Roper River Didgeridoos

The Roper River region in south-west Arnhem Land has Numbulwar and Ngukurr as its main Aboriginal settlements, with a number of smaller satellite communities or 'outstations' serviced by these two main settlements. The people of this region are known as the Nunggubuyu (derived from nunn, meaning person, and wubuy, the language spoken by the people).

The social organisation, structure and composition of the Nunggubuyu are extremely complex, partly a result of the cultural admixture in the area. Nonetheless, it is generally accepted that there are about 8 clan groups: Mangurra, Murrungun, Nundhirribala, Wurramara, Ngalmi, Nunggarrgarlu, Nunggumajbarr, and Numamurdirdi. These clans are arranged into two moieties Mandirrija (equivalent to the Yolngu Yirritja moiety) and Mandhayung (equivalent to the Yolngu Dhuwa moiety).

The Nunggubuyu have close ties to the Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land and the Wanindiljaugwa of Groote Eylandt. The use of the didgeridoo in the Roper River region is not well documented though there is evidence that in more traditional times some clans used the didgeridoo and some didn't.