Warlpiri people

The Warlpiri are a group of Indigenous Australians, many of whom speak the Warlpiri language. There are 5,000–6,000 Warlpiri, living mostly in a few towns and settlements scattered through their traditional land in Australia's Northern Territory, north and west of Alice Springs. About 3,000 still speak the Warlpiri language. The word "Warlpiri" has also been romanised as Walpiri, Walbiri, Elpira, Ilpara and Wailbri.

The Warlpiri language is a member of the Ngumpin-Yapa subgroup of the Pama-Nyungan family of languages. The name Yapa comes from the word for 'person'. The closest relative to Warlpiri is Warlmanpa. It has four main dialects, (1)Yuendumu Warlpiri, in the south-west; (2)Willowra Walpiri, in the central area, around the Lander River; (3)the northern dialect, Lajamanu Warlpiri; and (4) the eastern dialect of Wakirti Warlpiri, spoken on the Hanson River. Most Warlpiri-speakers are bilingual, English being their second language. Many also speak other native languages, such as Arrernte, Jaru, Western Desert Language, Warumungu. Indigenous sign language is also an important component of Warlpiri communication, as many of 600 distinct signs being used.

Kenneth Hale, an American linguist, mastered Warrlpiri and was adopted by the tribe, who knew him as Jabanungga. On returning to the United States, he raised his twin sons, Caleb and Ezra, in the Warrlpiri tongue, and Ezra delivered the eulogy at Hale's funeral in that language.

Warlpiri country is located in the Tanami Desert, east of the NT-WA border, west of the Stuart Highway and Tennant Creek, and northwest of Alice Springs. The main communities in Warlpiri country are: Yuendumu, Lajamanu, Nyirrpi, and Willowra. Many Warlpiri live in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and the smaller towns of Central Australia Their largest communities are at Lajamanu, Nyirrpi, Yuendumu, Alekarenge and Wirlyajarrayi/Willowra. Many also live in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine.

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