Kaurna facts for kids

Ivaritji, a Kaurna elder and the last speaker of the Kaurna language (photographed 1928)
Quick facts for kids Regions with significant populations
South Australia
Languages
Kaurna language & Australian Aboriginal English

The Kaurna people are an Aboriginal group from the Adelaide Plains in South Australia. Early settlers called them the "Adelaide tribe". Their culture and language were almost lost after the British colonisation of South Australia in 1836. However, thanks to old records from missionaries and researchers, their language and culture are now being brought back to life. The phrase Kaurna meyunna means "Kaurna people".

The Kaurna Name and Its Meaning

Early settlers gave different names to the Aboriginal groups around the Adelaide Plains. These names often came from where the groups lived, like "the Adelaide tribe" or "the Wirra tribe".

The Kaurna people themselves did not have one common name for all their groups. The name Kaurna was first written down in 1879. It became popular in the 1920s. It likely comes from a word meaning "men" or "people" from a nearby Aboriginal language. Today, Kaurna meyunna (Kaurna people) is often used in greetings and special ceremonies.

The Kaurna Language: A Revival Story

The Kaurna language is part of the Thura-Yura family. The first lists of Kaurna words were made in 1826. Early settlers, like William Williams, quickly learned the language. They published a Kaurna wordlist in 1840.

In 1838, Governor George Gawler arrived in South Australia. He encouraged settlers to learn Kaurna and use Kaurna names for places. Two German missionaries, Christian Teichelmann and Clamor Schürmann, also arrived in 1838. They started learning and writing down the language right away.

In 1839, they opened a school at Piltawodli in the Adelaide Park Lands. Children there learned to read and write in Kaurna. The missionaries recorded over 2,000 Kaurna words. This huge list has been key to bringing the language back to life today.

Kaurna Traditional Lands

Approximate extent of Kaurna territory, based on the description by Amery (2000)

Kaurna traditional lands stretched from Cape Jervis in the south to Port Wakefield in the north. They also went as far north as Crystal Brook. Some records say Kaurna groups lived near Snowtown and Gawler. The Mount Lofty Ranges were a natural border with the Peramangk people.

The main Kaurna presence was in Tarndanyangga ("red kangaroo place"). This area is now the Adelaide city centre. Kaurna people also lived in places like Burnside and Beaumont. An early settler described seeing many Kaurna camps near creeks and gullies.

Loss of Land and Way of Life

When British settlers arrived, they were supposed to protect Aboriginal people's land. However, the settlers' needs came first. All land was sold to settlers.

Missionaries like Teichelmann and Schurmann told the authorities that Kaurna people owned their land. Governor Gawler set aside some areas for the Kaurna. But settlers protested, and these lands were sold. Within ten years, almost all Kaurna lands were taken by Europeans.

The Kaurna way of life was deeply affected. Their food sources disappeared as European farming changed the land. Elders lost their authority, and their traditional customs were undermined.

Kaurna Population Changes

Early Contact to Mid-1800s

Before Europeans arrived, there may have been thousands of Kaurna people. By 1836, when the colony was formally set up, their numbers were down to about 700. Contacts began in the 1790s with sealers and whalers. The Kaurna were careful around Europeans because of these early experiences.

The population dropped sharply after Governor John Hindmarsh arrived in December 1836. Diseases like smallpox and typhoid caused many deaths. The Kaurna had no immunity to these new illnesses. Many groups lost their identity as they merged with others to survive.

The government had promised to protect Aboriginal people. Matthew Moorhouse, the Protector of Aborigines, reported in 1840 that many Kaurna were friendly. Leaders like Mullawirraburka and Kadlitpinna helped the police and settlers. They also shared their language and culture with missionaries.

However, as more settlers arrived, violence and unfair treatment increased. The Kaurna people faced harsh laws. By the 1850s, very few Kaurna remained in the Adelaide area. Many children were moved far away to a training institution. Some Kaurna joined neighboring Aboriginal groups or married settlers.

