Local Indigenous studies

In the Indigenous
Gippsland in
known as Gunai
Kurnai has five
and approximately 3,000 people.

language,
Victoria, is
Kurnai. Gunai
clans within it,

The Gunai Kurnai people are the traditional owners of Gippsland. There is approximately
3,000 Gunai Kurnai people today. Within the 3,000 people, there are 5 major clans.

Brayakooloong;
Current site of Sale
Brabawooloong:
people of the NorthThis area is the
current Bairnsdale
and Bruthen site
Krowathunkooloong:
This area covers
Buchan, Lakes
Entrance, Snowy
rivers and more.
Tatungooloong; this
area covers the
Ninety mile beach,
Raymond Island, Lakes Victoria and Wellington.
Bratwoloong: this area covers Cape Liptrap, Mirboo, Port albert and Wilsons
Promontory.

The first GunaiThe first Gunai, was

Borun the Pelican. He
flew down from the
mountains of the
northwest and reached the
level country. Borun
crossed the Latrobe River,
near Sale, and went on to
fly to Port Albert. Borun
only brought them him, a
bark canoe carrying it on
his head. Throughout his
journey Borun could hear a constant tapping sound, but could not find what it was. When he
reached the deep waters of the inlet and put his canoe down, he saw a woman sitting in it.

Her name was Tuk the Musk Duck. Borun was very happy to see her, and she became his
wife, and also the mother of all Gunai.
The Aboriginal languageThe Aboriginal tribes throughout Australia communicated, although it wasnt verbal until
1788. Before this time, the Aborigines communicated with carved message sticks and
paintings. There are roughly 250 different dialects in the Aboriginal language for the whole
of Australia. Although to say hello in the Gunai Kurnai dialect is 'Wunman Njinde'.
Sacred sites in GippslandThere are 11 sacred sites in Gippsland that are scattered across Gunai Kurnai. These sites are
1. White womans waterhole- Won Wron State Reserve.
2. The Lagoon- sale common state game reserve
3. The knob reserve- Stratford
4. Ramahyuck cemetery- Perry bridge
5. Den of Nargun Mitchell river national park
6. Kroathunkooloong keeping place- Bairnsdale
7. Howitt Park- Bairnsdale
8. Legend Rock Metung
9. Buchan caves- Buchan
10. Burnt Bridge reserve- Lake Tyers Forest Park
11. Salmon Rock and Gunai Boardwalk- Cape Conran.

Tiddalick the Frog

Tiddalick the frog, is a Gunai
Kurnai story. It is about a
bullfrog who drank up all of the
water on the land. This made
the landscape very dry. All of
the other animals in the land,
held a corroboree, an
Aboriginal dance ceremony,
which is could be a sacred ritual
or an informal gathering. At
this corroboree, the animals
talked on how to make
Tiddalick bring back all the
water. They decided to try and
make Tiddalick laugh, and spill
out all of the water. The animals tried everything, and the eel danced on its tail. Tiddalick
started to rumble, and then started to laugh. Making the water spill out, flooding the land to
make the creeks and rivers along the coast.
This information was found from
Bataluk Cultural Trail. (2015). Explore the Bataluk Cultural Trail. Retrieved 18 September
2015, from http://batalukculturaltrail.com.au/index.php