Warlpiri Location of Warlpiri ( light green ) in the Northern Territory The Warlpiri are a group of Indigenous Australians , many of whom speak the Warlpiri language . There are 5 , 000–6 , 000 Warlpiri , living mostly in a few towns and settlements scattered through their traditional land in Australia 's Northern Territory , north and west of Alice Springs . Their largest community is at Yuendumu and many live also at Willowra , Lajamanu , Nyirrpi , Mt Allen and smaller settlements . Many also live in Alice Springs and Tennant Creek . About 3 , 000 still speak the Warlpiri language . The word `` Warlpiri '' has also been romanised as Walpiri , Walbiri , Elpira , Ilpara and Wailbri . History Warlpiri people first came into contact with non-Aboriginal Australia in the late nineteenth century . By the time that the Warlpiri people were finally brought out from the bushland , the missionary movement was coming to an end , to be replaced by the community movement , that would give Warlpiri people a permanent homeland . With the later outstation movement of the 1980s and 1990s many Warlpiri people moved out to small communities where they could be close to their own traditional land . At this time small communities such as Nyirrpi were set up . Location Warlpiri country is located in the Tanami Desert , east of the NT-WA border , west of the Stuart Highway and Tennant Creek , and northwest of Alice Springs . The main communities in Warlpiri country are : Yuendumu , Lajamanu , Nyirrpi , and Willowra . Many Warlpiri live in Alice Springs , Tennant Creek , and the smaller towns of Central Australia . Tradition Warlpiri are famous for their tribal dances . A number of Warlpiri have toured England , Japan , and most recently Russia , performing their dances . Kinship Main article : Australian Aboriginal kinship Warlpiris divide their relatives , and by extension the entire population , into eight named groups or subsections . These subsections are related to kinship , and determine one 's family rights and obligations . The following is a brief sketch of how the subsection system relates to genealogy . The subsections are divided into four semi-patrimoieties , each consisting of two subsections . One always belongs to the same semi-patrimoiety as one 's father , but to the opposite subsection , so that men in a patriline will alternate between those two subsections . The subsections are also divided into two matrimoieties , each consisting of four subsections . One always belongs to the same matrimoiety as one 's mother , and women in a matriline will cycle through the four subsections of that matrimoiety . The two subsections in a semi-patrimoiety always belong to opposite matrimoieties , and similarly , the four subsections of each matrimoiety are distributed among the four semi-patrimoieties . Each subsection is uniquely determined by which semi-patrimoiety and which matrimoiety it belongs to . Female lines of descent in the two matrimoieties cycle through the semi-patrimoieties in opposite directions . The result is that one 's mother 's father 's mother 's father ( MFMF ) is of the same subection as oneself . Siblings always belong to the same subsection . It follows from these rules that one must choose one 's spouse from a particular subsection , and traditional Warlpiri disapprove of marriages that break this constraint . The correct subsection to marry from is that of one 's maternal grandmother ( though of course one seeks a spouse closer to one 's own age ) . The subsection system underlies all of traditional Warlpiri society , determining how Warlpiris address and regard each other . Two members of the same subsection refer to each other as siblings , whether or not they actually have the same parent . Men in the same subsection as one 's father ( for example , one 's father 's male siblings ) are called `` father '' , and this practice is often followed even when Warlpiris speak English . In the same way , most of the kinship terms in the Warlpiri language actually refer to subsection ( or classificatory ) relationships , not to literal genetic relationships . Traditionally , the first thing one Warlpiri wants to know about another is their subsection . Warlpiris often address each other by subsection name rather than by personal name , and incorporate their subsection name into their English one , usually as a middle name . When Warlpiris marry Europeans , they tend to extend the subsection system to their inlaws , starting with the assumption that the European spouse is of the correct subsection . Rather distant European relatives may find themselves classified as honorary uncles , nieces , grandparents , and so on . Warlpiris will then try to make sure that further marriages with related Europeans will adhere to the marriage constraint . The traditional taboo against familiarity between a man and his mother-in-law extends automatically to any man and woman whose subsections are those of man and mother-in-law . The subsection system automatically prevents incest between siblings and any relatives closer than cousins . Cousins that are children of siblings of the same sex are themselves classificatory siblings , and may not marry ; but children of siblings of opposite sex are of the appropriate subsections for marriage , and marriage between so-called cross cousins is actually encouraged in traditional society . The eight subsections are interrelated in a pattern known in group theory as the order 8 dihedral group , D 4 . Language The Warlpiri language is a member of the Yapa ( earlier called Ngarrkic ) group of languages , with closest relative Warlmanpa . Most Warlpiri-speakers are bilingual with English . Many also speak one or more of : Arrernte , Jaru , Western Desert Language , Warumungu , or other neighbouring languages . References Bell , Diane ( 1983 ) . Daughters of the dreaming , Sydney , Allen and Unwin . Meggitt , Mervyn J. ( 1962 ) . Desert people . A study of the Walbiri aborigines of Central Australia , Sydney , Angus and Robertson . See also Warlpiri Media Association Categories : Indigenous peoples of Australia | Australian Aboriginal culture Australian Aboriginal kinship 