Noongar Words and Definitions

For thousands of years Aboriginal people have been visiting Mooro Katta or Kaarta Gar-up, two of the many names for Mount Eliza, the highest point of Kings Park.

Noongar (also spelt Nyoongar) is the generic term for Indigenous people of the southwest of Western Australia. The area at the base of Kings Park, known as Goonininup, was an important ceremonial and dreaming area for Aboriginal males.

Did you know there are over 14 dialects through Noongar country or that many Perth suburbs are named after Noongar words? Balcatta, Gwelup, Innaloo, Karrinyup, Mundaring, Yanchep ... just to name a few!

Balga

(bal-gah) native grass tree, Xanthorrea preissii

Bardy

(baar-dee) witchetty grub

Beedawong

(bee-du-wong) meeting place

Beeliar

(beel-i-yar) traditional name for the Swan Riverm also Derbal Yargan

Biara

(bi-ar-ah) Slender Banksia, Banksia attenuata

Billabong

stagnant pool / backwater - from the Wiradjuri people of NSW

Bibool

(bib-ool) native Paperbark tree with many uses

Birok

(bi-rok) Aboriginal season of the young in December and January

Bidi

(bi-di) trail

Boodja

(bu-dj-ah) the land

Boodja Gnarning

(bu-dj-ah nar-ning) food from the land

Boyur

(boi-er) Woolly Bush, Adenanthos sericeus

Bungarra

monitor lizard

Bunuru

(bu-noo-roo) Aboriginal season of the adolescence in February and March

Chunyart

(chune-yart) twenty-eight parrot

Coolamons

(cool-a-mons) bowl

Corrobooree

(ker-rob-o-ree) traditional dance

Derbal Yargan

(der-bul yeri-gun) Swan River, also Beeliar, Derbarl Yerrigan

Djeran

(ji-run) Aboriginal season of adulthood in April and May

Djerapin

happy

Djilba

(jil-bah) Aboriginal season of conception in August and September

Djiridji

(jer-i-gee) Zamia, Macrozamia fraseri

Djitti djitti

(jitty-jitty) Willie wagtail, Rhipidura leucophrys

Dowak

(doe-whack) clubs

Gija Jumulu

(gi-dja joo-ma-loo) boab from the Gija people in the Kimberley region

Gidji

(gid-gee) spear points

Goomal

(goo-mahl) Common Brushtail Possum, Trichosurus vulpecula

Goonininup

(gu-nin-in-up) fresh water spring at the base of Mt Eliza

Illyarrie

Eucalyptus erythrocorys

Jarrah

(jah-ruh) Eucalyptus marginata

Jorang

marbled gecko

Kaarta Gar-up

(car-tah-gaar-up) traditional name for the distinctive cliff/scarp around Kings Park

Kaarta Koomba

(car-tah-kum-bah) traditional name for Kings Park; Kaarta meaning hill or headland and Koomba meaning big

Kambarang

(cam-bah-rang) Aboriginal season of birth in October and November

Karda

(car-duh) Gould's Monitor Lizard, Varanus gouldii, also spelt Kardar

Karla

(car-lah) fire, campfire

Karri

(ka-ree) Eucalyptus diversicolor

Katitjin

(cut-a-gin) knowledge, traditional knowledge handed down from one generation to the next

Kattidj

(cad-itch) your knowledge

Keitch

(k-each) spear

Kerbein

(ker-bin) Coastal Sword Sedge, Lepidosperma gladiatum

Kodja

(cod-jah) traditional axe made from stone and wood

Koora Koora

(coo-rah) long time ago, the past

Kondil

(con-dill) native Sheoak tree, Allocasuarina fraseriana, good for making kylee (boomerangs).

Koolah

(coo-lah) Native Plum, Podocarpus drouyianus

Kooyamulyup

(koo-ya-mull-up) place of frogs and Men's area

Kooyar Kep

(koo-ya kep) Kooyar - frog; Kep - water

Kulbardi

(cool-bar-dee) Magpie, Gymnorhina tibiceri

Kulunga

(koo-lun-gah) children (also spelt Koolangka)

Kulunga Katitjin

(koo-lun-gah kat-i-jin) children's learning

Kwonnat

(kwon-at) Black Wattle, Acacia saligna

Kylee

(keer-lee) boomerang

Maarm (Maam)

(maarm) man/men

Makuru

(ma-koo-roo) Aboriginal season of fertility in June and July

Mangatj

(man-gi-ch) Menzies Banksia, Banksia menzeii

Marlee

black swan

Marri

(m-a-ree) the red gum, Medicine Tree, Corymbia calophylla

Mayat

(my-yat) red gum from the Marri tree, used to help cuts heal

Meero

(mih-ro) spear thrower

Mia-mia

(my-yah, my-yah) traditional temporary huts

Moonah

(moo-nah) Rottnest Island Tea Tree, Melaleuca lanceolata

Moora Katta

(mur-ah-cart-ah) the place that we now know as Kings Park

Mudja

(mud-jah) Christmas Tree, Nuytsia floribunda

Mungitch

(mun-gitch) Banksia, Torchlight tree

Ngoolaark

(go-lark) White-tailed Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus latirostris (also spelt Ngolark)

Noongar

(noo-ngah) first people from south-west Western Australia (also spelt Nyoongar)

Poolgarla

(poor-l-garla) Bull Banksia, Banksia grandis

Teagul

(tea -gull) duck *also Yeaderup

Tuart

(tew-art) native Eucalypt tree used for making tools and other implements

Uilarac

(ill-a-rac) Sandalwood, Santalum spicatum

Warrdong (Wardong)

(wor-dong) crow, Australian Raven, Corvus coronoides

Waitch

(waytch) emu

Wandoo

(won-doo) Eucalyptus wandoo

Wanju

(won-dew) welcome

Wanju marr

(won-dew ma) welcome hand

Wanna borna

(woh-nah bor-na) digging stick

Waugal

(wah-gool) rainbow serpent from the dreamtime

Whadjuk Noongar

(wod-juck, noong-ar) (also spelt Wadjuk) Noongar group from Perth and surrounding regions

Willong

shelter

Wonil (Wonnil)

(wun-ill) Peppermint Tree, Agonis flexuosa, native to the Swan Coastal Plain

Wuanga

(woo-unga) Wattle, Acacia species

Yerderup

(yee-der-up) duck *also Teagul (also spelt Yeaderup)

Yonga (Yongar)

(yon-gah) kangaroo

Yonga Booka

(yong-gah book-a) kangaroo skin cloak

Yonga Waarnginy

(yong-gah ) Kangaroo Story

Yongra

(yon-grah) kangaroos

Yorga

(yor-gah) woman

Yorgra

(yor-grah) women

Yorkas Nyinning

(yor-kis nin-ing) place of rest for women