First Australian languages

Before colonisation took full effect, there were between 290 to 350 Aboriginal language nations in Australia. When considering different dialects in each language, the number of languages spoken are estimated at 500. Similar to cultures such as the Vikings, which relied on the verbal transmission of history and culture, Aboriginal peoples' history and cultural practices were transmitted through songs and ceremony. Each Aboriginal language nation had its geographical region, language, cultural beliefs, laws, and political systems. In some regions, sophisticated hand-sign languages were also developed. Although geographical boundaries separated language nations, they were connected by trade and exchange of information. Songs were sung during the journey capturing details of the trade routes connecting neighboring nations, including information on landmarks and directions, backgrounds to ceremonies, and details of the locations of water and food sources—known as song lines. Twenty eight Aboriginal languages are still spoken today. Due to trade between language nations and marriage, it was common for Aboriginal people to be multilingual and speak up to three or more languages. Just as lawyers and doctors have their technical language, Aboriginal medicine people also had technical words to describe medicines created using various plants. Sadly, where languages have disappeared, so too has essential knowledge of plant use and medicine making. In some language nations, such as the Warlpiri people, when a family member dies, the women of the family enter a vow of silence, which can last between three to 12 months. During that time, sophisticated sign language is used to communicate. RACS use of Aboriginal words Mina – means ‘knowledge’ in the language of Gathang-speaking nation. It is also the language nation of Australia’s first Aboriginal surgeon Professor Kelvin Kong, a founding member of the RACS Indigenous Health Committee and an Indigenous health advocate and champion. The ‘Mina Advisory Group’, is used to denote the English translation ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledge Advisory Group’. Common words that originate from Aboriginal words: Yakka – means physically draining work. It comes from the word 'yaga', meaning 'work' in the Yagara language of the Brisbane area. Cooee – originates from the Dharug language of Aboriginal Australians in the Sydney area. It means ‘come here’ and has now become widely used in Australia as a call over distances.

Other well-known Aboriginal words include:

Ballarat Bilby Bunyip Coolabah Dingo Galah Jarrah Koala Kookaburra Quoll Wallaby Wallaroo Waratah Wombat Billabong Min-min lights (ground-level lights of uncertain origin sometimes seen in remote rural Australia) To find out more visit: https://bit.ly/3DVgOjt https://bit.ly/3nKLOgp