User:Cazwin/Cazwin/Mungah

Mungah

There are known and registered sites in Noongar boodjar where Mungah (or fish traps) are known to exist - Oyster Bay on the Kalgan River, Barragup and Wonnerup. Mungah is the name used for fish traps in Barragup and Wonnerup, however, it is currently unknown what the Minang word for fish traps is.

Barragup Mungah

OIC furnissdale barragup swamp 1

"… this country is our country, not one, not two but all of us that are here today, this is our land and we can be proud of it. As a child, I wondered all around these waterways with my family, we fished the area, we hunted, we got berries and whatever else – we survived where other people couldn’t. We got used to other people coming here from all other country areas and we fed them with fish because we knew how to catch the fish. We became pretty famous for this and we still are – we still do it" ~ Noongar Elder Harry Nannup in Gnaala Karla Booja in Working in Partnership with Industry and Government, August 2012

"Noongar people have used marine foods for many thousands of years...we have set wooden traps...wicker fence to trap fish..." George Walley .

Elder Harry Nannup also recalls, in more recent years - "...we used to get a fishing net off some of the local fishermen and catch a feed of fish. We didn't catch more than we could eat. That was one of the lessons that was taught to me by my Elders at the time; that you didn't waste food...".

George Walley talks of the cultural significance of the mungah of the "Wongimup beeliya" (wongi or waangi meaning talking and beeliya, bilya, beelye or bil-yi is umbilical cord or naval, also beeliar is river) or Serpentine River (Western Australia) or "gilgit mungah". Hammond, who wrote 'Winjan's People' (1933), referring to the leader Winjan in the Mandurah area, also recorded the term 'mungah' for fish trap or fish weir and 'gil-git' for fish. According to Daisy Bates Winjan's father was Mogam who's totem was a fish. George Walley tells of Noongar boordiya Winjan and shows his campground and other important areas around Barragup. The mungah of the Barragup was located in 2.5kms from the Peel Inlet estuary.

OIC furnissdale barragup swamp trees

Keeper of katitjin, George Walley tells us how the mungah was made with branches from small trees pushed into the mud and cross-bound with the "Waugal's whiskers - the reeds that grow along the edge of the waterways; people were then able to spear the fish". Hammond recorded seeing a mungah in the 1860sand drew a detailed picture of it that shows the construction - with cross-hatched race where the fish swam through and a platform upon which moort would stand to catch the fish as they passed; materials - bushes, wicker; position in the river - across the narrow neck and in the water (depth of approx 8ft at its deepest point); plus its location as "four miles from Mandurah (on Serpentine River)". It also shows a large number of Mia Mia on the banks of the beeliya, surrounding the mungah. The catching of the fish was timed with the seasons; when the fish would be washed downstream by the first winter rains (Djeran season).

The inclusion of the Mia Mia in the above drawing indicates that the mungah was used to feed a large group of people. This is in keeping with keeper of katitjin, George Walley who says that "each year saw a huge gathering of Noongar people from all over the larger areas assembling for the annual mullet catch". Research conducted by Gibbs, citing Bates also notes that the start of the fishing season (Djeran - the season of the marri flowering) meant time for a great gathering.

Bates' records of this important cultural time of special ceremonies and social activities included the words of a song that was sung by the leaders of the Barragup mungah, the 'salmon song' . The song was recorded as follows:

Ngarri bi ngarri

neana mooga

koort beet, beet-al-wa

kalbarn yaa wadarn

Cultural katitjin of the mungah is still being transferred to moort and goolangar through the voices of Elders and keepers of katitjin. Elder and educator Mr Leonard Thorn shows goolangar how the mungahs were made and how they worked.

Oyster Harbour Fish Traps

Albany Fish Traps

Oyster Harbour between the Kalgan River and Worrykoolyup (King River) has remnant visible stone weir fish traps (Minang word unknown) that, keeper of katitjin Larry Blight explains, science has been able to be between 6,500 - 7,000 years old. These fish traps are also known as Albany Fish Traps.

"The way that the fish traps were designed is really smart, and very sustainable" says Larry Blight. The stones were used in such a way as to trap the fish at low tide, so that they were easy to catch.

Like the Barragup Mungah, Larry Blight also says that Oyster Harbour is very sacred place to the Menang Noongar and that it was a place of celebration, "It used to be a corroboree ground, it's the place where marriages were arranged and everything came together...walking around there today, we can still feel that warmth and happiness and laughter.".

Vernice Gillies is a keeper of Noongar Menang katitjin of the fish traps in Oyster Harbour and Chair of the Albany Heritage Reference Group Aboriginal Corporation. The fish traps were handed back to the Menang community through the Corporation in 2009. In 2015 the area and cultural connection was shared with the public through interpretive panels, access boardwalks and cultural shelter. Vernice Gillies said:

"We wanted to bring everyone together - they're not just ours, they belong to everyone"

Wonnerup Mungah

The Wonnerup Mungah located in Wardandi boodjar. Wonnerup translates as 'wanna' or digging stick and 'up' or place of, therefore 'place of digging stick'

The Aboriginal Heritage Sites Register places the Mungar in the Abba River (Other Heritage Places No 4399).

Little is currently on record for this site, but keepers of katitjin for the Wonnerup Mungah are available through contacting The Department of Aboriginal Affairs.