Mandjildjara
# Mandjildjara

The Mandjildjara, also written Manyjilyjarra, are an Aboriginal Australian people of Western Australia.

## Country

In Norman Tindale's estimation the Mandjildjara's lands extended over some 8,700 square miles (23,000 $km^2),$ running along what was later known as the Canning Stock Route, from Well 30 (Tjundu'tjundu) to Well 38 (Watjaparni.) It extended southwards some 50 miles as far the Tjanbari hill, and watering places they variously called Kolajuru, Karukada, Keweilba, and Kunkunba. They roamed eastwards as far as an unidentified waterhole known as Ngila.

## History of contact

According to Tindale, in 1964, the patrol officer, Walter MacDougall came across a group of 9 aboriginal women at a place called Imiri in the area known as Percival Lakes, who identified themselves as Mandjildjara. At the time the whole area had suffered from severe drought conditions for over a decade, leading large numbers of desert peoples, often identified generically as Pintubi, to trek or straggle eastwards to places like Balgo and Papunya.

## Alternative names

* Mandjiltjara, Mantjiltjara, Mandjildara, Mantjildjara, Manjiljara.
* Manyjilyjarra.
