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Could you please give me the definitve meaning of the word "Yarra"? Some say that it means meeting place, others that it means resting place.
Paul Patton
pattonp@hotmail.com
Frankston, Victoria, Australia
22/2/2000
Indigenous Cultures Program team answers:
Yarra is supposed to be a Wathaurung (language from Geelong side of Port Phillip Bay) word meaning falling or free flowing. The Yarra River was called Birrarang meaning river of mists in the Woiwurrung langauge (language of the Yarra River clans).
Extract from Another View Walking Trail:
It was misnamed by surveyor John Helder Wedge who was a member of John Batman's party. In August 1935 he was exploring the Bellarine Peninsula and the coast as far as Cape Addis with the intention of finding a suitable place to establish a township. Accompanying him were two Aboriginal youths from the Wathaurung tribe. Wedge's account is as follows:
On arriving in sight of the river, the two natives who were with me pointed to the river, and called out at it "Yarra", "Yarra", which at the time I imagined to be its name. But I afterwards learnt that the words were what they used to designate a waterfall, a they gave the same designation to a small fall in the Werribee River, as we crossed it on our way back to Indented Head.
[J Bonwick, 1868,John Batman the Founder of Victoria. Melbourne: Fergusson and Moore. p.48]
Have found some really interesting and valuable information on Aboriginal history on the web. Am trying to find a map of Victoria showing tribal names and areas. I have found a map showing languages spoken but not tribal names. Help?
Lesley McCarthy
mccarthy.lesley.j@edumail.vic.gov.au
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
26/1/2000
Indigenous Cultures Program team answers:
Dear Lesley,
'Tribes' is a difficult concept to define. Originally, anthropologists described tribes as self-contained political, social, and geographic units, but when researchers looked more carefully they found that the boundaries around such groups were very open, with people moving across them frequently (for example, to get married to people in the groups next door). Anthropologists stopped talking about 'tribes' because the early definition of a tribe as a bounded entity made the term look misleading.
However, the term 'tribe' is still used as a convenient and popular term for any cultural grouping. Aboriginal people in Australia often use the term 'tribes' to describe their cultural groups. Usually, each cultural group has a distinctive language or dialect. For this reason, anthropologists have more recently preferred the phrase 'language groups' when speaking about 'tribes'.
In Australian texts 'tribe' and language group are often used to describe to the same thing - a collection of people who share the same language and identity. These people also see themselves as sharing an orientation to a particular area country - although the boundaries between countries shift over the generations. Whether you use the term 'tribe' or 'cultural group' or 'language group' depends on what circles you move in. However, all these terms amount to much the same thing - a group of people who recognise themselves as sharing a distinctive language, country, culture and identity. But it is important to remember that the borders between languages, cultures and countries are always being crossed.
What is traditional aboriginal food?
Andrea Gabin
gabinv@tyco.net.au
Perth, WA, Australia
28/2/1999
David Jay, Education Officer answers:
Dear Andrea,
Thanks for your question. It would be worthwhile referring to The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia in your library which has sections on food preparation, processing, production, sharing, storage and taboos.
For a Victorian focus Koorie Plants, Koorie People by Nelly Zola and Beth Gott is an excellent reference.
Regards,
David
Are all Koories called Koories? Why are some called Murries?
Cheryl McIntosh
cmcintosh@pegasus.com.au
Victoria, Australia
11/9/1998
Members of the Indigenous Cultures Team answers:
Dear Cheryl,
Thanks for your question. Like all peoples Aboriginal people have the right to their own identities and the right to name themselves. The term Koori applies to Aboriginal people from Victoria and southern New South Wales. "Murri", like the name "Koorie" is a name which identifies Aboriginal people in Queensland and northern New South Wales. In south western Australia people call themselves "Nyoongar". In north western Arnhem Land people are "Yolngu" and in parts of the desert people identify as "Anangu". There are numerous other local terms which Aboriginal people use to describe their wider community and these terms reflect more than 300 different traditional groups of people who originally had their own distinct languages.
A good analogy might be to think of Europe as a continent made up of a number of different countries with their own separate language groups and customs--[French, German, Italian etc.] Names such as Murri, Koorie and Nyoongar cover broad areas of land and a number of different Aboriginal groups within the region to which these names apply. For example, in Victoria a person can be a Koorie, but also belong to their particular group. Gunai/Kurnai people of the Gippsland region are "Koorie" people. Exceptions to what is described here happen however because some Aboriginal people prefer to be called by their specific traditional group only such as "Gunai/Kurnai" for example and not to be named by the general term "Koorie".
These are terms currently in use by Aboriginal people:
Koories - Aboriginal people of south eastern Australia ie. southern NSW and Victoria;
Yolngu - General reference for Aboriginal people across Arnhem Land - not just Northwest Arnhem Land - certainly people in the northeast of Arnhem Land use the term;
Murris - Aboriginal people of northern NSW and Queensland;
Ngungar - Aboriginal people in south west WA [spelling after Stanton];
Nunga - used by those in the southwest, Adelaide, Peninsula area of SA;
Yura - Aboriginal people of Flinders Ranges;
Anangu - Aboriginal people in the central desert regions;
These terms reflect contemporary and recent historical groupings and associations. Many older Aboriginal people do not use the terms at all and this reflects experiences of oppression and dispossession which are now being positively challenged, whilst Aboriginal people continue to seek to empower themselves and regenerate their traditions after experiencing the consequences of the colonisation of their lands. Please note that the spelling of these terms can vary slightly depending on what reference is used. As a general rule it is better to consult with the local Aboriginal community to which terms/names apply, to see what spelling and pronunciation is preferred.
