The House of History – Session 9 – Rob Amery & Taylor Tipu Power-Smith

SESSION 9

‘Kaurna vs Miyurna: The history of the name of the owners/custodians of the Adelaide Plains’ presented by Rob Amery & Taylor Tipu Power-Smith, University of Adelaide & Kaurna Warra Pintyanthi (KWP)

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The original owners/custodians of the Adelaide Plains are today widely known as the Kaurna people. But the name Kaurna actually derives from kornar, the word for ‘people’ in the neighbouring Ramindjeri/Ngarrindjeri language. The word for ‘people’ in the language of the Adelaide Plains is miyurna. There is some evidence to suggest that Miyurna would have been used by the original owners/custodians themselves. This presentation will look at the various terms of reference used by different observers from 1826 through to the legitimation and popularisation of Kaurna by Norman Tindale of the South Australian Museum and its subsequent use in education and almost universal adoption by institutions in South Australia and beyond.

www.kaurnawarra.org.au

Presentation time: Thursday, 22 May 2025, 6:30 pm
Presentation duration: 60-90 minutes

 

Image courtesy of Rob Amery