Gumbaynggir are an Australian Aboriginal

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....

 group of the Coffs Harbour, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

 area. The Gumbaynggirr lands cover an area of the Mid North Coast from the Nambucca River

Nambucca River

The Nambucca River is a river, about in length, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia.The region drained by the Nambucca River consists of the coastal plain to the Great Dividing Range. Taylors Arm and Nambucca Creek meet just before Macksville. The river estuary is located at...

 to as far north as the Clarence River

Clarence River

Clarence River may refer to:* Clarence River , in northern New South Wales, Australia* Clarence River , rises in the Yukon Territory of Canada and crosses the border several times into the U.S. state of Alaska...

 (Grafton

Grafton, New South Wales

The city of Grafton is the commercial hub of the Clarence River Valley. Established in 1851, Grafton features many historic buildings and tree-lined streets. Located approximately 630 kilometres north of Sydney and 340 km south of Brisbane, Grafton and the Clarence Valley can be reached...

), west to Armidale and eastward to the Pacific

Pacific Ocean

The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...

 coast, making the Gumbaynggirr tribe one of the largest in NSW. Evidence indicates people have lived in the area for many thousands of years.

Their neighbours to the south are the Dunghutti

Dunghutti

The Dunghutti are the indigenous Australian people from around Kempsey, New South Wales.Boxer Dave Sands was a Dunghutti....

 (Kempsey

Kempsey, New South Wales

Kempsey is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia and is the council seat for Kempsey Shire. It is located 15 kilometres inland from the coast of the Pacific Ocean where the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line cross the Macleay River...

), to the north, the Bundjalung

Bundjalung people

The Bundjalung people are those Australian Aborigines who are the original custodians of northern coastal areas of New South Wales , 554 km northeast of Sydney: an area that includes the Bundjalung National Park and Mount Warning Bundjalung people...

 (Byron Bay

Byron Bay, New South Wales

Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...

 area) and to the west, the Ngarabal

Ngarabal

The Ngarabal people are the traditional Aboriginal owners of the Glen Innes area in Northern New South Wales, Australia. The Cutmores, a well-known New South Wales Aboriginal family, are descended from this people. The Ngarabal people share their culture with the wider community through the...

 (Glen Innes

Glen Innes, New South Wales

Glen Innes is a parish and town on the Northern Tablelands, in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the centre of the Glen Innes Severn Shire Council. The town is located at the intersection of the New England Highway and the Gwydir Highway...

) and Nganyaywana (Anaiwan) (Armidale

Armidale, New South Wales

Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region...

).

History

Clement Hodgkinson

Clement Hodgkinson

Clement Hodgkinson was a notable English naturalist, explorer and surveyor of Australia. He was Victorian Assistant Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey from 1861 to 1874.- Exploration in New South Wales :...

 was the first European to make contact with the local Aboriginal community when he explored the upper reaches of the Nambucca

Nambucca River

The Nambucca River is a river, about in length, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia.The region drained by the Nambucca River consists of the coastal plain to the Great Dividing Range. Taylors Arm and Nambucca Creek meet just before Macksville. The river estuary is located at...

 and Bellinger River

Bellinger River

The Bellinger River is a river on the mid north coast of New South Wales. Clement Hodgkinson was the first person to explore the area in March 1841....

s in March 1841.

The Gumbaynggir are an active people who recently represented themselves at the "New Way" Sovereignty Summit

Summit

Summit may refer to:*Summit , the highest point of a mountain, hill, road, or railway.-Locations:United States* Summit, Arizona* Summit, Arkansas* Summit, California** Summit, Butte County, California** Summit, Kern County, California...

 Canberra

Canberra

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...

 Conference convened by 1972 Tent Embassy Black Power

Black Power

Black Power is a political slogan and a name for various associated ideologies. It is used in the movement among people of Black African descent throughout the world, though primarily by African Americans in the United States...

. Four last living Leaders and Gumilaroi

Kamilaroi

The Kamilaroi or Gamilaraay are an Indigenous Australian people who are from the area between Tamworth and Goondiwindi, and west to Narrabri, Walgett and Lightning Ridge, in northern New South Wales...

 elected Sovereign

Sovereign

A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...

 Spokesman Michael Anderson

Michael Anderson

- Sport :* Michael Anderson Pereira da Silva , Brazilian footballer better known simply as Michael* Michael Anderson , American basketball player* Michael Anderson , cricketer for Northumberland...

.

Language

Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative began in 1986, when Gumbaynggirr elders got together to revive their language and hand it down. Muurrbay means 'white fig tree' in the Gumbaynggirr language. The centre does research and teaches the language in the surrounding areas, its aim to help revive and strengthen traditions, culture and self-esteem through language. .

People

Aden Ridgeway

Aden Ridgeway

Aden Derek Ridgeway , Australian politician, was a member of the Australian Senate for New South Wales, from 1999 to 2005, representing the Australian Democrats. During his term he was the only Aboriginal member of the Australian Parliament.-Early history:Ridgeway was born in Macksville, New South...

 who served as an Australian Senator

Australian Senate

The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...

from 1999 to 2005, is a Gumbaynggirr man.