About the Fremantle-Peel District
The Fremantle-Peel Education District is located in Noongar Land, from Wadjuk Country around the Fremantle areas to Pindjarub Country around the Mandurah areas.
The name Mandurah derives from the Noongar word Mandjar which means "meeting place".
Noongar people believe the Swan River and landforms were formed by two Wagyl travelling through and under the land. Today the Wagyl live underground beneath Kings Park.
Oral histories tell of the land being covered by the sea resulting in the formation of Rottnest Island, approximately 6500 years ago.
In 1829 a permanent European colony, lead by Captain James Stirling, was established on the Swan River and along the coastal areas from the Murray River to Armadale. The Pindjarub people and Wadjuk People lived throughout this area. There was an early period of peaceful accommodation but eventually the cycle of dispossession, resistance and reprisal began as the Noongar people had their access to their land and resources taken away.
Noongar leaders such as Yagan, Weeip and Calyute battled hard to maintain the access to their lands. A number of conflicts between the Noongar people and settlers occurred throughout the region. Calyute's community was taken by surprise in 1834. Despite his community's efforts, Stirling's soldiers carried out a general slaughter. This has become know as the Battle of Pinjarra and more commonly the Massacre of Pinjarra.
For the Noongar people, the mouth of the Swan River was where traditional travel routes met, leading them to the coastal fishing grounds. There was a river crossing close to where the Maritime Museum now is. When settlement was established and the port was built, this crossing was destroyed and travel routes became less accessible, disrupting the Noongar way of life and leading to clashes between settlers and Aboriginal people.
At the time of colonisation, the Noongar language and its many dialects were spoken throughout the south west of WA. Many Noongar words have been used to name local plants, animals and places in the place of English. Today there are few fluent speakers remaining. A greater awareness now exists, of the need to preserve the languages. Several schools now select Noongar language as the LOTE language. Educators need to be aware that as a result of the many dialects and how the language is pronounced, spelling of words may vary from one area to another.
Please Note: The use of the spelling of "Noongar"
At a meeting in 1997, held at Marribank and attended by approximately 200 men, women, children, including people who were recognised as Elders, an agreement was made on the established orthography which those at the meeting wanted implemented in Government schools. This included the spelling of "Noongar". This decision was made by a unanimous vote. The orthography was compiled by Rose Whitehurst and Olive Woods and a linguist at the Noongar Language Centre.
For the purpose of this project we have referred to the Noongar Dictionary compiled by Rose Whitehurst.