Location: Coast on both sides of the Blyth River and east to Cape Stewart; inland for about 20 miles (30 km.). They possess a tribelike structure and are endogamous. Hiatt (1965) reported the Gidjingali as a separate tribe living on the eastern side of the area here mapped as Barara territory. They speak a slight dialect of Barara. Reliable data indicates that a strong patrilineal group of Barara people has been on the Blyth River for at least one hundred years. There are five Barara subcommunities (Annette Hamilton, 1970 pers. comm.) similar to small tribes. Each has both Dua and Jiritja moieties and may be up to 70 percent endogamous. Hamilton has listed for me: 1. Anbara (west side of the mouth of the Blyth River). 2. Marawuraba (on the coast to the east of Blyth River). 3. Madia (around Cape Stewart). 4. Maringa (a relict group). 5. Gunadba (Gunaidbe) some sixty persons still living about 20 miles (30 km.) inland on the Blyth River. They did not possess coastal resources. Note that this name has the general meaning of 'Those people,' hence is applied from without the group. Their real name may be Ngapanga.
Co-ordinates: 134°40'E x 12°5'S
Area: 200 sq. m. (500 sq. km.)
References: Warner, 1930, 1931, 1937; Radcliffe-Brown, 1930; Capell, 1940, 1942; Jennison in Tindale, 1940; Shepherdson in Tindale, 1940; Thomson, 1946, 1952; Elkin, Berndt and Berndt, 1951; Berndt and Berndt, 1951, 1964; Lockwood, 1962; Hiatt, 1958 MS, 1961 MS, 1964, 1965; Spence, 1964; Oates et al., 1964; Pittman et al., 1964; Peterson, 1970 pers. comm.; Hamilton, 1970 pers. comm.
Alternative Names: Barera, Baurera, Burera (pronunciation of easterners), Burara, Barea (typographical error), Burada (a form heard by N. Peterson), Burarra, Gidjingali (general term applied especially to eastern members speaking Barara).