In Tindale's estimation the Iwaidja possessed some 100 square miles (260 km2) of tribal lands. Their centre was at
Mountnorris Bay, in the eastern area of the
Cobourg Peninsula.[3] Tindale interprets
Paul Foelsche's Unalla as a reference to the Iwaidja. Foelsche informed
Edward Micklethwaite Curr that:
'The country frequented by this tribe extends from Raffles Bay to Port Essington Harbour and thence midway up the Cobourg Peninsula to Popham Bay.[4]
Their neighbours were the
Ajokoot,
Wurango, Angara-Pingan, and Yiarik[a]
Social organization
Four other groups were reported to share the same territory, though for Tindale their status as either
hordes or independent tribes was undetermined. They were listed as:
Wonga:ran (in the mainland area immediately opposite
Croker Island
Ka:ri:k (east of Cape Don)
Nga:dalwuli. (a coastal people lying to the east of the Ka:ri:k)
Mandu:wit (northwest, and east of the Nga:dalwuli).[3]
History of contact
If we take the Unalla as interchangeable with the Iwaidja, they were a once numerous tribe which, with the onset of colonial settlement, was reduced to a mere 30 members by 1881, consisting of 7 men, 12 women, 9 boys and 2 girls. Foelsche stated that the community was ravaged after
Malay traders introduced smallpox (mea-mea) during a visit in 1866.[7]
^The last two tribes were mentioned by Foelsche[5] (together with the Eiwaja (which Tindale identified as another name for the Iwaidja which Tindale was unable to identify[6]
^According to Tindale, they earned this monicker from the fact that they were employed by an early settler, Joe Cooper, to assist him in defending himself. (
Tindale 1974, p. 227)