Dhudhuroa people facts for kids

The Dhudhuroa people (sometimes called Duduroa) are an Indigenous Australian group from North-eastern Victoria, in Australia. Today, about 2,000 people in Australia are descendants of the Dhudhuroa people.

What's in a Name?

The name Dhudhuroa comes from their own language. It seems to combine dhu- (from their word for "no," dhubalga) and a part of the word for "mouth" (wurru). This might mean something like "no-mouth" or "different speech," but it's just a guess.

Their Language

The Dhudhuroa language is part of the larger Pama-Nyungan language family. It's considered a unique language among its neighbours because it doesn't share many words with them. One of its different ways of speaking was called Ba Barwidgee.

Good news! The Dhudhuroa language is now being brought back to life. It's being taught in schools like Bright Secondary College, Harrietville Primary School, and Wooragee Primary School.

Their Traditional Lands

The Dhudhuroa language was spoken in north-eastern Victoria long before Europeans arrived. Their traditional lands covered about 1,800 square miles (4,700 km²). This area included the Mitta Mitta and Kiewa rivers. It also stretched along the Murray River from Jingellic and Tintaldra to Albury.

As of 2015, there are around 2,000 descendants of the Dhudhuroa people. They have a special group called the Dhudhuroa Native Title Group, which works to protect their rights and heritage.

How They Lived Together

Early researchers sometimes thought the Dhudhuroa were a smaller group within a larger one called the Jaitmathang. However, their language was quite different from the Jaitmathang groups. This shows they were a distinct and separate people with their own unique ways.

Other Names for the Dhudhuroa People

Over time, the Dhudhuroa people have been known by several different names. Here are some of them:

• Tharamirttong
• Tharamittong
• Tharomattay
• Jeenong-metong (which means "strong-footed ones")
• Dyinning-middhang
• Ginning-matong
• Dhooroomba
• Theddora mittung
• Djiningmiddang tribe
• Yaithmathang
• Jaitmatang
• Duduroa
• Djilamatang
• Kandangora
• Omeo tribe
• Theddora
• Yaitmathang
• Dhudhruwa
• Do
• dor
• dee
• Dodora
• Dodoro
• Toutourrite
• Duduruwa

Some Dhudhuroa Words

Here are a few words from the Dhudhuroa language:

• ngiyambanba (fire)
• geberri (bad)
• gundja (good)
• yambo (fish)
• bandjina (child)
• mema (father)
• baba (mother)
• wingga (dog)
• dalga (mountain)
• gumbarro (gum tree)