Frequently
Asked
Questions
Who are the ‘Danggan Balun’?
We are the Aboriginal people of south-east Queensland, and north-east New South Wales, the Traditional Owners of the lands within and between the Logan and Tweed River Valleys; we are commonly referred to as Yugambeh Mibin (People).
There are also some unique regional terms used:
Ngarangwal - which refers to the saltwater peoples of our area
Nganduwal - which refers to the valley people of the Tweed area
These are in conjunction with our clan names, which refer to specific localities within our area, and are individually named:
Mununjali - Beaudesert clan
Bullongin - Coomera clan
Kombumerri - Nerang clan
Gugingin - Logan clan
Tulgigin - Tweed clan
Wanggeriburra - Tamborine clan
Migunberri - Christmas creek / Mt. Barney clan
Murangburra - Mt. Warning clan
Cudgenburra - Fingal clan
Learn more about us on the People page!
What does danggan BALUN MEAN?
Danggan - ‘Five’
Balun - ‘River’
Danggan Balun means ‘Five Rivers’, and specifically refers to the Logan, Albert, Coomera, Nerang, and Tweed Rivers. Our five rivers intrinsically link the freshwater people from the inland and western parts of the claim area with the saltwater people in the east; they are the lifeblood of our country.
What is Native Title and Cultural Heritage?
Native Title is essentially a ‘bundle of rights’ which are claimed by traditional Aboriginal societies; Native Title is dealt with under the Native Title Act 1993, which is a federal law. Learn more on the Native Title page.
Cultural Heritage refers to places, artifacts, and physical evidence that is significant to Aboriginal culture. Cultural heritage is unrelated to Native Title, and is dealt with under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld), which is a state law. Learn more on the Cultural Heritage page.
What does the danggan balun applicant do?
The Applicant is the representative of the people in the court proceedings for our Native Title claim. We are authorised to deal with any matter incidental to Native Title, which includes our claim and dealing with land owners (whether individuals, businesses, or government) whose land is affected by Native Title.
We also serve as the Aboriginal Party for our claim area, negotiating and coordinating Cultural Heritage work under Queensland’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act. We work with land owners to assure they are complying with the act and our cultural heritage is being properly cared for. Learn more on the Applicant page.
Who is a claimant?
We define our claimants as those persons who:
are descendants of a Danggan Balun Apical Ancestor and;
identify as claimants and;
are recognised under the traditional laws and customs of our group
To find out who the Apical Ancestors are, read more about our claim on the Native Title Page.
If you believe you may be a Danggan Balun claimant and are still unsure, complete the form on the bottom of the Members Portal Page and we can find out for you!
Where can claimants find more information?
Danggan Balun claimants can log on to the websites Member’s Portal to access claimant material, newsletters, announcements, and other information. Login/Sign Up here.
I’ve found an Aboriginal artefact - who do I contact?
You’ve come to the right place, Danggan Balun are the official Aboriginal Party for the area and are tasked with managing cultural heritage. Fill out the form on the Contact Us page and our team will be in touch shortly.
DOES MY LAND HAVE NATIVE TITLE?
Native Title only exists on particular land, visit the Native Title page for more information. If you have further concerns or are still unsure, Contact Us for more assistance.