Waljen

Summary

The Waljen are an indigenous people of Western Australia, in the Goldfields-Esperance area.

Country edit

The Waljen lands in Norman Tindale's estimation covered roughly 6,000 square miles (16,000 km2), taking in the area of Lake Raeside, and extending from Malcolm, Morgans, Laverton, and Burtville. Their southeastern boundary was around Edjudina Soaks. They were also present around Lake Lightfoot and at Lake Carey. Their eastern extension lay beyond Lake Minigwal. In the latter context, their traditional lore also speaks of an important site, not identified, called Winbalj..[1]

History edit

The Waljen seemed to have shifted southwestward towards the end of the 19th century, and by the 1890s they had reached the area south of Kalgoorlie.[1]

Alternative name edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ This is not to be confused with the Koara tribe. 'koara' was a general term meaning friendly people, i.e. latecomers who had shifted into an area.[2]

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b c Tindale 1974, p. 258.
  2. ^ Tindale 1974, pp. 138, 258.

Sources edit

  • "AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia". AIATSIS.
  • "Tindale Tribal Boundaries" (PDF). Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Western Australia. September 2016.
  • Tindale, Norman Barnett (1974). "Waljen (WA)". Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Australian National University Press. ISBN 978-0-708-10741-6.