The term
koori is a relatively
recent addition to
Australian Aboriginal languages, having been
coined in the 1960s. It is a combination of several
similar-sounding words (
coorie, kory, kuri, kooli and
kool) meaning
person or people in the
languages of south-eastern
Australia (
Victoria and parts of
New South Wales). It was initially used exclusively by
indigenous people of these areas as an
identifying term for an Aboriginal person or people, but has now become part of everyday Australian
language.
As ymelup notes, the word koori is preferable to Aboriginal or Aborigine, as it has fewer negative connotations and is a specific term for Australian aboriginal people. However, it is often mistakenly (albeit with the best of intentions) used as a blanket term for all indigenous Australians. Koori describes indigenous people from NSW and Victoria, where the word originated. Tasmanian Aboriginal groups used the term Tasmanian koori for some time, but the tribal or language word Palawa is now superseding it. There are a wide variety of indigenous cultures and languages across the country, with different terms preferred in different regions, including Murri, Bama, Nunga, Nyoongah, Mulba, Wongi, Yamitji, Yolngu, Anagu and Yuin.