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 We respect the right of the Indigenous people of Australia to maintain their own traditional knowledge and tell their own stories. Therefore, we provide only a brief synopsis of the Indigenous people who occupied the Hunter region. Please refer to www.aboriginalhunter.com for further information and links. The Wanaruah ("people of the hills and plains") have occupied the upper Hunter for at least 30 000 years, with traditional knowledge holding that occupation extends back to the early stages of the Dreaming. The Dreaming, in Aboriginal culture, is the period of creation. Wanaruah tradition holds that, prior to creation, the Hunter Valley was a vast empty flat plain devoid of life. The Creation Ancestors awoke and moved across the landscape, caressing it to life through their activities. In so doing, they left their imprint upon every living thing and non-living feature of the landscape. The Wanaruah were one group of many within a broader Aboriginal civilisation, akin to contemporary nation states. Culture and laws were handed down from the Dreaming, and the Wanaruah had an intimate spiritual and physical relationship with the land that provided all they needed. European colonisation altered forever the lives of the Wanaruah people, and changed the landscape on which they depended. The Coquun
Coquun is one Indigenous name for the Hunter River. An alternative recorded spelling
is Ko-ko-in, which means water. Other local names are Myan and Coonanbarra. |