Butterflies Childcare & Early Learning Centre was formed on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation.
We acknowledge Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of this country and their connection to the land, water and community in which we operate.
We pay our respect to them, their cultures and customs and to Elders both past and present.
Before European settlement, the Aboriginal people of the Wurundjeri willum clan lived on the land that now forms the City of Whittlesea and the northern suburbs of Melbourne. They lived on the offshoots of the Yarra River – along the Merri, Edgars and Darebin Creeks – the Plenty River and the Maribyrnong River.
Many of the names in the City of Whittlesea were inspired by the Wurundjeri culture and traditions:
- Bundoora – Keelbundoora was a young boy present at the signing of the Batman Treaty
- Yan Yean – young boy (derived from yan yan)
- Mernda – young girl (derived from murnmurndik)
- Wollert – possum (derived from walert)
- Merri – place of many rocks
- Wallan – spherical/round (derived from walen-walen)
Wurundjeri Willum people
The Wurundjeri Willum clan speak the Woi wurrung language. The Woi wurrung is one of the many language groups that make up the Kulin Nation, whose people shared the same religion and language, and lived in what is now metropolitan and greater Melbourne.
Woi wurrung language
Below are some other common words in the Wurundjeri language – called Woi wurrung – and their English translation.
- Woi – the way we pronounce our words
- Wurrung – language
- Kulin – man/people
- Wurundjeri – derived from the words ‘wurun’ and ‘djeri’
- Wurun – River Red Gum and Manna Gum
- Djeri – grubs; found in the River Red Gums and eaten by the Wurundjeri people
- Wilam – shelter/living place
Further information
For more information about the Wurundjeri wilam clan and the Wurundjeri people of Victoria, contact the following organisations:
Aboriginal Affairs Victoria
Level 9, 1 Spring Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
T: 9208 3244
F: 9208 3294 Central Victorian Regional Cultural Heritage Program
PO Box 2392V
Melbourne VIC 3001
Central Victorian Regional Cultural Heritage Program
PO Box 2392V
Melbourne VIC 3001
T: 1300 366 356
F: 9208 3292
Source: The information above about Wurundjeri language was provided by Ian Hunter, member of the local Wurundjeri tribe, 2002.