Aboriginal Culture and Heritage

Ngadju people have roots; they know their history and culture - and they have known it for a very long time. Current estimates suggest Ngadju people have been living in the country surrounding Norseman for some 50,000 years. By way of context, the first known European to traverse this landscape was Edward John Eyre in 1841.

If Ngadju presence was a 24 hour clock, “new” Australians have only been here for a fraction over 5 minutes of that time. It could rightly be said that Ngadju have time on their side - deep time.

To keep their spiritual world alive they practiced sacred ceremonies and dances, and many of these sights of significance remain important places through which Ngadju connect to country today. Known as the song and dance people, Ngadju elders showed neighbouring tribal groups new songs or dances, which were learnt and taken home by the visitors.

Throughout the millennia Ngadju developed and enhanced a sophisticated web of wisdom that was passed down through thousands of generations. While the coming of white settlers wrought brought disastrous impacts, a remarkable storehouse of that knowledge endures - a tribute to the deep and strong roots of Ngadju culture.