Mariu people


The Mariu were an indigenous Australian people of the Northern Territory. Their language is unattested, but may have been Miriwung.

Country

In Norman Tindale's estimation the Mariu's territory covered some in the area south of where the Victoria River enters the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. The Bullo River also formed part of their land.

Social organization

In 1900, R. H. Mathews presented a paper attributing to the Mariu, together with other "large and important tribes", from both Western Australia and the Northern Territory, such as the Gija, Perrakee, Gooniyandi, Nyigina, Bunuba, Djaru and Walmadjari an 8 section marriage system among clans, which he illustrated in the following general table.
PhratryFatherMotherSonDaughter
AJungurraNungullaJabulgieNabijerry
AJackaraNabijerryJulimarNaboron
AJanimaNaboronJungaryNabungarty
AJambidgenaNabungartyJangulaNungulla
BJangulaNangileeJambidgenaNambidgena
BJungaryNambidgenaJanimaNabina
BJulimarNabannaJackaraNackara
BJabulgieNackaraJungurraNangilee

Alternative names