Wikipedia

Wurundjeri

Not to be confused with theWiradjuripeople of Central New South Wales.

TheWurundjeripeopleare anAboriginalpeople of theWoiwurrung language group,in theKulin nation.They are thetraditional ownersof theYarra RiverValley, covering much of the present location ofMelbourne.They continue to live in this area and throughout Australia. They were called theYarra tribeby early European colonists.

Wurundjeri
Languages
Woiwurrung,English
Religion
Aboriginal mythology,Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Boonwurrung,Dja Dja Wurrung,Taungurung,Wathaurong
seeList of Indigenous group names
Aboriginals atMerri CreekbyCharles Troedel,1864

TheWurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporationwas established in 1985 by Wurundjeri people.

Ethnonym

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According to the early Australian ethnographerAlfred William Howitt,the name Wurundjeri, in his transcriptionUrunjeri,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 theirethnonymcombines a word,wurun,meaningManna gum/ "white gum tree"[2]anddjeri,a species of grub found in the tree, and take the word therefore to mean "Witchetty GrubPeople ".[3]

Language

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Main article:Woiwurrung language

Wurundjeri people speakWoiwurrung,a dialect ofKulin.Kulin is spoken by the five groups in the Kulin nation.

Country

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Basic territorial boundaries with other nations

In anthropologistNorman Tindale's estimation – and his data, drawing on anthropologistR. H. Mathews's data which has been challenged[4]– Wurundjeri lands extend over approximately 12,500 km2(4,800 sq mi). These took in the areas of the Yarra and Saltwater rivers around Melbourne, and ran north as far asMount Disappointment,northwest toMacedon,Woodend,andLancefield.Their eastern borders went as far asMount Baw BawandHealesville.Their southern confines approachedMordialloc,Warragul,andMoe.[5]

In June 2021, the boundaries between the land of two of thetraditional ownergroups ingreater Melbourne,the Wurundjeri andBoonwurrung(Bunurong), were agreed between the two groups, after being drawn up by theVictorian Aboriginal Heritage Council.The new borderline runs across the city from west to east, with theCBD,RichmondandHawthornincluded in Wurundjeri land, andAlbert Park,St KildaandCaulfieldon Boonwurrung land. It was agreed thatMount Cottrell,the site of amassacre in 1836with at least 10 Wathaurong victims, would be jointly managed above the 160 m (520 ft) line. The twoRegistered Aboriginal Partiesrepresenting the two groups were theBunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporationand theWurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.However, these borders are still in dispute among several prominent figures and Wurundjeri territory has been claimed to spread much further west and south.[6]

Clans

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The Wurundjeriballuk[a]was composed of twopatrilineswho resided in two distinct localities. These were respectively theWurundjeri-willamand theBaluk-willam,[7]wherewillammeans "camping ground" /dwelling.[8][9]

The Wurundjeri Willum resided throughout the territory on the Yarra running along its sources as far asMount Baw Bawand to the area where it forms a junction with theMaribyrnong River.[2]

The Balluk-willam's territory cover an area from Mt. Baw Baw: Their territory covers the area south from Mount Baw Baw toDandenong,Cranbourneand the swampland at the head ofWestern Port bay.[2]

History

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Main article:Woiwurrung § History

As colonization began, it was estimated that something of the order of 11,500-15,000 Aborigines, composed of some 38 tribal groups, were living in the area of Victoria.[10][11]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 ofyam daisieswhich proliferated in the area.[12]These roots and various tuber lilies formed a major source of starch and carbohydrates.[13]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 mineddioriteatMount William stone axe quarrywhich was a source of the highly valued greenstone hatchet heads, which were traded across a wide area as far as New South Wales and Adelaide. The mine provided a complex network of trading for economic and social exchange among the different Aboriginal nations in Victoria.[14][15]The quarry had been in use for more than 1,500 years and covered 18 hectares including underground pits of several metres. In February 2008 the site was placed on theAustralian National Heritage Listfor its cultural importance and archeological value.[16]

