Who are the Kuku Yalanji people?
The Eastern Kuku Yalanji are the Aboriginal people of the rainforest country between Port Douglas and Cooktown in Far North Queensland, including the Daintree and Mossman Gorge.
Kuku Yalanji people have lived in the rainforest for thousands of years, using a deep knowledge of plants, animals, seasons and the sea. Their country includes mountains, rivers, mangroves and reefs.
In 2021, the Queensland Government returned ownership of the Daintree, Ngalba Bulal, Kalkajaka and Hope Islands national parks to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji, who now jointly manage them.
Sharing culture
At Mossman Gorge, the Mossman Gorge Centre runs Dreamtime walks led by Kuku Yalanji guides, who explain bush foods, medicines and smoking ceremonies.
The Kuku Yalanji language is still spoken in homes and communities, and it is taught to children, keeping knowledge of plants and places alive.
Wujal Wujal, near Bloomfield Falls, is a Kuku Yalanji community that was badly flooded during Cyclone Jasper in December 2023. Many Kuku Yalanji people also live in Mossman, Cooktown and Cairns.
Did You Know?
Kalkajaka, also called Black Mountain, near Cooktown, is a sacred site of dark granite boulders.