An Ngurungaeta is a

Woiwurrung The Woiwurrung, also spelt Woi Wurrung, Woiwurrong, Woiworung, Wuywurung, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin people, Kulin alliance. The Woiwurrung people's territory in Central Victoria (Austral ...

head man or tribal leader of clans of the Woiwurrung tribes and Taungurung Ngurai-illum Wurrung. Ngurungaeta held the same tribal standing as an

Arweet Arweet/Ngarweet is an important tribal position in the Boonwurrung and Wathaurong peoples of the Indigenous Australian Kulin alliance who live from Western Port, Port Phillip, Geelong to Ballarat.Carolyn Briggs, Boon wurrung Arweets Carolyn Briggs ...

of the

Bunurong The Boonwurrung people are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory includes part of what is now the c ...

and

Wathaurong The Wathaurong nation, also called the Wathaurung, Wadawurrung and Wadda Wurrung, are an Aboriginal Australian people living in the area near Melbourne, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula in the state of Victoria. They are part of the Kulin all ...

people. The current Ngurungaeta is

Murrundindi Murrundindi, also known as Gary Hunter, is the ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri people and a descendant of William Barak. He succeeded James Wandin in this position in February 2006. Murrundindi and his brother Warendj regularly conduct cultural e ...

. The term became of particular importance as an identifier of senior men prepared to accept Anglo control in the latter part of the 19th century. It is unlikely that the term was used to express genuine recognition of senior members of traditional groups in the Melbourne area after the 1840s, following the death of Billibellary . Identified later Ngurungaeta include: * Bebejan – said by some Europeans to have been a member of the group alleged to have signed the 1835 treaty with John Batman *

Billibellary Billibellary (c. 1799–10 August 1846) was a song maker and influential ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-willam clan during the early years of European settlement of Melbourne. He was known by various names including Billi-billeri, Billibellary, Jik ...

, (1799–1846) – said to have been a ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-willam clan. An important Woiwurung man at the time of the Anglo invasion of Port Phillip. *

Simon Wonga Simon Wonga (1824–1874), ngurungaeta and son of Billibellary, was an Aboriginal Australian elder, elder of the Wurundjeri people, who lived in the Melbourne area of Australia before European settlement. He was resolute that his people would su ...

(1824–1874) – an adolescent at the time of the Anglo occupation of Melbourne. Son of Billibellary *

William Barak William Barak, named Beruk by his parents, (1823 – 15 August 1903), the "last chief of the Yarra Yarra tribe", was the last traditional ngurungaeta (elder) of the Wurundjeri-willam clan, the pre-colonial inhabitants of present-day Melbourne, A ...

(1824–1903) – last traditional ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-willam clan *

Robert Wandoon The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

(1854–1908) – born at Coranderrk and said to have been anointed ngurungaeta, together with other men, by William Barak *

James Wandin James Wandin (28 July 1933 – 20 February 2006), also known as Jim, Jimmy, or Juby, was the ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri till his death in February 2006. He was the first Australian rules footballer of Aboriginal descent to play with St Kild ...

(1933–2006) – claimed by some family members to be a ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri *

– appointed ngurungaeta at the funeral of James Wandin in 2006Rebecca Fraser,
New title ‘better than being Prime Minister’
', Star News Group, 9 March 2006. Accessed 1 November 2008

References

Wurundjeri Tribal chiefs {{IndigenousAustralia-stub