Kokata (SA)

LocationAt Tarcoola, Kingoonyah, Pimba, and McDouall Peak; west to Ooldea and the Ooldea Range; north to Stuart Range and Lake Phillipson. The junction between Kokata and Pangkala territories is at the rather sudden drop down from the open plateau to the Acacia scrub-covered low hills and salt lake area nearer the gulf. Southeastward migratory movements were in progress before 1850; earliest positively known boundaries are indicated on map; the Ooldea area was abandoned after the arrival of Jangkundjara from the north in 1917. The Kokata were the so-called Gawler Range tribe. Their original northwestern boundary was somewhere near 130°E longitude. Their territory included some of the most inhospitable country in Australia; the water from tree roots was a necessary source over much of the area.
Co-ordinates134°0'E x 29°20'S
Area54,000 sq. m. (140,400 sq. km.)
ReferencesSchürmann, 1844, 1846, 1879; Hack, 1858; Wilhelmi, 1860; Provis in Taplin, 1879; Tietkins, 1880; Curr, 1886; East, 1889; Mathews, 1900 (Gr. 6524, 6448); Howitt and Siebert, 1904; Eylmann, 1908; Bates, 1918; Black, 1920; Jones and Campbell, 1924; Basedow, 1925; Tindale, 1928 MS, 1940, 1951, 1958, 1964 MSS; Sullivan, 1928; Elkin, 1931; Davidson, 1938; Tindale in Condon, 1955; Berndt, 1959; Platt, 1967, 1968, 1970.
Alternative NamesKu:gurda wongga, Kukatha, Kukata, Kokatha, Cocotah, Kookata, Cookutta, Kookatha, Koogatho, Kugurda, Koogurda, Koocatho, Kotitta, Kukataja, Gogada, Gugada, Kokatja (Jangkundjara pronunciation), Maduwonga (Arabana, also Jangkundjara term), Madutara (Antakirinja term), Keibara (i.e., 'plain turkeys'-a derisive term), Geebera (eastern term), Nganitjiddia, Nganitjidi, Nganitjini ('those who sneak and kill by night,' a name applied by Nauo and Pangkala), Kakarrura (as 'karkurera' means 'east'; applied apprently to horde west of Lake Torrens), Yallingarra (based on cardinal term 'alindjara' meaning 'east'; read the g as dj).
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