Punthamara
# Punthamara

The Punthamara were an indigenous Australian people of the state of Queensland.

## Country

According to Norman Tindale, the Punthamara's tribal territories embraced roughly 3,200 square miles (8,300 $km^2),$ along the creeks flowing east of the Grey Range, whose western flank they lived about only as far as Mount Margaret and Congie. They were also present at Tobermorey, on the border with the present-day Northern Territory. Running north from Orient and Thargomindah, their lands approached the vicinity of Quilpie.

## History of contact

Punthamara lands and those of many other neighbouring tribes were pegged out and squatted by Patrick Durack, who took on several members of the tribe to serve him.

## Ethnography

The early ethnographer R. H. Mathews argued that the Punthamara were just one tribal group in a larger entity, which he called Wonkamurra Nation, consisting also of the Wongkumara, Kalali, Yandruwandha and Yauraworka. The notion of such artificial supratribal "nations" has been viewed skeptically by Tindale.

## Social organization and customs

| Male | Female | Children |
| - | - | - |
| Gurgela | Giberugun | Wongo /Wongogun |
| Banbari | Wongogun | Guberu /Guberogun |
| Wongo | Banbarigun | Gurgela /Gurgelagun |
| Guberu | Gurgelagun | Banbari /Banbarigun |

The Punthamara used circumcision in their initiatory rites, but refrained by subincision.

## Alternative names

* Bunthomarra
* Buntamara
* Buntamurra
* Banthamurra
* Buntha-burra
* Boonthamurra
* Boontha Murra

## Some words

* kuraba. (pigweed variety of purslane).
