Luritja
Luritja is a name that refers to various dialects of the Western Desert language group in Australia , but also to an Aboriginal tribe who speak these languages, as well as to their traditional land.
The land of the Luritja includes areas west and southwest of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory to the Land of Arrernte . In the Papunya area, including Mount Liebig, the land and language are often referred to as Papunya Luritja . It is related to Pintupi from Kintore ; it is also likely influenced by Arrernte and Warlpiri . Much of the Luritja had lived in Papunya , an Aboriginal settlement, since the 1950s , and in the 1980s they moved to their traditional land at Kintore.
The areas around Finke and Maryvale, a ranch in the land of the Titjikala, are often called Titjikala Luritja . The language is similar to Papunya Luritja, but there are recognizable differences, presumably due to influences from southern Arrernte, Pitjantjatjara and Antikirinya , with Pitjantjatjara dominating.
To Kings Canyon is called Southern Luritja , the same as Titjikala Luritja is. The Luritja around Kintore is called Pintupi / Luritja.
The total population of the Luritja, including Papunya Luritja, is the third largest of the Central Australian Aboriginal groups after the Arrernte and Pitjantjatjara. The number of living Luritja amounts to several thousand people. The Luritja live from the sale of their art and they have produced a number of famous artists and founded companies that specialize in the sale of Luritja art.