Kokatha

Kokatha language is a part of the Western Desert language dialect chain. The Western Desert encompasses a large expanse of land in the centre of the country, and traverses the state borders of Western Australia, South Australia, and the Northern Territory. Kokatha is historically associated with the north and west of South Australia. Kokatha is also one of the Far West Coast languages, along with Mirning and Wirangu. Kokatha people live in many places in South Australia, including Ceduna, Koonibba, Port Augusta, and Adelaide.

In 1972, linguist John Platt published a grammar of the Kokatha language. Currently, the MLT is in partnership with the Far West Language Centre in Ceduna to research Kokatha (Gugada) language and establish on-country language activities.

AIATSIS id : C.03

VARIATIONS

Baduwonga, Ba:du wongga, Cocotah, Cocotha, Cookutta, Geebera (eastern term), Gogada, Gogoda, Gugada, Kakarrura (as ‘karkurera’ means ‘east’; applied apparently to the group west of Lake Torrens), Keibara (i.e., ‘plain turkeys’ – a derisive term), Kikataja, Kokata (used by SIL), Kokata east, Kokatha (used by AIATSIS), Kokita, Kokitta, Koocatho, Koogatho, Koogathoo, Koogurda, Kookata, Kookatha, Kotita, Kotit-ta, Ku-gurda, Kugurda, Ku:gurda wongga (wongga = ‘speech’), Kugurda wongga, Kukata, Kukataja, Kukatha, Kukada, Madutara (An-takirinja term), Madu-wonga (Arabana, also Yankunytjatjara / Jangkundjara term), Marduwonga (by Arabana), Matuntara, Nganitjiddia, Nganitjidi, Nganitjini (‘those who sneak and kill by night,’ a derogatory name applied by Nauo and Pangkala), Wanggamadu, Wanggamardu, Wongamardu, Yallingarra (based on cardinal term ‘alindjara’ meaning ‘east’; representing the g as dj).

DISCLAIMER:

The above map is based upon the Horton Indigenous Map of Australia © Aboriginal Studies Press, AIATSIS, and Auslig/Sinclair, Knight, Merz, 1996. The full map is available on the AIATSIS website. The locations of the languages of SA, as stated on the this website are not intended for Land Claim use, and are an approximate guide only. Individual language project locations are based on information from publicly available MILR (ILS) documents.

REFERENCE AND SOURCE ARCHIVE

BATES, Daisy, (1859-1951). 1931. [Letter to] Professor Fitzherbert. Ooldea Aug.12, 1931. VIEW HERE [[Held In: Barr Smith Library Special Collection & National Library of Australia, Canberra.] [Annotation: Contains Kugurda vocabulary.]]

BATES, Daisy, 1859-195. Native vocabularies - Central district. 1904. Held In: Barr Smith Library Special Collection & National Library of Australia, Canberra. VIEW HERE [[Comp. by Binilya of Baldu, etc. - Wirongu wongi, Dhunadha (mixed with Kugurda); Words for parts & functions of body, animals, birds, reptiles, insects, the elements, gen. vocab. (approx. 100 words); 1p. short sentences.]]

BEDFORD, R., c.1868. ‘Manuscript Notes on Blackfellow Tribes and Languages of Eyre’s Peninsula’, South Australian Museum, AA26/1. [[Annotation: Contains vocabulary from a number of locations on the West Coast (including the Gawler Ranges). Informants: Whipstick Billy (Gawler Ranges); Ernie Wilson & Guerkin (Koonibba).] [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

BERNDT, Ronald M. (Ronald Murray), (1916-1990). 1942-45. A Preliminary report of field work in the Ooldea region, Western South Australia. Oceania, - 1942 v.13, no.2, pp.[143]169; 1942 v.13, no.3, pp. [243]-280; 1942: v.13, no.4, pp. 362-375; 1943 v.14, no.1, pp.[30]-66; 1943 v.14, no.3, pp.[220]-249; 1943 v.14, no.4, pp.[338]-358; 1944 v.15, no.1, pp.[49]-80. [[Annotation: These articles contain some language references for the “Ooldea dialect” without specifying the language name. The article in 1942 v.13, no.2 contains some wordlists for totems, kinship and food. The article in 1944 v.15, no.1 is specifically about language. Otherwise words are scattered throughout anthropological writing.] [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

