aboriginal

Everyday

1. Aboriginal: belonging to the first peoples of Australia, who have lived there for more than 60 000 years (Aboriginal people, Aboriginal art). tree →
2. aboriginal (lower case): belonging to a place from the very beginning; native, original (aboriginal peoples of Canada). tree →

In the lessons

In Australian history and culture lessons, pupils learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: Dreaming stories, art with dots and lines, songlines, connection to Country, many languages and nations. Schools often begin events with an «Acknowledgement of Country». In Canada, «Aboriginal» was used for First Nations, Inuit and Métis, though «Indigenous» is now more common. Phrases: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Aboriginal art, Aboriginal culture, Acknowledgement of Country.

Examples

• Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for more than 60 000 years. tree →
• We looked at Aboriginal dot paintings in art class. tree →
• Many Aboriginal languages are still spoken today. tree →
• The assembly began with an Acknowledgement of Country. tree →
• Dreaming stories explain how the land and animals came to be. tree →
• Uluru is a sacred place for the Aboriginal people of that land. tree →
• They are possibly a relic of the days of Aryan conquest, when the fair-skinned, fair-haired Aryan conquered the swarthier aboriginals. tree →

Note

Write with a capital A when it means Australia's first peoples. Use it as an adjective (Aboriginal people, an Aboriginal artist), not as a noun («an Aboriginal», «Aborigines» sound old-fashioned or rude). There are hundreds of different Aboriginal nations, not one.