Kulin Tribe
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The Kulin nation is an alliance of five
Aboriginal Aborigine, aborigine or aboriginal may refer to: *Aborigines (mythology), in Roman mythology * Indigenous peoples, general term for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area *One of several groups of indigenous peoples, see ...
nations in south central Victoria, Australia. Their collective territory extends around Port Phillip and Western Port, up into the
Great Dividing Range The Great Dividing Range, also known as the East Australian Cordillera or the Eastern Highlands, is a cordillera system in eastern Australia consisting of an expansive collection of mountain ranges, plateaus and rolling hills, that runs rough ...
and the
Loddon Loddon may refer to: *Loddon, Norfolk in England, UK *Shire of Loddon in Victoria, Australia (since 1995) **Bridgewater On Loddon, Victoria in Australia *River Loddon, flows into the River Thames near Reading *Loddon River, flows north from south of ...
and Goulburn River valleys. Before
British colonisation The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
, the tribes spoke five related languages. These languages are spoken by two groups: the Eastern Kulin group of Woiwurrung, Boonwurrung, Taungurung and Ngurai-illam-wurrung; and the western language group of just Wathaurung. The central Victoria area has been inhabited for an estimated 40,000 years before European settlement. At the time of British settlement in the 1830s, the collective populations of the Woiwurrung, Boonwurrung and Wathaurong tribes of the Kulin nation was estimated to be under 20,000. The Kulin lived by fishing, cultivating murnong (also called yam daisy; '' Microseris'') as well as hunting and gathering, and made a sustainable living from the rich food sources of Port Phillip and the surrounding grasslands. Due to the upheaval and disturbances from British settlement from the 1830s on, there is limited physical evidence of the Kulin peoples' collective past. However, there is a small number of registered sites of cultural and spiritual significance in the Melbourne area.


Nations

* Woiwurrung (Woy-wur-rung) – the Wurundjeri people * Boonwurrung – the Boonwurrung people * Wathaurong (Wath-er-rung) – the Wathaurong people * Taungurung (Tung-ger-rung) – the Taungurung people * Dja Dja Wurrung (Jar-Jar-Wur-rung) – the Dja Dja Wurrung or Jaara people At certain times of the year, these nations would meet at Yarra Falls to settle disputes, to trade, and to hold corroborees.


Diplomacy

When foreign people passed through or are invited onto tribal lands, the ceremony of Tanderrum – freedom of the bush – is performed. This is intended to allow for safe passage and temporary access and use of land and resources by foreign people. It is a diplomatic rite involving the landholder's hospitality and a ritual exchange of gifts.


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External links


Kulin nation


{{authority control Aboriginal peoples of Victoria (Australia) Kulin nation