The definition handed down by the high court of Australia says:

An Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Islander is a person of:-

An Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Islander decent

Who identifies as an Aboriginal &/or Torres Strait Islander and

Is accepted as such by the community in which he/she lives

Recommended usage & issues for consideration

Although grammatically correct, be aware when using the term ‘Aborigine(s)’ as it has negative connotations with many Aboriginal people. ‘Aboriginal person’ or ‘Aboriginal people’ should be used as an alternative.

The term ‘Aboriginal’ is generally not inclusive of Torres Strait Islander people, & reference to both Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people should therefore be used where necessary.

Term such as ‘full blood’ ‘half-caste’ ‘quarter-caste’ were derived from destructive Government policies of the past, where Aboriginal people were classified into caste; & as such

This terminology is highly offensive & racist & should never be used.

Not all Aboriginal people are dark skinned;it’s highly offensive to question the quantum of Aboriginal blood or to expect an Aboriginal person to divide their Aboriginality into parts.

Self- Identifying terms

Aboriginal peoples have terms of reference by which they may identify themselves. These terms are directly derived from languages & names used by Aboriginal people in specific areas when referring to them-selves.

Palawa: used by Aboriginal people in & from Tasmania.

Koori: used by Aboriginal people in & from Victoria & parts of New South Wales.

Gorri: used by Aboriginal people in & from Northern New South Wales

Murri: used by Aboriginal people in & from Queensland & North-West New South Wales

Yolngu: used by Aboriginal people in & from Northern Territory ( North-East Arnhem Land)

Anangu: used by Aboriginal people in & from Central Australia

Nunga: used by Aboriginal people in & from South Australia

Ngarrindjeri- South Australia ,Murray River, Lakes, Coorong people

Noongar: used by Aboriginal people in & from South-West Western Australia

Torres Strait Islander People: includes Murray Island people and Mer Island People

Always check with the local Aboriginal Communities about using this type of terminology. There are many different Aboriginal language groups within the above mentioned areas & the use of these terms can be restrictive.

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander People may be living or working in one particular area but is from another area.

Terminology within Aboriginal Organisations & Communities

Traditional Owners of the land

In the Central Highlands Region the Traditional Owners of the lands are the WadaWurrung & the Dja Dja Wurrung people

Community

There are many different perspectives on what is a ‘community’. Non Aboriginal people often use ‘community’ to refer to particular geographical locality. It’s important to understand, however, that many Aboriginal people were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to live elsewhere. For instance, the Traditional Owners of Ballarat lands are the WadaWurrung people. Today the ‘Ballarat Aboriginal Community’ comprises Aboriginal people from many areas of Victoria & Australia. Therefore, an Aboriginal person many belong to more than one community; for example, where they come from, where their family is & where they live & work. Community is about interrelatedness & belonging & is central to Aboriginality.

Elder

An Elder is an identified & ‘respected’ male or female person within the Community who is able to provide advice, offer support & share wisdom in a confidential way with other members of the community, particularly younger members.

In some instances, Aboriginal people above a certain age will refer to themselves as an Elder; however, it is important to understand that in Traditional Aboriginal culture, age alone does not necessarily mean that one is a Recognised Elder.

Relations = Grandmother, Grandfather, Mother, Father, Sister, Brother Cousin, Uncle, Aunty.

The use of the terms ‘Nan’ ‘Pops’ ‘Mum’ ‘Dad’ ‘Sis’ ‘Bruz’ ‘Cuz’ ‘Unc’ ‘Aunt’ have a wide & varied meaning for Aboriginal Communities across Victoria. These terms are used as a greeting between Aboriginal people to acknowledge a person as a mark of respect. It is an acceptable custom that younger members of the Community will refer to adults as ‘Uncle’ ‘Aunty, but that doesn’t mean they are related. A person’s connection with their family doesn’t necessarily mean they are a blood relative.

Non Aboriginal people should NOT use these terms with Aboriginal people unless invited to do so or unless permission is given on a request from a Non Aboriginal person. Example; May I call you Aunt? Orplease just call me Sis!!