At Lifelong Learning Centres we understand the importance of introducing community concepts to children at an early age, to develop an understanding of a team environment, giving back, and creating a sense of belonging for all. As we enter NAIDOC week a large majority of our centres are preparing to take part in themed activities to teach our children about Indigenous Culture and Community.
Our educators are looking forward to teaching children all about Indigenous practices and what it means to be a native Australian. One major part of this is understanding our links to Aboriginal land and what this means to our Indigenous brothers and sisters. In Australia today, Aboriginal land is being recognised much more regularly with major place names and geographical markers being returned to their original name. Today we look at our major cities our centres are located, and recognise the traditional names that run alongside.
Image Source: SBS NITV
Brisbane - Yuggera
Mount Coo-tha Aboriginal rock art
Surrounding nations and groups include: Turrbal, Noonucal, Goenpul and Yugembah
Yugara, also written as Jagera, Yagarrm Yaggera, Yuggera, Yugarabul and Yugaapul are the Indigenous people and Traditional Owners of the land from Moreton Bay to Toowoomba. A fun language fact we found is that the word Yakka is actually part of the Yuggera language and means ‘hard work’ and has since been brought into Australian slang with the phrase hard yakka.
Canberra - Ngunnawal
Aboriginal People Memorial Canberra
Surrounding nations and groups include: Ngambri
Ngunnawal territory runs for around 2,100 square kilometres and covers the land from Quenbeyan to Yass, Tumut Boorowa and Goulburn. However, there are still current disputes in the region contesting the true custodial ownership of Canberra.
Darwin - Larakia
Welcome to country for the Marines in Darwin
Larrakia are the traditional owners of the land around Darwin as well as Southport, Bynoe Harbour and the Howard River. The land extended from the Finniss River and Fog Bay to Gunn Point, west if the Adam Bay mouth of the Adelaide River and slightly north of Rum Jungle.
Melbourne - Kulin Nation
Australian Catholic University Melbourne
Surrounding and inclusive nations and groups include: Woiworung and Boonwurrung
The Kulin nation is actually an alliance of five Indigenous tribes with territory extending from around Port Phillip and Western Port, up into the Great Dividing Range and the Loddong and Goublurn River valleys. Before early settlers these tribes spoke five related languages in two groups however, over the period of settlement a lot of evidence about the tribes collective past was lost.
Perth - Whadjuk
Traditional Aboriginal rock art in Perth
The traditional lands of the Whadjuk people stretched from the Swan River to Mount Helena and included the areas of Kalamunda and Armadale. In the north it covered the Victoria Plains and ran as far east as York and south to Pinjarra. The Whadjuk people formed the Noongar language group.
Sydney - Eora Nation
Taronga Zoo Aboriginal rock art
Surrounding and inclusive nations and groups include: Cammeraygal, Gadigal and Bidjigal
Eora is the name given by early settlers to a group of Indigenous tribes living along the coastal areas now known as the Sydney basin. Early tribal lands are believed to have run from Port Jackson’s northern shores up to the Hawkesbury River, around Pittwater and south to Botany Bay and the Georges River, stretching westwards to Parramatta.
If you have ever wanted to know where you are standing, or where your child's Lifelong Learning Centre is situated in regards to Aboriginal land take a look today!