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Kariyarra
The People and their Traditional CountryIn 2002 there were estimated to be less than two fluent Kariyarra speakers left in the Pilbara. There are many more Kariyarra people who have a passive understanding of the language. Other people identify as being of Kariyarra heritage and do not speak the language or speak other languages after marriages into other language groups. Kariyarra people have a very close relationship with Nyangumarta people and intermarriage is very common.
The Kariyarra people traditionally lived around the town of Port Hedland area in the north-west of Western Australia; from Port Hedland west to the Sherlock River and south to the Yule River. The Kariyarra country is bound by Ngarla country to the north, Nyamal to the east and Ngarluma to the southwest.
 Raylene Gordon has worked with Wangka Maya to produce Kariyarra resources Language Resources and RecordingsMany Kariyarra community members have contributed to the recording of this language, including Raylene Gordon, Nyaparu Lockyer, Diana Robinson, Elsie Williams and Norton Williams (dec), among others.
The earliest recordings of Kariyarra were in 1953 by Tindale, 1964 by von Brandenstein and Klokeid 1967, Brandt in 1970 and Thieberger in 1990. In 2001, Wangka Maya Language Centre published the Kariyarra Wordlists and Sketch Grammar and a book of Kariyarra Texts, including stories, songs and hymns with English translations. Wangka Maya continues to work with the Kariyarra community to record their language.
Language InformationKariyarra is part of the Pama-Nyungan language family; a large group of languages spread over much of the Australian continent. It belongs to the Ngayarta subgroup of languages along with Nyamal, Palyku, Banjima, Kurrama, Yindjibarndi, Ngarluma, Ngarla, Martuthunira, Nhuwala, Jurruru and possibly Yaburarra. The Kariyarra language is closely related to Ngarluma, with which it shares a substantial amount of vocabulary as well as grammatical and phonological features. Some linguists regard Kariyarra as a dialect of Ngarluma.
Kariyarra is a highly endangered language.
Past spellings and names of Kariyarra include Kariera, Kariara, Kayera, Gariera, Kaierra, Karriarra and Kyeara.
 Cooking kangaroo tail on Kariyarra country Written Examples of the Kariyarra Language
Ngunharra kurlkawanarra karriku kartangka malungka. That donkey is standing in the shade.
Wayipa nyinta ngunharraku ngarrikalku. Hey! Have you got that thing?
Ngayi nyingku murlayi pangkana. I brought you some meat.
Wapanma ngunharraku jukukurta. Give her some fruit.
Manga jarrkuwarrangarni thijarrinha ngurrangka. The woman and child waited at the camp.
Kariyarra Wordlist
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