Gia people


The Gia were an Aboriginal Australian people of the state of Queensland. Little is known of them.

Language

The Gia spoke Giya/Bumbarra which, along with Ngaro, belonging to the Proserpine subgroup of the Great Maric Languages.

Country

According to Norman Tindale, the Gia's lands extended over some of land from Bowen to St. Helens and Mount Dalrymple.Inland they reached the Clarke Range. They were present at Proserpine, Gloucester Island, and Repulse Bay. The Yuibera people lay to their south.

Earliest description

In response to inquiries made by Edward Micklethwaite Curr, Sergeant B. Shea, a resident of the Gia area, provided a sketch of the natives of his district. He identified them as the Bumbarra tribes. He provided the names of the tribal divisions: those applying to men were Karilla and Whychaka, while women belonged either to the Denterbago or Helmerago, Marriage was contracted when girls reached the age of 12.

Some doubts

Tindale registered this as a distinct tribe, directly south of Port Denison but this has been questioned.

Alternative names