Koori facts for kids

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Koori
Total population
Daguerreotype photograph, c. 1847, described as "Group of Koorie men" by the National Gallery of Victoria
323,452 (2016 census)
Regions with significant populations
New South Wales	265,685
Victoria	57,767
Languages
English (Australian English, Australian Aboriginal English, Koori English), Australian Aboriginal languages
Related ethnic groups
Aboriginal Australians, Anangu, Arrernte, Murri, Noongar, Palawa

Koori (also spelled koorie, goori or goorie) is a name for Aboriginal people from southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word comes from the Awabakal Indigenous language. For many, using "Koori" helps reclaim their own language and culture. It is a way to move away from European names like "Aboriginal".

The term "Koori" is also used for important places and groups. Examples include the Koori Court, Koori Radio, and the Koori Knockout sports event.

This region has the largest number of Indigenous Australians. About 40.7% of all Indigenous Australians live in New South Wales or Victoria. However, Koori people make up only a small part of the total population in these states. Most Koori people speak English at home. A small number still use traditional Indigenous languages.

Koori culture deeply values "the Dreaming". This is a worldview that connects the land and community. Koori art and literature are still created today. They often use traditional Indigenous art styles.

Europeans first met Koori people in 1770. Since then, the Koori population has greatly decreased. This was due to the colonisation of Australia by Europeans. The effects of colonisation are still felt today. They continue to impact Koori life and well-being.

What Does "Koori" Mean?

Map of the Koori Region in Australia

The word "Koori" comes from gurri. This word means "man" or "people" in the Awabakal language. This language was spoken on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. In the far north of New South Wales, people might spell it "goori" or "goorie". They also pronounce it with a harder "g" sound.

The first time "Koori" was written down was in 1834. It appeared in a book called An Australian Grammar. There, it was written as "Ko-re" and meant "man" or "mankind".

Where Do Koori People Live?

Koori Indigenous Australians live in the southern parts of New South Wales and Victoria. Many different Indigenous groups live in this area. These include the Eora Nation in modern-day Sydney. The Ngunnawal Nation is in Canberra. The Woiwurrung Nation is in Melbourne.

Koori Culture and Art

Koori Art Styles

Possum-skin cloak of Wurundgeri origin

Like other Indigenous paintings, Koori art often uses dot work. Artists use "earthy colours" like black, white, red, and brown. Some Koori elders believe this style helps them connect with their traditional culture.

A unique art form for Koori people is "shell craft". This uses shells found along the coast to decorate items. In the 1880s, Koori women sold shell craft baskets and decorated shoes. They sold these to settler women at markets in La Perouse and Circular Quay in Sydney. This practice seems to have been special to the Sydney area.

Shell craft is still important to Koori people today. In 2008, an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney featured Indigenous shell craft. In 2005, Koori shell artist Esme Timbery won an art prize. She won for her model of the Sydney Harbour Bridge decorated with shells. The value of Koori shell craft has also grown. In 2005, shell craft shoes sold for about AUD$20. By 2009, a pair sold for AUD$140 at a Sydney gallery.

Another special item from the Koori region was the possum-skin cloak. These cloaks were traditionally given to Koori newborns. They had markings of the child's clan and family. As the child grew, more pieces were added. The cloak became a kind of Koori "autobiography." Making possum-skin cloaks became less common, but artists like Kelly Koumalatsos are bringing it back.

Koori Languages

The Koori region has many traditional Indigenous languages. Victoria had 38 Aboriginal languages. New South Wales historically had over 70. However, few Koori people speak an Indigenous language at home today. Only about 0.8% of New South Wales Kooris and 1% of Victorian Kooris use an Indigenous language at home. These are some of the lowest rates in Australia.

Efforts are being made to revive Koori languages. In New South Wales, more Koori families are speaking an Indigenous language at home. Between 2006 and 2016, the number of Indigenous language speakers in New South Wales increased by 123%. The New South Wales Government passed the Aboriginal Languages Act in 2017 to help save these languages.

