The traditional Aboriginal name for Melbourne is Naarm (also spelled Narrm), meaning "place" in the Woiwurrung language, belonging to the Kulin Nation, a collective of five Aboriginal clans including the Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung peoples, whose lands encompass the greater Melbourne area.
'Narrm' comes from Woiwurrung – the language spoken by the traditional owners of Melbourne and its surrounds, the Wurundjeri People. As the name 'Narrm' is being translated from oral language, there are several variations of the spelling. Narrm, Naarm and Nairm are all commonly used and accepted.
Did you know that Naarm is the Woi Wurrung word for Melbourne? Either Naarm or Narrm - there is no correct way to spell it due to the language only being oral, not written. Naarm is the more common way to spell it.
Narrm is the traditional name of the salty part of the Birrarung (Yarra River) and the top of Port Phillip Bay. Most of what is now called the City of Melbourne has been the homeland of the Wurundjeri people for millennia.
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Is Melbourne Woiwurrung or Wurundjeri?
The City of Melbourne is located on the sovereign lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung Peoples of the Eastern Kulin. It has since time immemorial been imbued with spiritual and cultural importance.
Examples of these include Murri (Queensland and north-west NSW) Koori (Victoria and NSW), and Nunga (Adelaide and surrounds). Use 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander' when referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people generally. Using 'First Peoples' and 'First Nations' is also generally acceptable.
And if you are talking about both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it's best to say either 'Indigenous Australians' or 'Indigenous people'. Without a capital “a”, “aboriginal” can refer to an Indigenous person from anywhere in the world. The word means “original inhabitant” in Latin.
Other types of abbreviated forms include: Curry (Cloncurry), Melbs (Melbourne), MoPo (Moonee Ponds), Ninsh (Mornington Peninsula), SoHo (South Hobart), Trak (Toorak). The most common pattern is an abbreviated form of the name with the addition of the -y (-ie) or -o suffix.
The word Narrm (Nairm, Naarm) can be spelt many ways and is a word used by both the Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung language groups of the Central Kulin Nation. In Woiwurrung language, people use this word to refer to 'the scrubland' of the now Greater Melbourne CBD area.
Your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is something that is personal to you. You do not need a letter of confirmation to identify as an Indigenous Australian.
"Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, Oi Oi Oi" (often "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi") is a popular Australian sports chant expressing national pride, a patriotic call-and-response meaning "Australian! Australian! Australian! Yes! Yes! Yes!". It's a modification of an older British chant, "Oggy Oggy Oggy, Oi Oi Oi," originally from Cornish miners, but the "Aussie" version became famous worldwide after the Sydney Olympics, symbolizing national unity and excitement at sporting events.
Etymology. The name is derived from Tullamareena, a young member of the Indigenous Wurundjeri clan, who in 1838 escaped from Melbourne's first gaol by burning it to the ground.
Using Naarm is a gesture of respect for the Wurundjeri people's enduring relationship with the land and a step toward decolonizing place names. It underscores the importance of "Acknowledgement of Country" practices in Australia, which recognize Indigenous custodianship in formal settings.
Bogan (/ˈboʊɡən/ BOHG-ən) is Australian and New Zealand slang to describe a person whose speech, clothing, behaviour, or attitudes are considered unrefined or unsophisticated.
Aboriginal-language terms for people, such as "Koori", "Murri" or "Nyoongah", are appropriate for the areas where they apply. About 80% of the Torres Strait Island population now resides outside the Torres Strait; thus, local terminology such as "Murray Island Peoples" and "Mer Island Peoples" is also used.
The standard three-part test for Aboriginality in Australia requires a person to prove they have biological descent from an Indigenous Australian, self-identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and be accepted as such by their Indigenous community, a definition used by many government bodies and institutions for benefits and programs. This test ensures identity beyond just genetics, incorporating cultural recognition, and stems from definitions adopted by the Australian Government in the late 1970s.
The term "Walkabout" was recognized by early colonial settlers as a distinct form of travel linked to Aboriginal communities. However, this term was sometimes used in a derogatory manner, implying irresponsibility, especially within labour contexts.
'Aborigine' is generally perceived as insensitive, because it has racist connotations from Australia's colonial past, and lumps people with diverse backgrounds into a single group. You're more likely to make friends by saying 'Aboriginal person', 'Aboriginal' or 'Torres Strait Islander'.
