Summary

Mowanjum is an Aboriginal community located 10km south east of Derby in the rugged and isolated North West Kimberley coast of Western Australia. The community was established by the Presbyterian Church in 1912 and known as Port George IV mission and later as Kunmunya. It didn't find its present location until 1975. Strong links to traditional country have been maintained with numerous outstations which are under Mowanjum community management. The three main language groups are: Wunambal, Worrora and Ngarinyin. The population in the Mowanjum community fluctuates between 300 and 500 people, and was recorded as 308 in the 2011 census. The community has a thriving art and cultural organization, many well-known artists and the Mowanjum Arts and Cultural Festival which has run annually since 1998.

Related entries

Archival resources

National Centre for Indigenous Genomics

• Community Engagement-The Kimberley, 1960 - 2014, COMENG-KIM; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics. Details
• Field Notebook, 1960 - 1961, FIELD-005; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics. Details
• Laboratory workbook, Lab-01-041; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics. Details
• Lists of Study Participants and Serology Results, 1977, 02D-47; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics. Details
• Survey Results, 1977, 02D-44; National Centre for Indigenous Genomics. Details