Lajamanu, Northern Territory
Encyclopedia
Lajamanu is a small town of the Northern Territory
in Australia
. It has a population of 669 (census 2006), of which a significant amount are of Aboriginal
origin. It is located around 557 kilometres from Katherine
and approximately 890 kilometres from Darwin
.
. The Lajamanu Council was formed in 1980, and was the first community government council to be formed in the Northern Territory. On cultural matters, the council defers to the local tribal council, because traditional customs are still practised and generally dominate the thinking of the community.
as their main heritage language. Lajamanu School was a Warlpiri-English bilingual school from 1982 until 2008 when the Northern Government introduced a policy banning Warlpiri language instruction for the first four hours of every school day. This has contributed to a significant drop in attendance at Lajamanu School since 2009. It has been reported that young people now speak Light Warlpiri
as a first language. Most official business and education is delivered in English
.
is a dry area. Lajamanu is located close to the centre of Australia
, which has a hot climate.
(turning off after 120 kilometres) onto the Buntine Highway
for a further 323 kilometres and then 104 to Lajamanu (a dirt
but well formed road).
Dance company. In 2008, Patrick co-authored a research paper, Ngurra-kurlu: a way of working with Warlpiri people. In 2010, Warlpiri elders in Lajamanu including Bill Bunter, Sharon Anderson and Martin Johnson participated in an ABC TV
documentary Bush Law about the relationship between traditional Warlpiri law and the mainstream Australian justice system.
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art
ists from the Lajamanu region include Sheila Brown Napaljarri
and Peggy Rockman Napaljarri
.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It has a population of 669 (census 2006), of which a significant amount are of 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....
origin. It is located around 557 kilometres from Katherine
Katherine, Northern Territory
Katherine is a town situated southeast of Darwin in the "Top End" of Australia in the Northern Territory. It is the fourth largest settlement in the Territory after the capital Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs...
and approximately 890 kilometres from Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
.
Government
The town is a strongly traditional community, and is governed by the Lajamanu Community Government Council as well as a local tribal councilTribal Council
A Tribal Council is either: an association of Native American bands in the United States or First Nations governments in Canada, or the governing body for certain tribes within the United States or elsewhere...
. The Lajamanu Council was formed in 1980, and was the first community government council to be formed in the Northern Territory. On cultural matters, the council defers to the local tribal council, because traditional customs are still practised and generally dominate the thinking of the community.
Language
The majority of Lajamanu residents have WarlpiriWarlpiri language
The Warlpiri language is spoken by about 3000 of the Warlpiri people in Australia's Northern Territory. It is one of the Ngarrkic languages of the large Southwest branch of the Pama–Nyungan family, and is one of the largest aboriginal languages in Australia in terms of number of speakers.-...
as their main heritage language. Lajamanu School was a Warlpiri-English bilingual school from 1982 until 2008 when the Northern Government introduced a policy banning Warlpiri language instruction for the first four hours of every school day. This has contributed to a significant drop in attendance at Lajamanu School since 2009. It has been reported that young people now speak Light Warlpiri
Light Warlpiri
Light Warlpiri is a mixed language of Australia, with indigenous Warlpiri, Kriol~Australian Aboriginal English , and Standard Australian English as its source languages...
as a first language. Most official business and education is delivered in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Geography and climate
The Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
is a dry area. Lajamanu is located close to the centre of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, which has a hot climate.
Access
Lajamanu is difficult to access, mainly due to the distance from major cities and towns. Road access is via the Victoria HighwayVictoria Highway
The Victoria Highway is a 524 kilometre highway linking the Great Northern Highway in Western Australia with the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory. It is a part of the Perth - Darwin National Highway link. It is signed as National Highway 1 and is also a part of the Highway 1 network. It is...
(turning off after 120 kilometres) onto the Buntine Highway
Buntine Highway
The Buntine Highway is a 570 kilometre highway in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, Australia. It runs from the Victoria Highway via Top Springs and Kalkaringi and then to Halls Creek, Western Australia...
for a further 323 kilometres and then 104 to Lajamanu (a dirt
Dirt road
Dirt road is a common term for an unpaved road made from the native material of the land surface through which it passes, known to highway engineers as subgrade material. Dirt roads are suitable for vehicles; a narrower path for pedestrians, animals, and possibly small vehicles would be called a...
but well formed road).
Notable people
Steve Jampijinpa Patrick is an educator and has also been involved in the Milpiri festival and collaborations with TracksTracks Dance Theatre
Tracks is a dance theatre company based in Darwin, Northern Territory founded in 1994, although its beginnings lie in a community dance program in 1988. It is collocated with the Darwin Theatre Company, Corrugated Iron Youth Theatre and Brown’s Mart Community Arts...
Dance company. In 2008, Patrick co-authored a research paper, Ngurra-kurlu: a way of working with Warlpiri people. In 2010, Warlpiri elders in Lajamanu including Bill Bunter, Sharon Anderson and Martin Johnson participated in an ABC TV
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
documentary Bush Law about the relationship between traditional Warlpiri law and the mainstream Australian justice system.
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art
Contemporary Indigenous Australian art is the modern art work produced by Indigenous Australians. It is generally regarded as beginning with a painting movement that started at Papunya, northwest of Alice Springs, Northern Territory in 1971, involving artists such as Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri...
ists from the Lajamanu region include Sheila Brown Napaljarri
Sheila Brown Napaljarri
Sheila Brown Napaljarri was a Warlpiri speaking Indigenous artist from Australia's Western Desert region. A contributor to major collaborative paintings by Indigenous communities, her works are also held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the South Australian Museum.-Life:Sheila Brown was...
and Peggy Rockman Napaljarri
Peggy Rockman Napaljarri
Peggy Rockman Napaljarri is a Warlpiri-speaking Indigenous artist from Australia's Western Desert region...
.