![[from left] Mulkas Cave Hyden; Wedge Island; Shark's Mouth](/Resources/Images/slides/nat_photos.jpg)
![[from left] Camp at Crawley; Noongar men at Guildford 1901. Both photos courtesy of Battye Library](/Resources/Images/slides/hist_photos.jpg)
Country and Maps | Identity
Christopher Pease, 'Nyoongar Dreaming', 1999, oil on canvas. State Art Collection, Art Gallery of Western Australia, purchased 2001.
A perspective on Noongar identity in a changed world. See
Art Gallery of WA for an explanation of
Christopher Pease's painting.
'Since colonization, for the better part of 200 years, Noongars have been trying to regain some of the freedom, some dignity, some sort of peace in a world that is irreversibly different from that which came before it. At the same time though, there are many Noongar people who have remained strong, who have been carriers and custodians of our culture and language. carers of our country. backbones of our families and advocates of our people.' (Glen Kelly, CEO, SWALSC in 'Connection to Country' booklet.)
The Noongar community is bound by the strong common bonds of its members, based on our shared culture, language, connection to country and common ancestery. Identity is expressed through stories and storytelling, through song, dance and music. It also expressed through sport and community. Whilst there are common elements of Noongar identity, there are also different perspectives.
Doolann Leisha Eatts talks about her earliest memories of being Nyungah:
'My first memory's that I am Nyungah and I am Aboriginal and that there are white people out there and some of them don't like us. And sittin' round the campfire with my grandmother, my aunties, my uncles, my mum, my dad, and they tellin' us dreamtime stories. At night, again and again they used to tell us ghostly stories, they used to show us the stars, and talk about the stars, 'bout the seasons, they tell us about the birds, the ants, the behaviour of them and how the seasons change...' Oral history
Kevin Fitzgerald Snr. Noongar elder, talks about when he first remembered being Noongar:
'Well, I was, I always knew since I was, I guess, old enough to think I was a Noongar. You know, and I say 'Noongar' not Nyungah like some people say. I dunno whether that's the right word but we've always used Noongar. That's our, whether it's our skin colour or just being part of the Ballardong clan I suppose'.
Country and Identity
Moore River at Mogumber Farm. Courtesy of SWALSC
Noongar people believe that the land is an inseparable part of our identity. A significant part of this, of being Noongar, is to care for country. A Noongar person's sense of connection to country is influenced by our affiliation with place, with our family, and our obligations to the land and all things in it.
Glen Colbung talks about returning to country:
'They come back to their traditional country yeah... Well, that's part of you know, part of Noongar culture. A very strong part of it is that you know where your roots are and you come back. The thing with my particular family is that we've never moved away from the Mount Barker, Albany region. We've always been there'.
Family
Ngilgi and Noongar group. Courtesy Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide MSS 572-994 B32t
Noongar identity is strongly linked to family, and is a fundamental building block of our community and culture. Elders are important people in the extended family, as they are the keepers of kaartdijin (knowledge). Elders command respect in our communities, and are recognised for their vast knowledge of culture, country, lore and community.
Kayang Hazel Brown talks about growing up Noongar, being taught by her family:
'I was taught about the lore and traditions of the people of our region by my parents and elders. Our people were mostly kept together by Henry Dongup and Waibong Moses. I grew up with my brothers and sisters among our father's full blood relations. When we were young we always kept the lore of our people who were traditional people. We mostly lived in bag camps - you know, like tents made of old hessian bags and canvas and that - and we slpept on rushes or bushes for our beds. We ate the bush food of our people too'.
Culture and Identity
Corroboree: Dancers include Noongars Joobaytch, Monop, Dool and Gen-burdong, and Pompey and Wab-bing from Southern Cross and Broome. Courtesy State Library of Western Australia, The Battye Library 009489PD
Identity is maintained through our close relationships to
family, community and country. It is affirmed through
the expression of language, dance, music, and importantly,
stories. Stories are passed on through the elders. They represent
our belief systems and our knowledge of country.
Sport
Wanderers football team from New Norcia, 1913. Courtesy of Gus Ryder
Sport can be a way of finding community and belonging. Sometimes it can overcome long held prejudices and reaffirm our identity. Martha Borinelli tells of her longing for acceptance in her town of Moora. When she organised a darts team, they joined the local club and won every year! Martha Borinelli oral history.