Useful references are:
Horton, D. 1994 The Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia, AIATSIS Press Canberra.
1:what weapons were used by the aboriginals when hunting and fighting ?
2:what were the customs like back then compared to now ?
3:what ceremonies were performed by the aboriginal people and why did they perform them ?
4:what did their diets consist of ?
thankyou, please reply soon it's urgent
tyne layt
batemans bay, n.s.w., Australia
15/7/1998
Some members from the Indigenous Cultures Team answers:
Dear Tyne,
Like all people today, regardless of cultural background, Aboriginal people live in all kinds of environments, with differing lifestyles and occupations. Sometimes when seeking to learn about indigenous peoples, misunderstandings occur when Aboriginal people are divided into the "contemporary" and the "traditional". However, this is not always a helpful guide, because all contemporary Aboriginal experience today is informed in one way or another by cultural traditions, combined with living in the broader cross-cultural world. It is those aspects of shared cultural life which come together to form the uniqueness of Aboriginal community and its expression. This can be understood in terms of aspects of the continuity of traditions, as well as ongoing change within communities.
Donna Leslie
Learning Advisor
Before we answer your questions it is worth noting that there is no universal answer to any of your questions. There are hundreds of Aboriginal language groups in Australia. Each group has its own distinctive customs, technology, and diet. It would have been much easier if you were more specific in the area you were concerned about, but 'no worries', we'll give it a go.
What weapons were used by the Aborigines when hunting and fighting ?
There are a variety of tools used when hunting. These may be made of stone, wood, metal, glass or a number of other materials. The type of tool depends on the animal hunted. Kangaroos, emu, and other large animals are hunted with spears and spearthrowers, and guns. Fish would be collected with spears, nets, hook and line, fish traps, and occasionally special poisons that stunned the fish. Birds would be hunted with throwing sticks, boomerangs, or by climbing trees and raiding nests. Marine animals such as dugongs and turtles are harpooned. Lizards are caught by hand, often dug out of the ground with a digging stick. Shell fish are caught by hand or by dragging nets.
The tools used are only one part of what is required for a successful hunt. More important is a detailed knowledge of animal behaviour. By knowing what animals would be found where and at what time, Aboriginal hunters are able to plan the hunt.
When fighting the most common weapons are spears, shields and clubs. Fighting in Aboriginal culture is often tightly controlled. Formal fights are arranged to settle internal disputes. While some one might get injured this is rarely serious due to the control exercised by the combatants and the witnesses. The aim is to satisfy a grievance rather than to inflict serious injury which only makes for more hostility. There have been many very talented Aboriginal boxers and other sports persons in Australian history.
What were the customs like back then compared to now ?
This is a very interesting question. Aboriginal society, like all societies, is very complex. All societies change over time. Aboriginal societies have also had changes in customs over time. Such changes do not mean an aspect of Aboriginal culture is lost, just that some changes have occurred. Thus, today's cultures are as real as those of 100 years ago. Belief in customs as the proper way to behave is also just as strong in Aboriginal communities today as it was 100 years ago, even when the customs have changed somewhat. Typical customs are similar to those in other societies and include initiations, achieving adulthood, weddings, religious and funeral ceremonies, relationships between family members, relationships between neighbours and friends, religious beliefs and so on.
What ceremonies were performed by the aboriginal people and why did they perform them ?
Aboriginal people believe very strongly in the power of ceremony. Aboriginal cultures are thus rich in ceremonies with many held to celebrate people's history, birth, death, initiation, and growth. Ceremonies are held to celebrate and renew life, to help the animals trees and people to grow, to help the rains come and go, to heal the sick, and to drive away evil. All ceremonies are linked to spirituality. In a land where everything is consider to have, and to share, a spirit, ceremonies are an effective way of joining the sacred world with the day-to-day world in which we all live. Nowadays Aboriginal people are also involved in newer forms of ceremony such as NAIDOC week.
What did their diets consist of ?
The traditional Aboriginal diet is rich in animal and vegetable products. Normally people would eat several different types of food each day, such as some meat and plenty of nuts, fruits, seeds, and roots. Such a varied diet was essential for good health. The menu was always changing depending on where people were, who was the most successful in the day's hunting and collecting, and the time of the year. Most Aboriginal people get their food from shops and supermarkets and many combine this with hunting and gathering.
Thank you for the opportunity to answer you questions. We hope you find these short answers useful. If you need more information just contact us again. Your school or local library probably has books on Aboriginal culture that will also help. For example the Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia is a very good starting point Stay in touch and we hope to see you at our new Museum when it opens.
Mike Pickering
Head Curator
John Morton
Senior Curator
