The Ngunnawal are a tribe originating in the area now known as
Canberra. Archeological evidence suggests that the Ngunnawal and another tribe, the
Walgalu have been living in the area for at least 21,000 years. Or to put it another way, they were there just 20,000 years after the species
Homo Sapiens Sapiens evolved.
Also spelled
Ngunawal, and often writen
Ngun(n)awal, Ngunnawal is the prefered spelling of the
University of Canberra's
Ngunnawal Centre. The Aboriginal people of Canberra are now represented by three groups:
- the Ngunawal ACT and District Council of Elders Association Incorporated
- the Ngunnawal ACT and District Indigenous Peoples Association
- the Ngunnawal Elders Council Incorporated.
Ngunnawal is also the name of one of the first suburbs of the Canberran development,
Gungahlin.