Koorie
Life in the Pre-Contact Era
When developing units of work on this particular topic, the following
learnings need to be considered:
Land Organisation
- Koorie People cared for specific areas of land. Knowledge regarding
the extent of and responsibilities for this land was passed on by
the elders through generations. Territories were based on language
group and clan associations, which in turn gave a person his/her
strongest sense of identity.
- Each territory was further sub-divided among the clans of that
territory. The boundaries of clan land were well known by all. With
some exceptions, sovereignty was respected.
- Clan groups lived in broader regional alliances based on language
and on economic and social co-operation. Koorie people today continue
to identify strongly with the places from which their ancestors
came.
- Koorie people today often introduce themselves by stating where
they and their ancestors are from. A birthplace and its features
remain of central importance to Koorie people's individual and family
identity.
Boundaries
- The boundaries of a territory sometimes followed natural features,
some of which overlapped. There were some neutral zones and some
boundaries that were disputed. Boundaries were crossed by invitation
from the holders of the land or they could be crossed illegally
for hostile actions.
Relationships
- Clans invited neighbouring clans into their territory for social
and economic reasons. The interaction was usually mutually beneficial.
These occasions were governed by custom and ritual. Conflict sometimes
occurred between adjacent clans in the form of warfare, raids and
abductions.
Environment
- As with all societies, the resources, climate and topography within
a territory strongly influenced the way of life of the Indigenous
people who live there. The specific distribution of plants, animals
and other resources was unique in each territory and affected the
precise way the Koorie people developed a relationship with that
specific environment. Within south-eastern Australia, Koorie life
varied enormously.
- Koorie people saw themselves as a part of the environment and
formed sustainable relationships with it.
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