Australian Aborigines

Australian Aborigines is a name used to collectively describe most of the indigenous peoples of the Australian continent and its nearby islands. The term encompasses a large number of diverse communities and societies, with notably different modes of subsistence, cultural practices, languages, technologies and inhabited environments. However, these peoples also share a broad set of traits, and are otherwise seen as being related.

Related Topics:
Indigenous peoples - Australia - Continent - Communities - Societies - Modes of subsistence - Cultural - Language

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Aboriginal people from different parts of Australia have their own names for themselves like Anangu, Koori, Yamaji, Noongar, Nunga, Murri, Wiradjuri etc; these names are specific to various regions (see the note on nomenclature, below). Additionally, there are many more specific designations based on language, clan, community and location. By the late 18th century, there were anywhere between 350-750 distinct groupings and a similar number of languages and dialects. At the start of the 21st century, only some 200+ Australian Aboriginal languages were still in use, all but approximately 20 of which are endangered to a greater or lesser extent.

Related Topics:
Anangu - Koori - Yamaji - Noongar - Nunga - Murri - Wiradjuri - Regions - Clan - 18th century - 21st century - Australian Aboriginal languages

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The most conservative widely-accepted timeline for first arrival of their ancestors is between 40,000 - 50,000 years BP; other archaeological data indicates possible earlier dates of up to 65,000 years, with a couple of studies reporting dates in excess of 100,000 years ago (this latter figure is not widely accepted). It is believed that first human migration to Australia was achieved when this landmass earlier formed part of the Sahul continent, connected to the island of New Guinea via a land bridge.

Related Topics:
BP - Archaeological - Human migration - Sahul - New Guinea - Land bridge

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Tasmanian Aborigines settled on the island of Tasmania approximately 40,000 years ago by migrating across a land bridge from the mainland that existed during the last ice age. After the seas rose, the inhabitants there were isolated from the mainland for 10,000 years until the arrival of European settlers.

Related Topics:
Tasmanian Aborigines - Tasmania - Ice age

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Torres Strait Islanders are also indigenous peoples within the Australian territory, regarded as being distinct from Aboriginal peoples and hence generally not included under the designation "Aboriginal"; they are more closely related to Melanesian peoples. Their traditional lands are centred on the Torres Strait Islands in the Strait of the same name (between northernmost Australia and the island of New Guinea).

Related Topics:
Torres Strait Islanders - Melanesia - Torres Strait Islands - Strait

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A term used to embrace all groups is indigenous Australians.

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As of June 2001, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated the total resident Indigenous population to be 458,500 (2.4% of Australia's total), 90% of whom identified as Aboriginal, 6% Torres Strait Islander and the remaining 4% being of dual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parentage.

Related Topics:
2001 - Australian Bureau of Statistics

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