Abstract
This chapter provides a brief introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and history, and a more comprehensive introduction to Nyoongar people and culture. Contemporary Nyoongar people and culture have been dramatically impacted by over 190 years of colonisation. To know the colonial history of Western Australia is to take a significant step closer to knowing and understanding Nyoongar people and community. This chapter can help non-Indigenous people to engage and connect with Nyoongar people because it is an overview of the most significant aspects of our colonial history that are essential knowledge for anyone who is seeking to work collaboratively with Nyoongar people.
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Notes
- 1.
This list shows some but not all of the variations of spelling for the Nyoongar language groups.
- 2.
While traditional Nyoongar people lived in temporary dwellings called ‘koolark’, there is evidence of other cultural groups constructing community-style permanent dwellings that could house large numbers of people. See Bruce Pascoe’s book Dark Emu (2014).
- 3.
To better illustrate differences in Aboriginal identity, see Creative Spirits website https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/people/aboriginal-identity-who-is-aboriginal.
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Johnston, M., Forrest, S. (2020). Nyoongar History and Culture. In: Working Two Way. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4913-7_2
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