Noongar

The Noongar (or Nyungar) people live in the south west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast. Tindale identified 11 traditional dialect groups within the Noongar area, although this number is regarded as an underestimate by some Noongar people. Today the Noongar language is regarded as endangered with few fluent speakers although there has been a revival of interest in recent years.

Noongar people live in many country towns throughout the south west as well as in the major population centres of Perth, Bunbury, Geraldton, Esperance and Albany. Many country Noongar people have developed long standing relationships with wadjila (whitefella) farmers and continue to hunt kangaroo and gather bush tucker as well as to teach their children stories about the land.

Noongar culture is particularly strong with the written word. The plays of Jack Davis are on the Western Australia school syllabus. Kim Scott won the 2002 Miles Franklin Award for his novel 'Benang' and Sally Morgan's autobiography "My Place" was a best seller and multiple award winner.