Gayardilt
The traditional owners of the South Wellesley Islands in the Gulf of Carpentaria, the Gayardilt people (alternatively Kaiadilt, Bentinck Islanders, Gaiardilt, Gajadild, Kaiadil, Maldanunda, Malununde, Malununda (Lardil for Bentinck Island), Mardunung, Madunun, Marlanunda) were mainly centred on Bentinck Island — which they knew as Dulkawalnged (the land of all) — and its contiguous reefs. However, they made nomadic forays to nearby islands known as Dangkawaridulk (lands without men) — Sweers Island and Allen Island, the western boundary of their territory, which was shared with the Yangkaal.
The Gayardilt reputedly had the greatest population density known in Indigenous Australia — 1.7 persons per square mile — and remained essentially free from contact with Makassan fishermen and Europeans until a man remembered as McKenzie established a sheep run on Bentinck Island sometime around 1916. Although he reputedly killed at least eleven people and kidnapped and raped local girls, details of his activities remained unrecorded until researchers heard the stories in the 1980s. After a cyclonic tidal surge swept over Bentinck Island in 1948, most Gayardilt people live on Mornington Island.
They spoke Kayardild, a Tangkic language genetically affiliated with Arnhem Land's non-Pama Nyungan languages. However, long-term contact with Pama Nyungan languages led to borrowing and convergence. As a result, Kayardild, possibly spoken by as few as 150 people, displayed several distinctive features of interest to linguists. A shift to speaking English after the Bentinck Islanders were brought to Mornington Island Mission in the 1940s has resulted in a situation where Kayardild is rated as critically endangered.
Missing links:
Allen Island
Yangkaal
Makassan fishermen
Kayardild
Tangkic
Arnhem Land
non-Pama Nyungan
Mornington Island Mission