Late 1800s to Today

By 1860, settlers greatly outnumbered the Kaurna. Many Kaurna adults were moved to places like Point McLeay and Point Pearce. By 1888, a missionary reported "scarcely one remaining." However, some Kaurna people did survive and married into local families at these missions.

History books about Adelaide often ignored the Aboriginal presence for a long time. But there is a strong tradition of Kaurna dances and ceremonies going back to the 1840s.

The last person of full Kaurna descent, a woman named Ivaritji, died in 1929. She was born in Port Adelaide in the 1840s. Her father, Ityamai-itpina, was an important Kaurna leader. Ivaritji helped identify important cultural sites in Adelaide. Whitmore Square is now named after her to honor the Kaurna people's history on the land.

Native Title Rights

Unlike other parts of Australia, South Australia was not considered empty land when it was founded. The law that set up the province in 1834 said that Aboriginal people's rights to their land should be protected. However, this law was ignored by settlers.

In 2000, the Kaurna Yerta Corporation made a native title claim. This claim covered over 8,000 square kilometers of land, including all of Adelaide. In 2018, the Kaurna people were officially recognized as the traditional owners of the land from "Myponga to Lower Light".

This was a very important step. It was the first time a native title agreement was made in an Australian capital city. It means the Kaurna people have rights over certain undeveloped lands in the Adelaide area.

Kaurna Culture and Traditions

The Kaurna people were hunter-gatherers. They moved their homes based on the weather. In summer, they camped near the coast to fish. In winter, they moved to woodlands for shelter.

They used fire-stick farming in the Adelaide Hills. This meant they deliberately lit small bushfires to clear scrub. This helped new grass grow, which attracted emus and kangaroos for hunting. Early European settlers noticed these fires. This practice sometimes caused problems with settlers' farms.

Kaurna Artefacts and Cultural Centres

Traditional Kaurna objects like spears, boomerangs, and nets are very rare today. Most items were sent to an exhibition in Paris in 1889 and never returned. The South Australian Museum has only a small collection of Kaurna items.

In 2002, the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre opened in Adelaide. This center helps keep Kaurna culture alive.

Family and Community Life

Kaurna people lived in family groups called bands. Each band had its own land called pangkarra. These lands usually included access to the coast and stretched inland. The coast provided seafood, and inland areas offered food and shelter.

Marriage was not allowed between people from the same band. Women would live with their husband's band after marriage. Kaurna people also had two main family groups, Karuru and Mattari. Children belonged to their mother's group. Marriage within the same group was not allowed. Girls could marry around age 12, while men usually married after age 25.

Kaurna people shared property communally, meaning it belonged to the whole community.

Stories and Beliefs

Not much is known about Kaurna stories and beliefs from early records. The Kaurna practiced chest scarification as a special rite. Waterfall Gully is linked to these ceremonies.

The Kaurna had special burial customs. When someone died, their body was wrapped and buried. Children under four were carried by their mothers for months before burial. Graves were often found near water, like beaches and riverbanks.

One important story is about a giant named Nganno. The Mount Lofty Ranges are said to be his ears. This story, like others, teaches about the importance of community and sharing.

Another key story is about Tjilbruke, a culture hero. His journey is mapped out from Bedford Park down the Fleurieu Peninsula. Efforts are made to preserve and remember these "Tjilbruke Dreaming Tracks."

Munaitjerlo is an ancestral being who created the Moon and stars. This word also refers to the Kaurna Dreamtime, a time when ancestral beings created the world.

Kaurna Seasons

The Kaurna calendar has four seasons:

• Warltati: The hot season (January to March).
• Parnati: The windy season (April to June).
• Kudlila: The wet season (July to September).
• Wirltutu: The mild warm season (October to December). This season is named after a constellation that looks like an eagle's foot.