Besides traditional languages, Kooris may also speak "Koori English." This is a special way of speaking English used by Kooris in their communities. It developed from the pidgin English used to talk with settlers long ago. It includes nonverbal cues like silences, gestures, and lip pursing. Some grammar rules in Koori English come from traditional Indigenous languages.

Koori Birthing Traditions

Old records show Koori birthing rituals included songs, dances, and ceremonies. Gunditjmara Kooris in South West Victoria used heated sand. This warmed the baby and welcomed it to the land. Records also show Koori people used natural pain management techniques. They even taught these methods to European settler women.

"Birthing trees" were very important in Koori traditions. These were trees where births took place. Mothers, families, and communities gathered there to welcome the baby. Sometimes, the placenta was buried under the birthing tree. This showed the newborn's connection to country. A Koori birthing tree in Western Victoria is now a Significant Tree. It is on the Australian Register of the National Trust. This shows its importance to the Koori people.

Koori History

Ancient Koori Life

Ancient human remains found at Lake Mungo, New South Wales

Scientists have found proof that Indigenous people lived in the Koori region a very long time ago. Evidence dates back 50,000–45,000 years. Ancient Koori items, like human remains and tools, were found at Lake Mungo in New South Wales. These are between 50,000 and 46,000 years old.

In Western Victoria, ancient Koori structures have been found. These include stone-walled fishing traps. They are up to six metres high and three kilometres long. These traps are about 6,600 years old. This makes them one of the oldest known fish-trapping systems in the world. Similar "village" sites have been found in South-Eastern Victoria. They have wooden structures, garden areas, and farming wetlands.

In New South Wales, small tools for processing plants and hunting are about 10,000 years old. Fishhooks were widely used along the Koori coast about 1000 years ago. These fishhooks might have come from outside Australia. Perhaps they came from the Torres Strait or Polynesia. This suggests there was a system of trade in the region.

First European Contact

The first recorded meeting between Indigenous Australians and Europeans in Koori land happened in 1770. This was during James Cook's HMS Endeavour journey. In his writings, Cook described meeting Indigenous groups at Botany Bay near modern-day Sydney.

During this first meeting, two Indigenous men tried to stop Cook from landing. Cook fired his weapon and wounded one man. The Endeavour stayed in the bay for seven days. This meant interactions between the explorers and Koori people were mostly from a distance.

Europeans saw Koori tools, weapons, and boats. But they did not write much about Koori religious or cultural life. The Indigenous groups at Botany Bay did not accept Cook's trade offers. They also resisted the explorers moving further onto their land.

Colonisation and Population Changes

After this first contact, Great Britain set up a penal colony at Botany Bay. The first settlers arrived in 1788 on the First Fleet. This marked the official start of European colonisation in Australia.

Over the next century, the Aboriginal population sharply declined. Estimates suggest an 80% to 96% drop in the overall Indigenous population. In the Koori region, about 80% of the population was lost in the first 20 years.

Waterloo Creek Massacre

It is believed that about 2,000 non-Aboriginal people and 20,000 Aboriginal people died in conflicts. This includes the Waterloo Creek massacre in New South Wales Koori territory in 1837. An estimated 200–300 Kooris were killed there. The Western District of Victoria was also a very violent area in the 1830s and 40s.

Many Kooris also died from European diseases like smallpox and chickenpox. They had no protection against these illnesses. In 1791, almost all Koori people in inner Sydney died from smallpox or chickenpox. Another smallpox outbreak affected New South Wales and Victoria in 1830.

The 20th Century

The Aboriginal Protection Board in New South Wales and Victoria separated Kooris. They moved them to government-run missions and reserves. In the 1910s, the Board gained more power. They could remove Koori children from their families. The goal was to make them live like non-Indigenous people. Some Koori children were placed with white families. Others were sent to labour schools. Examples include the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls and Kinchela Aboriginal Boys' Training Home. This separation and child removal happened across Australia. It became known as the Stolen Generations.

In 1937, Koori activist William Ferguson started the Aborigines Progressive Association in Sydney. This group protested the actions of the Aborigines Protection Board. About 1,000 Indigenous Australians attended their first rally in Sydney on January 26, 1938.

