Anmatyerr
The Anmatyerr are an Indigenous Australian people, or language group, from the Northern Territory. They are from an area near Arnka (Mount Leichhardt), Arwerlt Atwaty (Hann Range, Reynolds Ranges, and northeast to Amakweng (Central Mount Stuart).
The Anmatyerr region covers a large section of central Australia approximately 100 km north of Alice Springs, the major township in Central Australia. Communities located within the region include Nturiya (Old Ti Tree Station), Pmara Jutunta (6 Mile), Willowra, Laramba (Napperby Station), Alyuen and the rural township of Ti Tree.
What is today known as the Anmatyerr region has significant overlap with Warlpiri, Arrernte and Alyawarr language communities. Many people come from two or three different language groups. The Utopia community, 250km north east of Alice Springs, and set up in 1927, is partly on Alyawarr land, partly on land of the Anmatyerr.
In 1974 the traditional lands of the Anmatyerr people in N.B. Tindale's Aboriginal Tribes of Australia were described as covering an area of 11,200 square miles (29,000 km2). As a specialist in Arandic culture and language T.G.H Strehlow also worked with Anmatyerr people throughout his career, recording much of their ceremonial traditions.
Anmatyerr of note
- Terrance Daniel Briscoe was an Anmatyerr man who died in police custody in Alice Springs in January 2012. [1]
- Gwoya Jungarai, aka One Pound Jimmy, was the first named Aboriginal person to appear on an Australian stamp, in 1950.
- Emily Kngwarreye was an Anmatyerr artist that lived at Utopia community.
- Tim Leura was an Anmatyerr artist.
- Kaapa Mpetyan was an Anmatyerr artist.
- Emily Kngwarreye's nieces, Kathleen Petyarre and Gloria Petyarre, are two of the most famous living Australian Aboriginal artists.
- Gwoya Jungarai's stepsons, Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri and Tim Leura Tjapaltjarri were Anmatyerr artists credited as leaders of the Contemporary Indigenous Australian art movement.
- Minnie Pwerle was an artist from Alyawarre and Anmatyerre language groups.
Alternative spellings
Anmatyerre, Nmatjera, Unmatjera, Inmatjera, Anmatjara, Urmitchee, Janmadjara, Janmatjiri, Yanmedjara, Yandmadjari, Anmatjera.