Nyoongar

Nyoongar, also spelled Noongar or Nyungar, refers to the Indigenous Australian people of the southwest corner of Western Australia. They are a collective of diverse language groups and communities whose traditional lands extend across the coastal plain and adjacent regions around the southwestern part of the state, including the Perth area.

The Noongar language, traditionally oral, comprises multiple dialects spoken by different Noongar groups. In recent decades there have been revival efforts and educational programs aimed at teaching Noongar in schools and communities and preserving vocabulary, storytelling, and cultural knowledge for future generations.

Cultural life among the Noongar centers on a deep connection to land, water, and family networks, with social structures, ceremonies, art, and storytelling playing important roles. Noongar knowledge includes seasonal knowledge of the land and its resources, and customary practices tied to specific sites and landscapes.

Historically, European colonization from the early 19th century brought displacement, disease, and disruption to traditional life and governance. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Noongar people pursued native title claims and negotiated settlements. A landmark settlement with the State of Western Australia in the 2010s recognized Noongar connection to the southwest and established a framework for land use, funding, and governance in the region.

Today Noongar communities continue to maintain cultural practices, manage land and sea resources, and participate in regional decision-making through representative bodies, contributing to the social, cultural, and economic life of Western Australia.