Settlement and dispossession of the Wurundjeri lands began soon after aceremonyin which Wurundjeri leaders conducted atanderrumceremony, whose function was to allow outsiders temporary access to the resources of clan lands.John Batmanand other whites interpreted this symbolic act, recorded intreaty form,as equivalent to medievalenfeoffmentof all Woiwurrong territory.[2]Within a few years settlement began aroundPound BendwithMajor Charles NewmanatMullum Mullum Creekin 1838, and James Anderson onBeal Yallock, now known as Anderson's Creeka year later. Their measures to clear the area of Aboriginals was met with guerrilla skirmishing, led by Jaga Jaga, with the appropriation of cattle and the burning of fields. They were armed with rifles, and esteemed to be excellent marksmen, firing close to Anderson to drive him off as they helped themselves to his potato crop while en route toYeringin 1840. A trap set there by Captain Henry Gibson led to Jaga Jaga's capture and a battle as the Wurundjeri fought unsuccessfully to secure his release. Resistance was broken, and settlements throve. One elder, Derrimut, later stated:

You see…all this mine. All along here Derrimut's once. No matter now, me soon tumble down…Why me have nolubra?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.[17][18]

Coranderrk

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Main article:Coranderrk

In 1863 the surviving members of the Wurundjeri tribe were given "permissive occupancy" ofCoranderrkStation, nearHealesvilleand forcibly resettled. Despite numerous petitions, letters, and delegations to the Colonial and Federal Government, the grant of this land in compensation for the country lost was refused. Coranderrk was closed in 1924 and its occupants bar five refusing to leave Country were again moved toLake TyersinGippsland.

Wurundjeri today

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All remaining Wurundjeri people are descendants of Bebejan, through his daughter Annie Borate (Boorat), and in turn, her son Robert Wandin (Wandoon). Bebejan was aNgurungaetaof the Wurundjeri people and was present atJohn Batman's "treaty" signing in 1835.[19]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.[b]

In 1985, theWurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporationwas established to fulfil statutory roles under Commonwealth and Victorian legislation and to assist in raising awareness of Wurundjeri culture and history within the wider community.[20][21]

Wurundjeri Elders often attend events with visitors present where they give the traditionalwelcome to countrygreeting in theWoiwurrung language:

Wominjeka yearmenn koondee-bik Wurundjeri-Ballak

which means, "Welcome to the land of the Wurundjeri people".[22][23]

Notable people

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William Barak at Coranderrk

Ngurungaeta:

Other notable Wurundjeri people include:

Alternative names/spellings

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  • Coraloon(?)
  • Gungung-willam
  • Kukuruk(northern clan name)
  • Mort Noular(language name)
  • Ngarukwillam
  • N'uther Galla
  • Nuthergalla(ngatha=juða"no" in the Melbourne dialect).[25]
  • Oorongie
  • Urunjeri[26]
  • Waarengbadawa
  • Wainworra
  • Wairwaioo
  • Warerong
  • Warorong
  • Warwaroo
  • Wavoorong
  • Wawoorong, Wawoorong
  • Wawurong
  • Wawurrong
  • Woeworung
  • Woiworung(name for the language they spoke, fromwoi+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

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toWurundjeri.

Notes

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  1. ^Ballukwas a suffix referring to a number of people in the noun it is attached to (Barwick 1984,p. 122).
  2. ^Joy Murphy Wandinquoted inEllender & Christiansen 2001,p. 121

Citations

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  1. ^Howitt 1889,p. 109, note 2.
  2. ^abcdBarwick 1984,p. 122.
  3. ^Ellender & Christiansen 2001,p. 35.
  4. ^Barwick 1984,pp. 100–103.
  5. ^Tindale 1974,pp. 208–209.
  6. ^Dunstan 2021.
  7. ^Barwick 1984,pp. 120, 122.
  8. ^Fels 2011,p. xxi.
  9. ^Nicholson 2016.
  10. ^Barwick 1984,p. 109,n.13.
  11. ^Warren 2011,p. 15.
  12. ^Gammage 2012,pp. 45–46.
  13. ^Pascoe 1947.
  14. ^McBryde 1984,p. 44.
  15. ^Presland 1994.
  16. ^National Heritage List.
  17. ^Jaga Jaga's Resistance War.
  18. ^Clark 2005,p.?.
  19. ^VAHC 2008.
  20. ^Abbotsford Convent Muse 2007.
  21. ^Gardiner & McGaw 2018,p. 22.
  22. ^Wandin 2000.
  23. ^Flanagan 2003.
  24. ^SLV: Simon Wonga.
  25. ^Tindale 1974,p. 209.
  26. ^Howitt 1889,p. 109.

Sources

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