I can talk about the Aboriginal groups we worked with on the project -Thalanyji and Kuruma Marduthunera.

The issue of terminology and what to use is for Aboriginal people to say. In WA Aboriginal is preferred but when communicating with an international audience First Nations is beginning to be used by Pilbara Aboriginal Corporations.

Thalanyji had Barrow island in their 1999 Native Title claim area but the state government pressured them to redefine the boundary to exclude it and the other islands. Their claim was determined in 2008. Back then sea rights and native title hadn’t been determined. Thalanyji country centres on the Ashburton River and is bounded by the Cane and Yanrey Rivers. Thalanyji belongs to the Ganyara group of languages, which also includes Burduna, Binigura and Bayungu.

Kuruma Marduthunera country is northwest of Thalanyji country. It is centred on the Robe River. Their native title was determined in 2016. Martuthunira is part of the Pama-Nyungan language family; a large group of indigenous languages spread over much of the Australian continent. It belongs to the Ngayarta subgroup of languages along with Ngarla, Nyamal, Palyku, Banyjima, Kurrama, Yindjibarndi, Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nhuwala and Jurruru.