Tharawal
The Tharawal (also Dharawal ) are an Aboriginal tribe and were the original inhabitants of southern Sydney and the Illawarra region in Australia . The Tharawal were the first Aboriginal tribe to meet the European colonists in 1788.
country
The Tharawal lived in an area from the south of Botany Bay from Port Hacking to the north of the Shoalhaven River and inland to Campbelltown and Camden . It was generally assumed that there were no more descendants of the Tharawal people, but after a native title (right to land) could be asserted according to the Mabo verdict , areas that belonged to the Tharawal people were claimed.
Clans and names
The Tharawal tribe divided into several clans: Bediagal ( Manly Harbor), Bidjigal ( Kurnell ), Toogagal (south of the George River ), Cabrogal ( Wollongong ), Boorooberongal ( Bong Bong ), Cannemegal (probably Royal National Park ), Gomerigal-tongara, Muringong, Cattai.
Alternative names to Tharalwal are Dharawal, Darawal, Carawal, Turawal, Thurawal, Thurrawal, Thurrawall, Turu-wal, Turuwul, Turrubul, and Turuwull .
Art and dream time
The Tharawal speak their own language, the Tharawal language. They had high levels of artistic ability which were expressed by them in many of the Sydney rock engravings at Jibbon Point. In the dream time of the Tharawal lives the idea that a woman's spirit separated land and water. This spirit of creation was alone and therefore created two sisters, Wurrata and Wiritjiribin, and returned to its place in the starry sky. Since the two sisters were alone, the spirit of women later created two men, and this was the beginning of the Tharwal people.
Web links
- Norman B. Tindale's 'Catalog of Australian Aboriginal Tribes', South Australian Museum
- Our History at www.wollongong.nsw.au
Individual evidence
- ^ Aboriginal People and Place at www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au , accessed June 7, 2009
- ↑ www.phansw.org.au ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed June 7, 2009
