Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander verification

It is extremely important to verify words and names which relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture and languages. It is considered disrespectful to incorrectly name or spell these terms, especially the names of people and Country. There are hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, but you will find commonly used words and names in this article. You can always use a search engine to find words, remembering to use a reliable source like a community support centre or a university website.

If an Indigenous language is spoken and you know the name of the language, you should include it in the descriptive label, for example (SPEAKS NOONGAR). If the name of the language is not known, you should use (SPEAKS AN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE). If you aren’t familiar with Indigenous languages, it can be hard to identify when one is spoken in a file. Keep an ear out for relevant words, such as those in the table below. These words must always be capitalised in contexts which relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culture and languages.

Common Words:

Aboriginal

Torres Strait Islander

Indigenous

Elders

Traditional Owners

Traditional Custodians of the land

Country (refers to land that is cared for by Aboriginal people)

Welcome to Country

Acknowledgement of Country

Common words

Word	Meaning	Sounds like
Boodjar Booja	Land, ground, earth	Boo-ja
Womindjika Womindjeka Wominjeka Womin-dji-ka	“Welcome”	Wom-in-jeeka

Common names

Name	Sounds like	Where	Alternative spelling(s)
Anaiwan people	An-ay-wan	Armidale New England New South Wales	Anewan Anaywan
Bidjigal people	Bidge-ee-gul	New South Wales	Bedegal Bediagal Biddegal
Boon Wurrung people	Boon-wah-rung	Port Phillip Melbourne, Victoria	Boonwurrung
Darug people	Duh-rug	Sydney, New South Wales	Dharug
Dharawal people	Dah-rah-wool	Sydney South Coast New South Wales	Tharawal
Dhungutti	Dun-gutt-ee	Northern Tablelands Mid North Coast New South Wales	Dhunghutti Dhanggati Dunghutti Djangadi Dainggati Tunggutti
Dja Dja Wurrung	Jar-jar-wor-rong	Dja Dja Wurrung Country Bendigo, Victoria
Eora nation	Yor-rah	Wollongong Sydney New South Wales
Gadigal people	Gad-ee-gal	Sydney, New South Wales	Cadigal
Gamilaraay people	Gah-mill-ah-roy	Northern New South Wales Southern Queensland	Kamilaroi Gomeroi
Gunditjmara people	Goon-it-ji-mah-rah	Gunditjmara Country Warrnambool Victoria	Gunditjamara
Gumbaynggirr people	Goom-bayn-geer	Mid North Coast, New South Wales
Koori people	Koo-ree	North to South coastal areas, New South Wales Northeastern Victoria	Koorie Goori Goorie
Kulin nation	Cool-lan	Melbourne South Central Victoria
Noongar nation	Noong-ah	Perth Southwestern Western Australia	Nyungar Nyoongar
Ngunnawal people	Nun-ah-wall	Canberra, Australian Capital Territory New South Wales
Wadawurrung people	Wad-ah-wah-rung	Djillong Country Geelong, Victoria	Wathaurung Wathaurong
Whadjuk people	Wud-jook	Noongar Country Perth, Western Australia	Wadjuk
Wiradjuri people	Wor-ad-joo-ree	Central West, New South Wales
Wongutha people	Wung-guth-ah	Kalgoorlie Nullarbor Plain Goldfields-Esperance region, Western Australia	Wangkatha
Wurundjeri people	Wor-un-joo-ree	Woiwurrung Country Melbourne, Victoria
Yorta Yorta people	Yor-da-yor-da	Yorta Yorta Country Northeastern Victoria near the Murray and Goulburn Rivers	Jotijota
Yugambeh people	Yoog-gum-bare	Tweed Heads Gold Coast Logan City Southeast Queensland Northern New South Wales	Yugumbir
Yuggera people	Yug-ah-ra	Moreton Bay Toowoomba Brisbane, Queensland	Yaggera Yugara Yagarr Jagera Jagara
Yuin nation	Yoo-in	South Coast Wollongong, New South Wales

If you have tried to verify a word and cannot find what you are looking for in a verified source, you can use (UNKNOWN). If you come across an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander name or word that you would like added to this page, contact Online Support via email!