Bringing Kaurna Culture Back to Life

Since the 1970s, Kaurna elders and community leaders have worked hard to bring their culture back. They helped introduce Kaurna perspectives into school lessons. They also established the Tjilbruke Dreaming Track. Important leaders include Lewis O'Brien, Gladys Elphick, Alitya (Alice) Rigney, and Georgina Williams. Many Kaurna people who grew up in missions are now reclaiming their skills and Dreaming stories.

Kaurna Organisations

The Kaurna Aboriginal Community and Heritage Association (KACHA) represents all Kaurna people. It works on cultural heritage, language, and rebuilding the culture.

The Kaurna Yerta Aboriginal Corporation also represents Kaurna people. They helped create the Wangayarta memorial park and burial site in 2021.

Kaurna Dance Groups

There are at least two Kaurna traditional dance groups:

• Taikurtinna (meaning "family"), started by Uncle Stevie Goldsmith.
• Kuma Karro ("One Blood"), started in 2008 by Jack Buckskin.

Kaurna Place Names in South Australia

Further information: Kaurna language#Kaurna place names

The name of the Onkaparinga River (pictured) is derived from the Kaurna language.

Many places around Adelaide have names that come from the Kaurna language. Examples include Cowandilla, Aldinga, and Munno Para. Some names were from the Kaurna groups who lived there.

The Adelaide City Council started adding Kaurna names to city squares and parks in 1997. This process was completed in 2012. Now, many important sites have both an English and a Kaurna name.

Other Names for Kaurna People

Returning Ancestral Remains

On August 1, 2019, the remains of 11 Kaurna people were buried at Kingston Park Coastal Reserve. The South Australian Museum is working with the Kaurna people to return their ancestors' remains. Many remains are still held by museums, both in Australia and overseas.

In 2021, a new burial site called Wangayarta was built in Evanston South. It was designed by Kaurna elders and is shaped like a Kaurna shield to protect the ancestors. In November 2021, the South Australian Museum apologized for holding 4,600 Aboriginal remains for 165 years. They buried the first 100 Kaurna ancestors at Wangayarta. More burials took place in June 2022.

Notable Kaurna People

Jack Buckskin

Jack Kanya Kudnuitya Buckskin (born around 1986) is a Kaurna and Narungga man. He was named Young South Australian of the Year in 2011. Jack teaches Kaurna language and culture at places like the University of Adelaide.

A documentary called Buckskin was made about his work. He also performs Welcomes to Country and acts. Jack and his partner have three children who are learning to speak Kaurna at home.

Uncle Stevie Goldsmith

Stephen "Gadlabarti" Goldsmith (died July 2017), known as Uncle Stevie, was a respected Kaurna, Narungga, and Ngarrindjeri elder. He worked at the Kaurna language revival center at the University of Adelaide. He also advised the South Australian Museum.

Uncle Stevie started the Taikurtinna dance group and played the yidaki (didgeridoo). He often performed Welcomes to Country at events like WOMADelaide. He also acted on television and stage. Uncle Stevie was honored with the Male Elder of the Year award in 2017. An award was created in his honor in 2018. His son, Jamie, continues his legacy as a yidaki player and dancer.

Other Important Kaurna People

• Uncle Major "Moogy" Sumner is a respected Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna elder.
• Gladys Elphick (1904–1988) was a founding president of the Council of Aboriginal Women of South Australia.
• Ivaritji (c.1849–1929) was likely the last person of full Kaurna ancestry. She was also the last known speaker of the Kaurna language before its revival.
• Lewis O'Brien (born 1930) is an elder and advocate for his people.
• Alitya (Alice) Rigney (1942–2017) was a scholar and linguist.
• Georgina Williams worked to preserve the Tjilbruke Dreaming Track.

See also

• History of Adelaide
• Matthew Moorhouse
• Pirltawardli
• Tjilbruke
• Warriparinga – site of the Living Kaurna Cultural Centre