They refer to themselves asAnangu (people). The Pitjantjatjara live mostly in the northwest ofSouth Australia, extending across the border into theNorthern Territory to just south ofLake Amadeus, and west a short distance intoWestern Australia. The land is an inseparable and important part of their identity, and every part of it is rich with stories and meaning to aṉangu.[2]
TheethnonymPitjantjatjara is usually pronounced (in normal, fast speech) with elision of one of the repeated syllables-tja-, thus:pitjantjara. In more careful speech all syllables will be pronounced.[3]
The namePitjantjatjara derives from the wordpitjantja, anominalised form of the verb "go" (equivalent to the English "going" used as a noun). Combined with thecomitative suffix-tjara, it means something like "pitjantja-having" (i.e. the variety that uses the wordpitjantja for "going"). This distinguishes it from its near neighbour Yankunytjatjara which hasyankunytja for the same meaning.[4] This naming strategy is also the source of the names ofNgaanyatjarra andNgaatjatjarra but in that case the names contrast the two languages based on their words for "this" (respectively,ngaanya andngaatja). The two languages Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara may be grouped together under the name Nyangatjatjara (indicating that they havenyangatja for "this") which then contrasts them withNgaanyatjarra andNgaatjatjarra.[3]
Pitjantjatjara language is used as a general term for a number of closely related dialects which together, according to Ronald Trudinger were "spoken over a wider area of Australia than any other Aboriginal language".[5] It shares an 80% overlap in vocabulary withYankunytjatjara.[4]
From 1950 onwards, many aṉangu were forced to leave their traditional lands due toBritish nuclear tests at Maralinga. Some aṉangu were subsequently contaminated by thenuclear fallout from theatomic tests.[7] Their experience of issues ofland rights andnative title in South Australia has been unique. After four years of campaigning and negotiations with government and mining groups, thePitjantjatjara Land Rights Act 1981 was passed on 19 March 1981, granting freehold title over 103,000 km2 (40,000 mi2) of land in the northwestern corner of South Australia.
The sacred sites of Uluru / Ayers Rock andKata Tjuṯa / Mount Olga possess important spiritual and ceremonial significance for theAnangu with more than 40 named sacred sites and 11 separateTjukurpa (or "Dreaming") tracks in the area, some of which lead as far as the sea. Uluru / Ayers Rock and Kata Tjuta / Mount Olga are separated from the Pitjantjatjara lands by the border between theNorthern Territory and South Australia and have become a major tourist attraction and anational park.
Hilliard, Winifred M. (1976) [First published 1968].The People in Between: The Pitjantjatjara People of Ernabella. Seal Books.ISBN0-7270-0159-0. (reprint)[unused reference]
Toyne, Phillip; Vachon, Daniel (1984).Growing Up the Country: The Pitjantjatjara struggle for their land. Penguin Books.ISBN0-14-007641-7.[unused reference]
Woenne-Green, Susan; Johnston, Ross; Sultan, Ros; Wallis, Arnold (1993).Competing Interests: Aboriginal Participation in National Parks and Conservation Reserves in Australia - A Review. Fitzroy, Victoria: Australian Conservation Foundation.ISBN0-85802-113-7.[unused reference]
