TheNgurelban orNgurai-illamwurrung are anAboriginal Australian people of thestate of Victoria.
| Ngurai-illamwurrung | |
|---|---|
| Ngoorra | |
| Native to | Australia |
| Region | Victoria |
| Ethnicity | Ngurelban |
| Extinct | (date missing) |
Pama-Nyungan
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis) |
| Glottolog | None |
| AIATSIS[1] | S83 |
.jpg) Map of Victorian languages. Ngurai-illamwurrung is in the middle, in pink. | |
TheNgurelban language was similar tothat of the Taungurung, the neighbouring tribe to their east.[2]
Ngurelban tribal territory takes in an estimated 3,000 sq. miles of land. According toNorman Tindale, it runs along theCampaspe River,[a] has its northern boundary edging onEchuca, its western frontier probably not beyondGunbower. It extended south ofTatura along theGoulburn River to Old Crossing (Mitchellstown), and north ofSeymour.[4]
Ngurelban were organised according to threegroups or clans:[4]
By the late 1830s the pressure of the effects of grazing on their pastoral lands from livestock introduced by squatters had started to create serious problems for the Ngurelban. In 1839 one of them, Moonin Moonin, complained that:
Jumbuck andBulgana (sheep and cattle) were eating and destroying Aboriginal game pastures and staples like yams andmirr-n'yong roots.[5]