Mariu people

The Mariu were an indigenous Australian people of the Northern Territory. Their language is unattested, but may have been Miriwung.^[1]

Country

In Norman Tindale's estimation the Mariu's territory covered some 1,800 square miles (4,700 km²) in the area south of where the Victoria River enters the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf. The Bullo River also formed part of their land.^[2]

Social organization

In 1900, R. H. Mathews, a surveyor and self-taught anthropologist, presented a paper attributing to the Mariu — together with other "large and important tribes", from both Western Australia and the Northern Territory, such as the Gija, Perrakee, Gooniyandi, Nyigina, Bunuba, Djaru and Walmadjari — an 8 section marriage system among clans, which he illustrated in the following general table.^[3]

Phratry	Father	Mother	Son	Daughter
A	Jungurra	Nungulla	Jabulgie	Nabijerry
	Jackara	Nabijerry	Julimar	Naboron
	Janima	Naboron	Jungary	Nabungarty
	Jambidgena	Nabungarty	Jangula	Nungulla
B	Jangula	Nangilee	Jambidgena	Nambidgena
	Jungary	Nambidgena	Janima	Nabina
	Julimar	Nabanna	Jackara	Nackara
	Jabulgie	Nackara	Jungurra	Nangilee

Alternative names

• Mayu^[3]
• Mayoo
• Mariung^[2]