Gunbalanya, Northern Territory

Oenpelli, also called Gunbalanya or Kunbarllanjnja is a settlement in the west of the Aborigines of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, Australia. The village is located about 240 kilometers east of Darwin and 42 kilometers north east of Jabiru.

History

The area surrounding the town was traditionally the country's Gagadju. 1906 settled the farmer Paddy Cahill of Oenpelli in the area and became the owner of an area with an area of 2000 km ². 1916 took over the Regierungsadminstration of Gilruth the land, including existing buildings and turned them over to the Church Missionary Society. The mission station, which was abandoned in 1975, consisted of a church, school, pharmacy, a retail store and garden. The mission also ran cattle. In 1948, the American - Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land had to study the culture and lifestyle of Aboriginal people and to document their camp at Oenpelli, for seven weeks.

Name

Cahill called his country Oenpelli, an English expression of Un - balange. Oenpelli is also the same name as one to four meters long, rare Australian Python blow, the Oenpellipython. 2001, the name was changed after a survey of the 1995 founded competent Kunbarllanjnja Community Government Councils of Oenpelli in Gunbalanya. This name is used more often than the traditional name Kunbarllanjnja.

Festival, language

In August each year the Stone Country Festival takes place, formerly called Gunbalanya Cultural Open Day. Are presented cultural dances, painting, bush foods and didjeridu music. However, there are also children's and sports activities, Carnival performances and sightseeing flights.

Many residents of the town speak the language of the aborigines of Junwinjku (also Kunwinjku written ), who settled in front of the Mission founded the mission.

Aboriginal art

The western Arnhem Land is the site of significant evidence of Aboriginal art. To Oenpelli the artistic development of the indigenous population has been documented in caves and rock shelters for thousands of years. Works of art from this area belong to two art styles, which Mimi and X -ray art style. Around the village there are more than 300 rock paintings Gagadju.

In the village is an exhibition center by local artists, the Injalak Arts Centre.

Accessibility

Accessible is the place on the Arnhem Highway from Darwin and on about a turn in front of Jabiru, a town situated in the Kakadu National Park. About this dirt road Oenpelli can be achieved (from May to November) with vehicles only in the dry season, as the ford Cahill Crossing on the East Alligator River in the rainy season can not be crossed. To drive on a permit is required, which is issued by the Northern Land Council with a time limit of two weeks. When Wade closed the place with vehicles is only accessible via the extremely long distance on the Central Arnhem Road about Ramingining and Maningrida or about the year-round airport of Oenpelli.