Nango (NT)

LocationWessel Islands east of Brown Strait; on Cunningham Islands; at Elcho Island, Drysdale Island, Mooroonga and Yabooma islands in the Crocodile group; on Banyan Island at the mouth of the Woolen River. (Note that the Woolen is shown on Berndt's sketch map as the Goyder and that Warner incorrectly spells Cape Stewart as Stuart.) The Nango reside north of the main 'Murngin' area. They possess both Dua and Jiritja clans, hence they may resemble the normal tribes of the country south of Arnhem Land. Their identifying name is based on their demonstrative pronoun 'this ['òango] = ['òangu]. Schebeck (1971) lists eight clans, five belonging to the Dua moiety and three to the Jiritja. Dua moiety: 1. Bararparar (Bararrpararr). 2. Bararngu (Bararrngu, Barangu, Perango). 3. Jan:angu (Yann[h]angu, Jarnangu, Janjango, Jaernungo, Yaernungo, Janango, Yanango, Yarenango, Murrungun, Gunbirr[dj]I, Malarra, Malara). 4. Guri:ndi (Gurryindi). 5. Gamalangga (Garmalangga, Karmalanga, Kokolango, Kokolangomala). Jiritja moiety: 6. Golpa (Kolpa, Golbu, Golba, Gorlba). 7. Jalukal (Yalukal, Jalugal). 8. Walamangu (Wolamangu, Wallamungo).
Co-ordinates135°40'E x 11°55'S
AreaNo separate estimate possible.
ReferencesJennison, 1927; Radcliffe-Brown, 1930; Warner, 1931, 1937; Tindale, 1940; Webb in Capell, 1942; Capell, 1942; Berndt and Berndt, 1951; Robinson, 1956; Berndt, 1956; Spence, 1964; Schebeck, 1970 MS, 1971; Peterson, 1970 pers. comm.
Alternative NamesNangu, Nhangu, Murungga (name of Mooroonga Island), Miarrmiarr (? a clan).