From the 1970s, policies of separation began to change. New South Wales adopted the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle in 1987. This rule said that an Indigenous family should be chosen for Koori children whenever possible. In 1997, the leaders of New South Wales and Victoria apologised. They apologised for the past mistreatment of Indigenous Australians, including the Stolen Generation. They also promised to work towards reconciliation.

Current Challenges for Koori People

Statistics show differences between Koori and non-Koori Australians. These differences are in health, education, income, and incarceration rates. The Australian National University's Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research links these differences to the impact of colonialism.

Health Disparities

Koori Australians generally have poorer health than non-Koori Australians. This is shown in their lower life expectancy. Between 2015 and 2017, non-Koori people in New South Wales and Victoria were expected to live 8–10 years longer than Koori people. This means the Koori population is younger. The average age of the New South Wales Koori community is 22. For the non-Koori population, it is 38.

In New South Wales, 7.6% of Indigenous people have a severe disability. This is higher than 5.6% for non-Indigenous people. This gap is growing. Also, Koori people with disabilities tend to be younger. About 36% of Indigenous people with disabilities in New South Wales are under 25. This is compared to 12.7% of non-Indigenous people.

Education Gaps

Koori Australians also have lower levels of education. In New South Wales, Koori children are half as likely to finish secondary school. In Victoria, only 56.5% of Koori people aged 25–34 have some form of tertiary education. This is compared to 74.9% of non-Koori people.

Income Differences

Koori Australians are more likely to live near or below the poverty line. About 32.4% of Koori households in New South Wales earn less than A$500 per week. This is compared to 22.3% of non-Indigenous households. Less than half of New South Wales Kooris own their homes. This is compared to 70% of non-Koori residents.

New South Wales Kooris are less likely to be working. The underemployment rate is 43% for Kooris. It is 35.9% for non-Koori residents. The professional services industry shows the biggest difference. Non-Koori employees are three times more likely to work in this area.

Incarceration Rates

Koori Australians are more likely to be in prison in both New South Wales and Victoria. In 2019, Koori adults were 9.3 times more likely to be in prison in New South Wales. In Victoria, they were 14.5 times more likely.

These numbers are similar for young people. In New South Wales, Koori children aged 10–17 were sixteen times more likely to be in detention in 2018 and 2019. In Victoria, they were 10 times more likely.

Government Efforts

New South Wales and Victoria have started programs to help close these gaps. In March 2019, both states partnered with the Australian Federal Government. They aim to achieve the goals of the Closing the Gap initiative. This partnership also includes representatives from Indigenous activist groups.

Koori Courts

A Koori Court is a special part of the Magistrates' Court of Victoria. It sentences Indigenous Australians who plead guilty. It has been operating since 2002.

New South Wales has several Youth Koori Courts. The first one opened in Parramatta in 2015.

Koori Radio

Koori Radio is a community radio station in Redfern, Sydney. It broadcasts across the city. It is part of the Gadigal Information Service. It is the only radio station in Sydney that broadcasts full-time to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Koori Mail Newspaper

The Koori Mail is a national Indigenous newspaper. It is based in Lismore, New South Wales.

Koori Knockout Sports Event

The NSW Koori Rugby League Knockout is one of the biggest gatherings of Indigenous people in Australia. It is like a modern-day corroboree for the Koori people of NSW. It has been held every year since 1971 during the October long weekend.

Koorie Heritage Trust

The Koorie Heritage Trust in Melbourne has over 100,000 art pieces from Indigenous South-Eastern Australia. The collection includes ancient tools. It also has 19th-century art by Koori artists William Barak and Tommy McRae. There are also pieces by modern Koori artists.

Other Names for Indigenous Australians

There are other names from Australian Aboriginal languages used for Indigenous groups. These names often depend on the geography:

Anangu in northern South Australia, and nearby parts of Western Australia and Northern Territory
Pama in northern Queensland
Murri in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales
Nunga in southern South Australia
Nyoongar in southern Western Australia
Palawah (or Pallawah) in Tasmania