Indigenous Peoples

Tennant Creek is steeped in the ancient traditions and beliefs of its Aboriginal people.

It is the ancestral home of the Warumungu people who have lived here for over 40,000 years and are the area’s traditional custodians.

The Warumungu people’s legend says that Tennant Creek grew up around the home a powerful ancestral being - a spiky tailed goanna called Nyinkka.

Today the area is an important social, cultural and business centre for many Aboriginal people of various language groups including the Warumungu, Walpiri, Kaiditch and Alyawarr people.