{{Short description|Traditional healers of Anangu and Arrernte peoples of Australia }} {{Use Australian English|date=December 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}} '''Ngangkari''' are the traditional healers of the Anangu, the Aboriginal peoples who live mostly in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY Lands) of South Australia and the Western Desert region, which includes parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The word in the Arrernte languages of Central Australia is '''ngangkere'''. Ngangkari have been part of Aboriginal culture for thousands of years, and attend to the physical and psychic health of Anangu.
==Background== Ngangkari have nurtured the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of their people for thousands of years.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|title=Traditional healers of Central Australia : Ngangkari|last1=NPY Women's Council| date=2013| publisher=Magabala Books| isbn=9781921248825|location=Broome}}</ref> The term applies to traditional healers of the Anangu, who live mostly in the APY Lands, which encompass about {{convert |103,000|km2|mi2}} of South Australia,<ref name=apyabout>{{cite web | title=About Us | website=Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara | url=http://www.anangu.com.au/index.php/about-us.html | access-date=22 March 2020 | archive-date=2 April 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200402143745/http://www.anangu.com.au/index.php/about-us.html | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=atns2013>{{cite web | title=APY Lands Regional Partnership Agreement | website=ATNS (Agreements, Treaties and Negotiated Settlements) | date=31 March 2013 | url=https://www.atns.net.au/agreement.asp?EntityID=6216 | access-date=22 March 2020 | archive-date=22 March 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322131449/https://www.atns.net.au/agreement.asp?entityid=6216 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and are part of the Western Desert cultural bloc of Aboriginal peoples. The variant spelling, ngangkere, is used in translating the Arrernte languages.<ref>{{cite web | title=Programs | website=Akeyulerre Inc. | url=http://www.akeyulerre.org.au/about-us/program/ | access-date=6 July 2020 | archive-date=14 August 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814200828/http://www.akeyulerre.org.au/about-us/program/ | url-status=dead }}</ref>
To become a ngangkari you must be "born into" the ability, and both the ability and knowledge are passed on through family lines.<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/health/traditional-aboriginal-health-care|title=Traditional Aboriginal health care|last=Korff|first=Jens|date=2 October 2019|website=Creative Spirits|language=en-au|access-date=22 October 2019}}</ref> Elders choose ngangkari at birth, and pass on their cultural knowledge.<ref name=voguenga/> The powers ngangkari are given, called ''mapanpa'',<ref name=":0" /> heal spiritual as well as physical ailments.<ref name=voguenga/>
Before colonisation of South Australia the Anangu were fit, happy and healthy; living their traditional lifestyle of hunting, gathering and eating traditional foods. In these times the ngangkari were primarily needed for simple injuries such as burns and people who had been in the sun too long, but that role has changed significantly. Following colonisation, and the introduction of a number of epidemics, being moved off Country, and the introduction of drugs and alcohol (and associated issues), ngangkari are having to work harder than ever to help their people and adjust to these new demands.<ref name=":0" />
==In film== The short documentary film ''Ngangkari'' was written and directed by Erica Glynn and shot by her son, Warwick Thornton. It was broadcast on television in 2002 as part of series 3 of ''Australia by Numbers'', and was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2013.<ref>{{cite web | title=Ngangkari (2002) | website=Screen Australia | url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/ngangkari-2002/17095 | access-date=24 November 2025}}</ref>
==Contemporary application== The ngangkari tradition continues to the present day, with ngangkari continuing to help people from their communities as well as in hospitals, nursing homes, gaols, hostels and a variety of health services. Ngangkari also work in partnership with the western health system in order to deliver the best health and wellbeing outcomes for their people.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npywc.org.au/what-we-do/ngangkari-traditional-healers/|title=Ngangkari - Traditional Healers|website=NPY Women's Council|access-date=22 October 2019}}</ref>
Using ngangkari in partnership with western medicine has proven to be very successful and in some places, including the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Ngangkari healers are popular with clients from different backgrounds, assisting with pain management and relief and, especially for Aboriginal patients, improving attendance rates at medical appointments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-28/aboriginal-healers-complementary-medicine-finds-its-place/9586972|title=Aboriginal healers' complementary medicine finds a place in hospitals|last=Hanifie|first=Sowaibah|date=28 March 2018|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=22 October 2019 }}</ref>
===Word of the year shortlisting=== The Pitjantjatjara word ''ngangkari'', defined as an Indigenous practitioner of bush medicine, was short-listed for the Macquarie Dictionary 2019 word of the year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theconversation.com/cancel-culture-cleanskin-hedonometer-im-not-sure-i-like-any-of-macquarie-dictionarys-words-of-the-year-128109|title= Cancel culture, cleanskin, hedonometer … I’m not sure I like any of Macquarie Dictionary’s words of the year|date=2 December 2019 |first =Roslyn|last =Petelin|access-date=3 December 2019 }}</ref>
==Notable ngangkari== Ngangkari include Pitjantjatjara artists Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cooeeart.com.au/marketplace/artists/profile/TjapaltjarriBill/ |title=Profile |website=cooeeart.com.au |publisher=Cooee Art |access-date=11 January 2019 |archive-date=12 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412070656/https://www.cooeeart.com.au/marketplace/artists/profile/TjapaltjarriBill/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Betty Muffler of Iwantja Arts, whose work was featured in the 2020 Tarnanthi exhibition<ref>{{cite web | title=Betty Muffler | website=Art Gallery of South Australia | date=9 October 2020 | url=https://www.agsa.sa.gov.au/education/resources-educators/resources-educators/tarnanthi-2020-open-hands/betty-muffler/ | access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> as well as on the cover of the September 2020 issue of ''Vogue Australia''.<ref>{{cite web | last=Kerin | first=Lindy | title=Stunning artwork by Betty Muffler makes latest Vogue cover | website=NITV | date=9 September 2020 | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2020/09/09/stunning-artwork-betty-muffler-makes-latest-vogue-cover | access-date=15 November 2020}}</ref> Muffler has a reputation of being one of the best ngangkari in the APY lands, and her healing powers have been in demand to help with anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia (2020–2021).<ref name=voguenga>{{cite web | title=Betty Muffler: hope and healing. |website= National Gallery of Australia |first1=Kelli|last1= Cole|first2= Aidan|last2= Hartshorn | date=5 January 2021 | url=https://medium.com/national-gallery-of-australia/betty-muffler-hope-and-healing-146f4bf0430c | access-date=12 July 2021| quote=This interview was first published in the Spring 2020 edition of ''Artonview''. }}</ref>
== References == <references />
Category:Indigenous Australian culture Category:Western Desert cultural bloc