Indigenous History 1835-Ongoing
Introduction
The word Koori — sometimes spelled Koorie — is one of the most recognised and respected terms used by Indigenous peoples of south-eastern Australia to identify themselves.
More than a word, Koori expresses identity, belonging, and continuity of culture. It is most commonly used today by Indigenous communities of Victoria and southern New South Wales, especially those whose traditional lands lie within the broader Kulin Nation, Yorta Yorta, Wiradjuri, and coastal nations such as the Gunai/Kurnai and Yuin (Clark & Kostanski, 2021).
In contemporary Australian society, Koori carries meanings that stretch far beyond language — it stands as a symbol of resilience, cultural renewal, and regional identity. Yet its story is deeply historical, tied to colonisation, survival, and the ongoing assertion of Indigenous voice in south-eastern Australia.
Origins and Linguistic Roots
The term Koori derives from words used in several south-eastern Indigenous languages that mean “person” or “people.”
In the Awabakal language of the Newcastle region, the word koorinda or koorin meant “man” or “people” (Threlkeld, 1834).
Related forms such as kuri, guri, and goori appear in neighbouring Wonnarua, Yuin, and Wiradjuri languages (Wafer & Lissarrague, 2008).
Across southern New South Wales and northern Victoria, the term evolved into a broader regional identity expression, becoming Koori or Koorie.
While originally local in scope, the word became more widely adopted during the twentieth century as Indigenous peoples from different language groups, displaced through colonisation and government policies, sought shared ways to express identity and continuity.
Historical Context: Displacement and Identity
1. The Era of Missions and Reserves (1830s–1950s)
During the 19th century, as colonial expansion and missionisation spread across Victoria and New South Wales, many Aboriginal families were forcibly relocated onto missions and government reserves such as Coranderrk, Lake Tyers, Cummeragunja, Framlingham, and Lake Condah (Broome, 2005).
Displacement and intermarriage between people from different language groups created new social connections. Over time, regional identities began to form — such as Koori in the south-east, Murri in Queensland, Nunga in South Australia, and Noongar in Western Australia.
For Aboriginal Victorians, Koori emerged as a unifying term that carried both survival and belonging, connecting people whose traditional nations had been fractured by colonisation.
2. From Self-Identification to Political Assertion (1960s–1980s)
By the 1960s, the word Koori had become a powerful expression of self-determination.
Indigenous activists, community leaders, and cultural groups increasingly used the term instead of imposed colonial labels.
The Koori movement paralleled broader civil rights movements, affirming cultural pride and the right to self-identify.
In 1982, the Aboriginal Advancement League in Melbourne officially began using Koori in publications, while the Koori Mail (founded 1991) later became the first national Indigenous newspaper to embrace the term.
By reclaiming language, Indigenous peoples of the south-east reclaimed agency over their own narrative — defining who they were and how they would be represented.
Meaning and Modern Usage
In Victoria today, Koori (or Koorie) is widely used in both community and institutional contexts:
· Koori Heritage Trust (est. 1985, Melbourne) — preserving and teaching Aboriginal art and history.
· Koori Court (est. 2002) — incorporating community elders into sentencing processes within Victoria’s legal system (Marchetti & Daly, 2007).
· Koorie Education programs — developed through the Victorian Department of Education to support cultural learning and language revival.
To identify as Koori is to assert belonging to the Aboriginal nations of south-eastern Australia — an identity grounded in both ancestral Country and shared experience of colonisation and revival.
Regional Variations in Identity Terms
Across Australia, Indigenous peoples use a range of regional identity terms derived from local languages and cultural traditions. These words generally translate to “person,” “people,” or “human being,” while also carrying deeper meanings connected to Country, kinship, ancestry, and belonging.
In south-eastern Australia, the term Koori or Koorie became widely used among Indigenous peoples of Victoria and southern New South Wales, including many nations within the Kulin alliance, Yorta Yorta, Gunai/Kurnai, and neighbouring communities. Along the north coast of New South Wales and near the Queensland border, related forms such as Goori or Goorie are commonly used among Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr peoples.
In Queensland, many Indigenous communities identify with the term Murri, while in South Australia the term Nunga developed as a broader regional identity among communities including Kaurna and Narungga peoples. In south-west Western Australia, Noongar refers both to the people and the broader cultural-linguistic identity of the region. In Tasmania, Palawa became an important identity term symbolising survival and continuity despite the devastating impacts of colonisation.