Wanderers football team, 1995. Courtesy of Gus Ryder
Top: Jason Gagai, Lindsay Martin, Lee Harris, Jeremy Woodley, John Blurton, Laurie Taylor.
Middle: Christian Woodley, Jamie Ryder (Captain), Max Kelly, Jonathon Thorne, Paul Taylor, Desmond Blurton, Warren Taylor, Gerry Woodley, Kane Darcy, Paul Taylor.
Bottom: Dwayne Woodley, Marshall Kelly, Arthur Garlett, Peter Taylor, Patrick Woodley (coach).
Impacts on identity
Soup kitchen, Carrolup, 1915. Courtesy State Library of Western Australia, The Battye Library -003214D
Despite the impact of Europeans and government policies aimed at destroying our Noongar identity, Noongar identity and culture remains strong. Language is being taught in Noongar schools and in some non-Aboriginal schools. Places like the Wardan Centre in Yallingup bring Noongar culture to children and adults. Resistance to policies and the laws that have tried to oppress us have reinforced our Noongar identity. See Coolbaroo League.
Legislation and identiity
Noongar people have been racially classed under legislation almost since Europeans first arrived in Western Australia in 1829. Prior to 1972, there were at least 67 different categorisations about what it was to be an Aboriginal person in legislation; on the basis of race, blood and caste. List of legislation. These racist categories bear no relationship to Noongar society or to who we are as people. Yet, these categories defined government policies and affected entire generations of Noongar families.
The Native Administration Act 1936, for example, created the classification of 'quadroon' (one quarter Aboriginal blood). However, a person of one quarter Aboriginal blood was not subject to the legislation if they were under 21 years of age and 'did not associate and live in the manner of natives'.
From 1933 until the early 1970s under the assimilation policy, Noongar people who were deemed to fall under this category were removed from their parents and families and taken to institutions like Sister Kate's Home in Queens Park. Stolen generations. Often, children who were taken away were not told they had living relatives or even that they were Noongar.
Kevin Fitzgerald Snr. recounts his story of how long it can take to find your identity:
'Some people didn't know their Noongar family. They had no idea of their background. They found out through photos or their wives getting together with other women and talking. They'd be having a cup of coffee and looking at the photos on the side table. 'Hey, my husband's got that same photo!' That was how I found my cousin Des. His mother had married a non-Aboriginal (wadjela) and he and his siblings were brought up differently. He didn't know where his family were from. Now his children are asking about their Noongar family. These are 30 and 40-year-old women wanting to know where they come from'.
Forest Elders, circa 1920s. Courtesy State Library of Western Australia, The Battye Library 022085PD
The 1936 Act also stated that a 'non-native' could be classified as a 'native' by a magistrate. In the Native Welfare Act 1954, an Aboriginal person could be exempted from the Act if they served in the Armed Forces. See Post 1905 Act and War service. These policies set up categories that relegated some Noongar people to reserves and others to missions or a combination of both. Some Noongars escaped by working for farmers and living in the bush, which gave greater freedom. Noongar people subsequently have different experiences of what it is to be Noongar.
Margaret Drayton lived at New Norcia mission for a time; she talks about what life was like on missions and reserves:
'We had access to some education living at New Norcia mission.
Although, this brought its own restrictions, as we were bound to
live by the mission's rules and religion and were not allowed to
speak our language. I have a strong connection to
Yued country, around New Norcia. I take my children there to
remember where they came from.
Noongars lived under severe restrictions whether on missions or reserves. This included not being allowed in towns at certain times (we could be arrested if found there after 6pm ) or having limited access to services. Prohibited area map. Noongars mostly weren't allowed to drink alcohol, unless we had citizenship. But even citizenship brought with it restrictions on our freedom and identity.Those who had some access to towns had to go to a window at the back of the pub where 'blacks' were served, and then you could get one bottle of beer.
'A lot of people didn't bother with dog licenses, dog tags, that's what we called them'. Kevin Fitzgerald Snr. speaking about citizenship.
Despite restrictions and conditions, laws and policies, Noongar people have found ways to deal with the impact of colonisation. We have, in spite of everything, still maintained our cultural identity.
Martha Borinelli talks about escaping the mission to go bush. How she and her friends would catch a karda (goanna) and cook it over the fire.
In his book Kayang and Me, with Hazel Brown, Noongar author and academic, Kim Scott talks about identity. See also Fremantle Press.
