Potaruwutj (SA)

LocationNaracoorte west to within ten miles of the sea along the third inland dune range of the Coorong; at Taratap; north to Tatiara, Bordertown, Wirrega, and Keith. Eight or more hordes; ['wutj] = man. Their name Potaruwutj for themselves means 'wandering' or 'traveling' men and is based on their constantly shifting campings in the mallee country. Some of their country was south of the main belt of mallee frequented by their northern neighbors, the Ngarkat, who were the real Tatiara or mallee scrub frequenters. The southern tribes tended to call them all Tatiara folk.
Co-ordinates140°30'E x 36°25'S
Area3,000 sq. m. (7,800 sq. km.)
ReferencesAngas, 1847; E, F. Crouch, MS (So. Aust. archives), Lawson in Taplin, 1879; Smith, 1880; Haynes in Curr, 1887; Howitt, 1904; Mathews, 1904 (Gr. 6451); Tindale, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1963 and MS, Tindale in Condon, 1955; Capell, 1956; Berndt, 1965; Hercus, 1969.
Alternative NamesPotangola (alternative term, Woychibirik, Wepulprap (Tanganekald term, means 'southern people'), Polinjunga (horde name), Jaran (language name), Yaran, Tatiara (a place name, also a horde), Tattayarra, Tatiarra, Djadjala, Dadiera, Tyattyalla, Tyatyalli, Tyeddyuwurru, Wirigirek (a northern horde; Wirrega, a place name), Wereka (wereka = no), Wereka-tyalli, Werekarait, Wergaia, Wra-gar-ite (see Marditjali tribe, Vic. for explanation of this term), Kangarabalak (of the Tanganekald, ['kangara] = east, ['balak] = people), Cangarabaluk, Coolucooluk (horde name), Padthaway tribe.
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