Taking a quick left from the main topic.

A quick comment for overseas visitors (and East Coast people who don't know better.) If you are travelling round the country be careful who you call a "Koori." Some Aborigines (espaecially in Western Australia) see it as an insult. If you want to make sure you don't offend Aborigines try and find out what they call their people. This is especially important when dealing with groups close to their traditional lands and cultures. Around Perth the Aboriginals are mainly from the Noongar, however there are still some exceptions to this.

Cultural sensitivity is important (especially when dealing with indigenous people) and it is important to make sure that if you are trying to be polite you knwo what you are doing and don't come over as a condecending westerner.

A western example would be calling Scot English, asking Canadians if they are from the United States, or in a more geographical sense Russians they are English.

The modern understanding of the Aborigines, at least in Academic circles is more in line with the understanding of cultures on other continents. Indigenous Australians cultures were as varied as the continent is. There is no "one size fits all" description of their culture.

And for all that I still can't recall which people look after Uluru.

Got me there, roobar - thanks for the correction.

Up here in Far North Queensland the Aboriginal people are known as "Bama" or sometimes "Murri" but I'm not sure where the original geographical demarcation lies between the two.

If you are interested in cultural awareness and in sydney check out...

the indigenous culture exhibit at the australian museum (college st ...across hyde park) fascinating map of aboriginal languages and the geography of koori,murri etc.

also most days at 11.00 am there is a guided tour of the aboriginal art gallery at the art gallery of nsw (in the domain)

Those are interesting posts on the various names by which Aboriginal people are known in Australia. Much like the First Nations people in Canada. For anyone interested the following website shows how our aboriginal people are distinguished.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations_of_Canada

We shall try to be as "culturally sensitive" as possible, and learn what we can.