TheAmurdak, people, also writtenAmarak andNgamarak,[1][2] are an Indigenous Australian people of theCobourg Peninsula in theNorthern Territory. The Amurdak people traditionally inhabited the coastal regions and hinterlands of the Cobourg Peninsula, including parts of theGarig Gunak Barlu National Park.
The language of the Amarak,Amurdak, is now virtually extinct, the last known speaker beingCharlie Mungulda.[3] It was also known asWardadjbak, and belongs to theIwaidja language family. It had two dialects,Urrik andDidjurra.[4]
The Amurdak's traditional lands extended over some 900 square miles (2,300 km2) around the eastern coast ofVan Diemen Gulf. Their northern extend lay beyond Murgenella Creek and in the vicinity of Cooper Creek, while their southern frontier was close to theEast Alligator River.[5]
According to the widespread creation story of the Cobourg Peninsuladreamtime, the Amurdak (Umoriu) descended from Imberombera deposited who children at a place near Cooper Creek known as Mamul. One of the children was called Kominuuru, and, on leaving, she told them to speak Amurdak, and anedible bulb calledmurarowa.[6]