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Nunga is a term of self-identification for Aboriginal Australians, originally used by Aboriginal people in the southern settled areas of South Australia, and now used throughout Adelaide and surrounding towns. It is used by contrast with Gunya, which refers to non-Aboriginal persons. The use of "Nunga" by non-Aboriginal people is not always regarded as appropriate.

The term comes from Wirangu, the language spoken around Ceduna, and is effectively the South Australian counterpart of Koori as used in New South Wales and Victoria. Other words used for Aboriginal people in South Australia are Anangu (north-west), Nharla (western Lake Eyre Basin), and Yura (Flinders Ranges).

In the variety of Aboriginal English known as Nunga English, most of the terms of Indigenous origin are from Ngarrindjeri, with quite a number from the west coast (Kokatha and Wirangu) and some from Narungga, but very few from the Kaurna language (the language of Adelaide). The language evolved from the people who grew up in missions such as Point Pearce (Bukkiyana) and Point McLeay (Raukkan), and so reflects their experience with European culture. Some are working on the emergence of a separate Kaurna culture, so would like to see Kaurna language to be taught rather than Nunga English.

Use of the term in official capacities includes the Nunga Court (Aboriginal sentencing courts), the "Nunga Way" cultural teaching framework for schools, the SA Department of Human Services' Yunga Nungas program (to support Aboriginal young people with complex needs) and Nunga Screen (a film event, formerly known as Black Screen).

See also

• List of Australian Aboriginal group names - lists the hundreds of groups and sub-groups

References

1. ^ Amery, Rob. "Aboriginal Languages of South Australia". Adelaidia. Retrieved 20 November 2020. Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU) licence.
2. ^ Amery, Rob (2016). Warraparna Kaurna!: Reclaiming an Australian language (PDF). University of Adelaide Press. pp. 13–15, 17. doi:10.20851/kaurna. ISBN 978-1-925261-25-7. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
3. Appropriate Terminology, Indigenous Australian Peoples (PDF). General Information Folio 5. Flinders University. 2004. Retrieved 20 November 2020. Some people use 'Nunga' in general reference to Indigenous peoples who reside in and around the area of Adelaide. Many Indigenous South Australians prefer people not to presume the right to use their word 'Nunga'.
4. "Aboriginal Sentencing Courts and Conferences". CAA. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
5. "Aboriginal (Nunga) Courts". Indigenous Justice Clearinghouse. 2 December 2016. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
6. "School adopts the Nunga Way to help close gap". The Lead SA. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
7. "Metropolitan Aboriginal Youth and Family Services". Department of Human Services SA. Government of South Australia. 20 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
8. "Nunga Screen 2020". Country Arts SA. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.

• Aboriginal peoples of South Australia