Yolgnu people Aboriginal community

Aboriginal Community

Language Music sung in Yolngu language by Gurrumul Yunupingu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bawDFY8G-o4Djarimirri - Gurrumul Yunupingu

LanguageThe richness and diversity of culture is reflected by the large number of different clan groups and some 40 clan-languages in north-east Arnhem Land alone.

Activity: using the language word sheet create a conversation about what you did last night

Traditional Land owners

This vast tract of nearly 100,000 sq km of Aboriginal owned land is one of Australia's last strongholds of traditional Aboriginal culture. The Aboriginal people of East Arnhem Land call themselves Yolngu and today live a unique lifestyle blending the latest in

western technology with timeless traditions.

Yolngu have lived in the region for at least 50 thousand years with recognised land and marine estates. Clans live throughout Arnhem Land much

like they always have, hunting fish, bush animals and seasonal bush foods. Today Yolngu retain their

cultural and spiritual links to the area.

Yolngu is the term that Aboriginal people in this region use to refer to themselves, it is not the name

of a language group or clan. Any non-Yolngu person is called a Managa (thought to orginate from the word

'Hollander' for a white or Dutch person).

North-east Arnhem Land (including the Gove Peninsula) is part of the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust, and is held under inalienable freehold title by the Aboriginal traditional owners. The township of

Nhulunbuy and the associated bauxite mining operation are located on lease areas.

Yirrkala is the largest Yolngu community on the peninsula some 15 km south-east of Nhulunbuy with around 800 people. Many of the Yolngu in the region live in small communities located on the traditional

homelands of the various clans.The abundance of plant, animal and marine life in the area provided for one of the densest and most settled

Aboriginal populations in Australia.Arnhem Land's close geographical location to South-East Asia also gives rise to the theories that it was one of the first areas occupied by Aboriginal people

over 50 thousand years ago.

Home of the Yidaki

Arnhem Land is the home of the yidaki (known to other Aborigines as the didgeridoo) and the Yolngu

are master players and craftsmen of this instrument.

Activity: create your own Yidaki design using the template

Activities http://www.12canoes.com.au/

View the web page above and complete the worksheets

Thomsom timeKinshipCreation

First White manSwamp

Activities: Create an activity for one of the other elements on the website above