Wurundjeri
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List of Indigenous Australian group names |
The Wurundjeri people are an
The
Ethnonym
According to the early Australian ethnographer Alfred William Howitt, the name Wurundjeri, in his transcription Urunjeri, refers to a species of eucalypt, Eucalyptus viminalis, otherwise known as the manna or white gum, which is common along the Yarra River.[1] Some modern reports of Wurundjeri traditional lore state that their ethnonym combines a word, wurun, meaning Manna gum and djeri, a species of grub found in the tree, and take the word therefore to mean "Witchetty Grub People".[2]
Language
Wurundjeri people speak
Clans
There are several distinct clans of Wurundjeri people with different territories:[3]
Wurundjeri balluk: Their territory covers the area from Mount Baw Baw to Healesville and the northern tributaries of the Yarra River, to the eastern side of the Maribyrnong River and up to Gisborne.
Wurundjeri Willum: Their territory includes the site of Melbourne, up to the east side of the Maribyrnong River and its western branch and along to Mount Macedon. It also includes the western half of country from the Plenty River to the Maribrynong River. Their name comes from wilam meaning 'camp/shelter'.
Marin balluk: From the western side of the Maribyrnong River, centred around Sunbury and the watersheds of Mount Macedon. Their name means "Maribrynong River".
Gunung Willum balluk: from the adjoining Wurundjeri country on the west side of Mount Macedon through to Bullengarook and Daylesford. Their name means "river shelter swamp".
Balluk Willum: from the Cranbourne area. Their name means "swamp shelters" and refers to the swamp that occupied the area before it was drained by colonists.
Ngaruk Willum: from the south side of the Dandenong Ranges.
Kurung Jang baluk: from the Melton area. Their name comes from gurrong (canoe) and baluk (swamp).
Country
The Wurundjeri-balluk and Wurundjeri-willam people occupied the area from the Yarra Valley/Yarra River catchment area to Heidelberg.[5]
In June 2021, the boundaries between the land of two of the
History
The earliest European settlers came across a park-like landscape extending inland from Melbourne, consisting of large areas of grassy plains to the north and southwest, with little forest cover, something thought to be testimony of indigenous sheet burning practices to expose the massive number of yam daisies which proliferated in the area.[7] These roots and various tuber lilies formed a major source of starch and carbohydrates.[8] Seasonal changes in the weather, availability of foods and other factors would determine where campsites were located, many near the Birrarung and its tributaries.
The Wurundjeri and Gunung Willam Balug clans mined
Settlement and dispossession of the Wurundjeri lands began soon after a
You see…all this mine. All along here Derrimut's once. No matter now, me soon tumble down…Why me have no lubra? Why me have no piccaninny? You have all this place. No good have children, no good have lubra. Me tumble down and die very soon now.[13][14]
Coranderrk
In 1863 the surviving members of the Wurundjeri tribe were given "permissive occupancy" of
Wurundjeri today
All remaining Wurundjeri people are descendants of Bebejan, through his daughter Annie Borate (Boorat), and in turn, her son Robert Wandin (Wandoon). Bebejan was a Ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri people and was present at John Batman's "treaty" signing in 1835.[15] Joy Murphy Wandin, a Wurundjeri elder, explains the importance of preserving Wurundjeri culture:
In the recent past, Wurundjeri culture was undermined by people being forbidden to "talk culture" and language. Another loss was the loss of children taken from families. Now, some knowledge of the past must be found and collected from documents. By finding and doing this, Wurundjeri will bring their past to the present and recreate a place of belonging. A "keeping place" should be to keep things for future generations of our people, not a showcase for all, not a resource to earn dollars. I work towards maintaining the Wurundjeri culture for Wurundjeri people into the future.[a]
In 1985, the
Wurundjeri elders often attend events with visitors present where they give the traditional
Wominjeka yearmenn koondee-bik Wurundjeri-Ballak
which means, "Welcome to the land of the Wurundjeri people".[18][19]
Notable people
- Bebejan (?-1836): ngurungaeta, and William Barak's father and Billibellary's brother
- Billibellary (1799–1846): ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-willam clan.
- Simon Wonga (1824–1874): ngurungaeta by 1851 until his death. Billibellary's son.[20]
- William Barak (1824–1903): ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-willam clan from 1874 until his death.
- James Wandin (1933–2006): ngurungaeta until his death, and an Australian rules footballer
- Murrundindi: ngurungaeta from 2006 until present
Other notable Wurundjeri people include:
- Tullamareena: present during the founding of Melbourne
- Bunurongelder associated with the Woiwurrung, present during British invasion
- Diane Kerr: elder
- Winnie Quagliotti (1931–1988): elder
- Joy Murphy Wandin: senior elder
Alternative names/spellings
- Coraloon (?)
- Gungung-willam
- Kukuruk (northern clan name)
- Mort Noular (language name)
- Ngarukwillam
- N'uther Galla
- Nuthergalla (ngatha = juða "no" in the Melbourne dialect).[21]
- Oorongie
- Urunjeri[22]
- Waarengbadawa
- Wainworra
- Wairwaioo
- Warerong
- Warorong
- Warwaroo
- Wavoorong
- Wawoorong, Wawoorong
- Wawurong
- Wawurrong
- Woeworung
- Woiworung (name for the language they spoke, from woi + worung = speech)
- Woiwurru (woi = no + wur:u = lip)
- Woiwurung, Woiwurong, Woiwurrong
- Wooeewoorong
- Wowerong
- Wurrundyirra-baluk
- Wurunjeri
- Wurunjerri
- Wurunjerri-baluk
- Yarra Yarra
- Yarra Yarra Coolies (kulin = man)
See also
- Wurundjeri Tribe Land Compensation and Cultural Heritage Council
- Batman's Treaty
- Indigenous Australians
- Australian Aboriginal enumeration
- Battle of Yering
- Possum-skin cloak
- Bunurong
- Gunai people
Notes
- ^ Joy Murphy Wandin quoted in Ellender & Christiansen 2001, p. 121
Citations
- ^ Howitt 1889, p. 109, note 2.
- ^ Ellender & Christiansen 2001, p. 35.
- ^ Nicholson 2016.
- ^ Tindale 1974, pp. 208–209.
- ^ ISH History n.d.
- ^ Dunstan 2021.
- ^ Gammage 2012, pp. 45–46.
- ^ Pascoe 1947.
- ^ McBryde 1984, p. 44.
- ^ Presland 1994.
- ^ National Heritage List.
- ^ Barwick 1984, p. 122.
- ^ Jaga Jaga's Resistance War.
- ^ Clark 2005, p. ?.
- ^ VAHC 2008.
- ^ Abbotsford Convent Muse 2007.
- ^ Gardiner & McGaw 2018, p. 22.
- ^ Wandin 2000.
- ^ Flanagan 2003.
- ^ SLV: Simon Wonga.
- ^ Tindale 1974, p. 209.
- ^ Howitt 1889, p. 109.
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- Decision in relation to an Application by Wurundjeri Tribe Land and Compensation Cultural Heritage Council Inc to be a Registered Aboriginal Party. Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. 22 August 2008.
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