BLACK, J.M. 1920. Vocabularies of four South Australian languages, Adelaide, Narrunga, Kukata, and Narrinyeri, with special reference to their speech sounds. [Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 44, p. 76-93. [Annotation: Contains 52 words of Kokata.] [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

BLACK, Paul, (1944-). 1980. Papers on lexical change in Australia, 1979/80. AIATSIS print collection. []

CONDON, H. T. (Herbert Thomas). 1955. Aboriginal bird names - South Australia, pt 1 & 2. South Australian Ornithologist -- 1955; 21(6/7); 74-88; (8); 91-8. [[Annotation: Bird names in Aranda, Pitjantjatjara, Gugada, Antakarinya, Mirning, Wirangu, Yankunytjatjara, Wailbi, Wiljagali, Narangga, Kaurna, Ngadjuri, Bungandidj, Yawarawarga, Potaruwutj, Narrinyeri, Kujani, Yadliyawarra, Parnkala, Warki, Arabana, Dieri, Wangganguru, Ngamini, Nawu, Ngayawung, Nugunu & Ngalea. The wordlists have been taken from various other sources.] [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia and other libraries.]]

DOUGLAS, W.H. 1955. Phonology of the Australian Aboriginal Language spoken at Ooldea, South Australia. Oceania, 25(3), p. 216-29. [[This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

ELKIN, A. P. (Adolphus Peter),(1891-1979). Language notes on South Australian tribes. [[Held in: Elkin Papers, University of Sydney Archives.] [Annotation: Obtained from Bates.]]

ELLIS, Catherine J. (Catherine Joan),(1935-1996). 1964. [Language elicitation and general discussion.] AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00117. Field tapes 64/8 and 64/9. [Access: Restricted - ceremonial and gender specific material] [Performer/Speaker: Robert Yates, David Karpany, Colin Sumner, James Kartinyerie; Place recorded: Yatala, Adelaide, Point McLeay.]]

ELLIS, Catherine J. (Catherine Joan). 1964. Songs and discussion. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00119. Field tapes 64/2 and 64/4. [Performer/Speaker: George Turner, Isaac Hunter; Place recorded: Gerard, Norwood.] [Annotation: Miscellaneous songs in English, Kokatha, and Antikirinya.]]

ELLIS, Catherine J. (Catherine Joan). 1964. Language elicitation, language boundaries and oral history. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00117. Field tapes 64/5A, 65/5A and 64/7. [Access: Restricted - ceremonial and gender specific material.] [Performer/Speaker: Ethel Horwood, Jack Long, Malcolm Murray; Place recorded: Point Pearce, Adelaide.]]

ELLIS, Catherine J. (Catherine Joan). 1964. Aboriginal songs of South Australia. Miscellanea Musicologica (Adelaide Studies in Musicology) 1. [[This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

ELLIS, Catherine J. (Catherine Joan). 1966. Recordings made during 1963-65 field work. Adelaide. 1966. Added Authors: Ellis, Albert M., Hercus, L. A. (Luise Anna). AIATSIS print collection. []

HERCUS, L. A. (Luise Anna), (1926-). 1967-1969. Stories, histories and songs. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Nos.: 01364 - 01369. FT Nos 83-84, 124-127, 144-147, 220. ]

HERCUS, L. A. (Luise Anna). 1972. Stories and language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Nos.: 02617 - 02642. Field tape number(s): 463-79, 481-87, 490-512.]

HERCUS, L. A. (Luise Anna). 1984. Transcription of tape 144. Canberra, 1984. AIATSIS print collection. []

HERCUS, L.A. (Luise Anna). 1965-1967. Songs and language elicitation from South Central Australia and Victoria. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Nos.: 01002 - 01010. Field tape numbers: 21(39-47), 101-2; 110-112; 116-119.]

HOFF, Lothar. 2004. The Hoff Vocabularies of Indigenous Languages from the Far West Coast of South Australia [[Published vocabularies of Rev A.B.C. (August Bernhard Carl) Hoff]. Adelaide: SKANZ. [Available from Lutheran Archives, South Australia for a tax-deductible donation to the Archives.]]

LAYTON, Robert. 1977. Field notes: Gugada. [Kingoonya, S.A.] AIATSIS print collection. [[Annotation: Contains vocabulary and phrases, including kinship terms.]]

