The Kulin languages are a group of closely related languages of the
Kulin people, part of the ''Kulinic'' branch of
Pama–Nyungan.
Languages
*
Woiwurrung (Woy-wur-rung): spoken from
Mount Baw Baw
Mount Baw Baw is a mountain summit on the Baw-Baw Plateau of the Great Dividing Range, located in Victoria, Australia. The name is from the Woiwurrung language spoken by Eastern Kulin people. It is of uncertain meaning, but possibly signifie ...
in the east to
Mount Macedon, Sunbury and Gisborne in the west. The ''Wurrundjeri-willam'' were a clan who occupied the
Yarra River and its tributaries. Referred to initially by Europeans as the ''Yarra Yarra tribe''. Other Woiwurrung clans include the ''Marin-Bulluk'', ''Kurung-Jang-Bulluk'', ''Wurundjeri-Balluk'', ''Balluk-willam''. ''
Wurundjeri
The Wurundjeri people are an Australian Aboriginal people of the Woiwurrung language group, in the Kulin nation. They are the Traditional Owners of the Birrarung (Yarra River) Valley, covering much of the present location of Narrm ( Melbo ...
'' is now the common term for descendants of all the Woiwurrung clans.
*
Bunurong (Bun-wurrung): spoken by six clans along the coast from the Werribee River, across the
Mornington Peninsula,
Western Port Bay to
Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory, is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland, located in the state of Victoria.
South Point at is the southernmost tip of Wilsons Promontory and hence of mainland Australia. Located at nea ...
. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Western Port'' or ''Port Philip tribe''. The
Yalukit-willam clan occupied the thin coastal strip from Werribee, to Williamstown. ''
Bunurong'' is now the common term for all the people of this language group.
*
Taungurung (Tung-ger-rung): spoken north of the Great Dividing Range in the
Goulburn River Valley around Mansfield, Benalla and Heathcote. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Goulburn River tribe''. ''
Taungurung'' is now the common term for all the people of this language group.
[Richard Broome, pp123-125, Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800, Allen & Unwin, 2005, , ]
*
Wathaurong (Wadha-wurrung): spoken by 15 clans south of the Werribee River and the
Bellarine Peninsula to Streatham. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Barrabool people''. The escaped convict,
William Buckley lived with this community for 32 years, between 1803 and 1835, before being found by
John Batman on 6 July 1835.
*
Dja Dja Wurrung (Jar-Jar-wur-rung: spoken by the 16 clans of the Jaara or
Dja Dja Wurrung people around Bendigo, the central highlands region, east to Kyneton, west to the Pyrenees, north to Boort and south to the Great Dividing Range. Referred to by Europeans as the ''Loddon Aborigines''.
Kulin, or perhaps Kulinic:
*Western Central Murray:
Madhi-Madhi (Muthimuthi),
Ledji-Ledji, and
Wadi-Wadi share 80% of vocabulary, suggesting they might have formed a group.
*Eastern Central Murray:
Wemba-Wemba (
Baraba-Baraba,
Nari-Nari)
*
Tjapwurrung (Jab-wurrung, Djabwarrung) as a distinct language is included by Bowern (2011), who excludes Daungwurrung and Baraba-Baraba.
*Bindjali, the language of the
Bodaruwitj
The Bodaruwitj, also rendered Bedaruwidj or Potaruwutj, and referred to in some early sources as the Tatiara, are an Aboriginal Australian people of the state of South Australia. David Horton believed they were the group his sources referred to a ...
(Bedaruwidj, Potaruwutj, Tatiara) people in south-eastern
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest o ...
, is classified as a Kulinic language by
Austlang.
Classification
Dixon (2002) accepts the Kulin languages as a family, and sees them as forming three languages:
*
Wuy-wurrung, including Wuy-wurrung, Bun-wurrung, and Dhagung-wurrung dialects (the first three entries above)
*
Wadha-wurrung (Wuddyawurru, Witouro)
*
Wemba-Wemba, including Jaja-wurrung,
Madhi-Madhi, Ladji-Ladji, Wadi-Wadi, Nari-Nari, Wemba-Wemba, Baraba-Baraba,
Wergaya, Djadjala, Wutjabulak, Martijali, Buibatyalli, Nundatyalli, Jab-wurrung, and Pirt-Koopen-Noot dialects
References
{{Australian Aboriginal languages
Kulinic languages