The word Chowilla (or ‘Tjowila’) means ‘place of spirits and ghosts (Tindale, 1974). The floodplain is of high cultural, spiritual and emotional value for the First People of the River Murray and Mallee (FPRMM), Barkindji people and other Indigenous groups downstream. They regard the ongoing preservation, protection and management of these sites as a high priority. These sites are also of high heritage value to South Australia and the Murray-Darling Basin as a whole.
The FPRMM and Barkindji people have maintained a long association with the River Murray and see it as a living body: indeed, the river and its surrounds are one of the richest sources of Indigenous archaeological and heritage sites in Australia. Indigenous occupation of the Chowilla region dates back some 12,000 years to the upper Pleistocene epoch.
Traditionally, the Maraura inhabit the northern side of the River Murray from Chowilla upstream to the junction of the Darling River and the Ngintait tribe utilise the southern side of the river between Paringa and Wentworth, although their lands also include the northern side of the river around Salt Creek and between Chowilla and Hunchee Islands (Sharley and Huggan, 1995).
In addition to utilising resources from the river, such as water, fish, yabbies and plant material, the surrounding floodplains were a place to harvest possums, kangaroos and other animals for food. River red gum bark was used for canoes and the area was associated with campsites, ceremonies and funeral practices.
Harris, R. (2007). Tjowila (Chowilla) Floodplain Indigenous Cultural Heritage Survey 2007 (9.8Mb)
Wood, V., Edmonds V., Westel C. (2005). Tjowila (Chowilla) Floodplain: Baseline Indigenous Cultural Heritage Study: Volume 1. Adelaide.