TRADING OWNERS.

THEIR NAME IS FROM A WORD "GO" THAT COMBINES TO MEAN GO FOR. THEY HAVE 73,000 SQ. KM. IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND IN 1921 THEY LOST MUCH OF IT TO HOSTILE RANCHERS AND HUNTERS. EXTENDED DROUGHTS IN 1920 AND 1956 IN THE GIBSON DESERTS LED TO MANY PITJANYATJARA PEOPLE TO MOVE EAST TO A RAILWAY FOR WATER AND FOOD. THEY GAVE SUPPORT TO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND TO SET UP A SAFE HAVEN AS A MISSION. IN 1950 THEY WERE FORCED TO LEAVE DUE TO BRITISH NUCLEAR TEST. AFTER YEARS OF NEGOTIATING THEY GOT 103,000 SQ. KM. OF LAND IN NORTHWEST CORNER OF SOUTH AUTRAILIA. AFTER YEARS OF NEGOTIATING THEY GOT 103,000 SQ. KM. OF LAND IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

THE MARLINGA LAND RIGHTS ACT OF 1984 GRANTED AN AREA OF 80,000 SQ, KM.TO MARLINGA.

THE SACRED SITE OF AYERS ROCK AND KATA TJUTA POSSESSES SPIRITUAL AND CEREMONIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE ANANGURU WITH 40 SACRED SITES. THE ALGAS AND AYERS ROCKARE MAJOR TOURISTS ATTRACTIONS WITH A NATIONAL PARK. THE CENTRAL LAND COUNCIL CLAIMED THIS NATIONAL PARK BUT IT WAS CHALLENGED BY NORTHERN TERRITORY GOVERNMENT. BY 1983 BOB HAOKE ANNOUNCED THE GOVERNMENT TO TRANSFER TITLE OF THE LAND TO THE ABORIGINES.

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