OATES, W.J. & HEALEY, A. 1966. Kutata. Barnawatha, Vic. [[Annotation: Approximately 90 words.] [Location unknown.]]

O’GRADY, Geoffrey. n.d. [[Manuscript held by AIATSIS and Adelaide Uni.]]

O'GRADY, Geoffrey N. 1959. Language elicitation with Leslie Moore and other speakers. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive No.: 14369. Field tape number(s): 1.]

O'GRADY, Geoffrey N. 1961. Materials on suffixing languages of Western Australia. Sydney, 1961. [109 words] AIATSIS sound collection. []

O'GRADY, Geoffrey N. & Klokeid, T.J. 1969. Australian linguistic classification: a plea for coordination of effort. Oceania - 1969; v.39, no.4; 298-311. [[Annotation: Includes a comparative list of 100 words Kukata-Kukatja-Wirangu.][ [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966. Language elicitation and songs in Gugada and Wirangu. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tapes No.: 00223 - 00246. Field tape numbers: C 1-2,7-8,11-14,19-24; PA 5-14. [Access: Archive tape 00246 contains restricted material.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966. Kokatha (Gugada) language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00223. IK/1. [Access: Restricted - work in progress.] [Performer/Speaker: Bill Wingfield; Moonie Davis; Place recorded: Iron Knob; Andamooka.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966.Kokatha (Gugada) language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00224. IK/1, A/1. [Access: Restricted - work in progress.] [Performer/Speaker: Moonie Davis; Place recorded: Andamooka, SA.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966. Kokatha (Gugada) language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00224. A/3. [Access: Restricted - work in progress.] [Performer/Speaker: Moonie Davis; Place recorded: Andamooka.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966. Kokatha (Gugada) language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00225. A/8 & A/13. [Access: Restricted - work in progress.] [Performer/Speaker: Moonie Davis; Place recorded: Andamooka.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966.Kokatha (Gugada) language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00225. A/13-14. [Access: Restricted - work in progress.] [Performer/Speaker: Moonie Davis; Place recorded: Andamooka, SA.]]

PLATT, J.T. (John Talbot). 1966. Kokatha (Gugada) language elicitation. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Tape No.: 00226. A/15-16. [Performer/Speaker: Moonie Davis; Place recorded: Andamooka, SA.]]

PLATT J.T. 1972. An outline grammar of the Gugada dialect, South Australia. Australian Aboriginal Studies, no.48. [Canberra: AIAS. [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

PLATT, J.T. 1967. Kukata-Kukatja distinction. Oceania 38, p. 61-64. [[This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

PLATT, J.T. [manuscript 1968] An introductory grammar of the Gugada dialect. Clayton, Victoria, Thesis (M.A.) Monash University, Linguistics Department. [[This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

PLATT, J.T. 1968. Some features of the verb in Kukata. Anthropological Linguistics 10/5: pp. 1-7. [[Annotation: Difference between Kukata and Kukatja.] [This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

PLATT J.T. 1970. Some notes on Gugada and Wirangu. In Laycock, Donald, ed. Linguistic trends in Australia. Australian Aboriginal Studies no.23, Linguistic Series 9, pp. 59-64. [[This material is available at the State Library of South Australia, Barr Smith and other libraries in Adelaide.]]

TINDALE, Norman B. 1928, ‘Wirrangu and Kukata vocabularies’, [South Australian Museum Archive, AA 338/1/5. [Annotation: Short vocabularies (approximately 20 words) collected by Tindale during his expedition to the West Coast in 1928.] ]

TINDALE, Norman B. ‘Vocabulary of the Wirrangu and Kokata languages.’ South Australian Museum Archive, AA 338/1/30. (Less than 100 words). [[Annotation: This vocabulary is a compilation of words recorded by Tindale during the 1920s from three sources: from Robert Limb at the South Australian Museum, from Charles Sullivan via letter from Denial Bay and directly from Aboriginal people during his expedition to Koonibba in 1928.]]

WALSH, Michael, (1948-). 1977. Field notes: Gugada. Kingoonya, S.A. [AIATSIS print collection. ]

WALSH, Michael. 1977. Language elicitation, Kingoonya, SA. AIATSIS sound collection. [Archive Nos.: 07824 - 07835. Field tape numbers: AB I - XI.]

Language Contact Details

Language Contact: Far West Languages Centre