Together, these identity terms demonstrate the diversity of Indigenous Australia while also reflecting shared principles of kinship, language, continuity, and relationship to Country (AIATSIS 2023).
The Word “Koori” and Victorian Country
In Victoria, Koori represents the shared identity of multiple nations — including Wadawurrung, Woiwurrung (Wurundjeri), Taungurung, Dja Dja Wurrung, Boonwurrung, and Gunai/Kurnai — whose lands stretch from the Murray River to the southern coastlines and Western Plains.
While each nation maintains distinct languages, lore, and boundaries, the collective name Koori symbolises unity across Country following the disruptions of colonisation. It became especially significant in Victoria during the 20th century when policies of protectionism, removal, and assimilation fractured families and languages (Clark & Heydon, 2002).
In this context, Koori served as a bridge between old and new identities — a word carrying both pain and pride. It allowed Aboriginal Victorians to reconnect across divided nations, and to continue asserting their presence on Country in a language of their own choosing.
Language, Lore, and Revitalisation
Indigenous communities across Victoria today continue to revive and teach local languages.
Through organisations such as the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL), more than forty Indigenous languages are being reconstructed from historical records, word lists, and Elders’ knowledge (VACL, 2023).
While Koori remains a unifying identity, it exists alongside the resurgence of specific nation names and dialects, reflecting the layered complexity of belonging — local, regional, and cultural.
This mirrors an older principle of Indigenous lore: that identity is both inherited through kinship and continually renewed through relationship to Country.
Cultural Significance and Symbolism
To be Koori is not simply to descend from Indigenous ancestry — it is to belong to a living continuum of language, kinship, memory, and story.
It acknowledges connection to Country, Elders, and ancestors.
It represents survival through dispossession, missions, and resilience.
It carries a sense of homecoming to the south-eastern lands where First Peoples have lived for over 40,000 years (Rhodes, 2019).
In ceremony, art, and storytelling, the term Koori is now deeply embedded within cultural life, appearing in festivals, community gatherings, education programs, and language revitalisation projects as a symbol of survival and continuity.
Contemporary Perspectives
Today, while many Aboriginal Victorians proudly identify as Koori, others prefer to identify by their specific nation or language group, such as Wadawurrung, Wurundjeri, or Yorta Yorta.
This reflects the diversity and self-determination of Aboriginal identity — the right to define oneself.
Institutions increasingly recognise both local and regional identifiers. For instance, universities and museums now consult Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs), which represent Traditional Owner groups, while still acknowledging Koori heritage as a broader cultural framework for policy and education.
Conclusion
The history of the word Koori reflects a journey of loss, adaptation, and renewal.
From its origins in south-eastern languages meaning “person,” to its use as a unifying identity through missions, activism, and cultural revival, Koori stands as a declaration of pride and continuity for the First Peoples of Victoria and southern New South Wales.
In the language of both ancestors and descendants, Koori continues to mean what it always has:
“We are still here — we are the people.”
References
AIATSIS (2023) Map of Indigenous Australia. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
Broome, R. (2005) Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800. Sydney: Allen & Unwin.
Clark, I. D. & Heydon, T. (2002) Dictionary of Aboriginal Placenames of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages.
Clark, I. D. & Kostanski, L. (2021) ‘Language revival and Aboriginal identity in Victoria’, Aboriginal History, 44(1), pp. 83–108.
Marchetti, E. & Daly, K. (2007) ‘Indigenous courts and justice practices in Australia’, Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 277, Australian Institute of Criminology.
Neale, M. (2017) Songlines: The Power and Promise. Canberra: National Museum of Australia.
Rhodes, D. (2019) ‘Archaeological evidence for Aboriginal occupation of Victoria’, Victorian Archaeology Journal, 33, pp. 5–20.
Rose, D. B. (1996) Nourishing Terrains: Australian Aboriginal Views of Landscape and Wilderness. Canberra: Australian Heritage Commission.
Threlkeld, L. E. (1834) An Australian Grammar. Sydney: Government Printer.
Wafer, J. & Lissarrague, A. (2008) A Handbook of Aboriginal Languages of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. Sydney: Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Culture Co-operative.
Written, Researched and Directed by James Vegter (22 October 2025)
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Magic Lands Alliance acknowledges the Traditional Owners, Custodians, and First Nations communities across Australia and internationally. We honour their enduring connection to the sky, land, waters, language, and culture. We pay respect to Elders past, present, and emerging, and to all First Peoples’ communities and language groups. This article draws only on publicly available information; many cultural practices remain the intellectual property of their respective communities.