The Wangkangurru, also written Wongkanguru and Wangkanguru, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Simpson Desert area in the state of South Australia. They also refer to themselves as Nharla.
Norman Tindale estimated their tribal sway as extending over 14,000 square miles (36,000 km2), taking in the area from Stevenson Creek northwards to Mount Dare. To the east they were at Macumba Creek. The Wangkangurru were also present on the lower reaches of the Finke River. The southern section of the Arunta (Simpson) Desert also formed part of their territory, while to the southeast, their boundaries ran as far as Kallakoopah Creek and the Warburton River. Blood Creek and Atna Hill also lay on Wangkangurru lands.[1]
The Wangkangurru now form an aggregate with the Yarluyandi, and are represented by the Wangkangurru Yarluyandi Aboriginal Corporation.[2] Their native title over a large area of the Simpson Desert was recognised in 2014.[3]
The Wangkangurru language, like the majority of Aboriginal Australian languages, falls into the Pama-Nyungan classification.
The self-referential term Nharla,[4] relating to their language subgroup, is the Arabana word for "man".[5]
