The Kalkadoons are one of the most famous Australian Aboriginal nations. Their fierce reputation as warriors has been studied around the world. In the war of invasion of Australia the Kalkadoon defended their territory against wave after wave of police attacks until the battle of Battle Mountain in 1884. Here police reinforcements were drawn from around Queensland and beyond. As well as the resisting warriors, nearly all of the Kalkadoon were masscred. The descendants of those that survived still have a fierce reputation today.
The heartland of the Kalkadoon is the Mt. Isa region where today the Kalkadoon people, despite the dislocation of the war and internment in reserves, hold strong links to their country and are, slowly but surely rebuilding their culture, economy and connections to their country.
The Kalkadoon are also known as the Kalkadunga.
“Kurityityin” is the Kalkadoon word for our totem, the pee-wee bird.
Battle Mountain
link to Mount Isa
Region Information System
Dr Charles Nelson Perrurle Perkins AO
Arrernte and Kalkadoon Man 1936 – 2000
from the website of the Koori Centre, University of Sydney
The Pitta Pitta nation is a neighboring tribe to the Kalkadoon, distinguished by language and customs as well as land and watercourses. In pre-European times all people spoke a number of languages based on their parents and grandparents country and language. Everyday Aboriginal society was not bi-lingual, it was multi-lingual. Language was an important part of each individuals unique heritage and identity. Anthropologists and native title administrators have created illusions about wars between the Kalkadoon and the Pitta Pitta. Over 100,000 years means there are sure to be tensions, especially as marriages were the basis of diplomatic relations, however many of the surviving Pitta Pitta are also Kalkadoon, and vice versa, because of their parents and lineage, same as the old days.
The heartland of the Pitta Pitta is the Bulloo Bullo water hole on the Burke river, around which the township of Boulia was built.
Boulia has a grisly history of invasion and colonisation, Most of the Pitta Pitta who survived the frontier wars were moved to missions and reserves in other areas. But things are changing. Discussions are presently underway between the Kurityityin Clan and the Boulia shire council regarding economic and community development programs as part of the “homeland movement” These discussions are only in the early stages, but the council have welcomed the possibility of joint ventures in economic and community development with open hearts and minds. In the future the Kurityityin Clan hopes to build a realistic working relationship with the broader group of Pitta Pitta traditional owners, the Boulia council and the townsfolk of Boulia to co-manage and develop the ancient ancestoral homeland of the Pitta Pitta into the future.
Aunty Alice James, the eldest of the Pitta Pitta, with Baganan
Kalkadoons in cyberspace
kalkadoon.org is pleased to pass on the following message………
“I’m Glynnis Taylor currently living New Zealand & I’m the
eldest grandchild of the late May Taylor formerly of Boulia & Mt Isa.
I’ve created a msn group site called Kalkadoon connections, its a
meeting place for descendants to leave messages, post photos and keep in
touch.”
http://groups.msn.com/Kalkadoonconnections
“OUT OF THE VORTEX” by Baganan