The first women of the Canberra region

March is Women’s History Month. Capital history here is celebrating the month by highlighting capital women — women whose stories are part of Canberra’s history. 

As part of this I want to acknowledge the Aboriginal women who lived in the Canberra region for thousands of years before European colonisation. They and their people were the first inhabitants of this country. And their descendants still live in the Canberra region today continuing their connection to their culture and country. 

Aboriginal people have lived in the Canberra region for at least 21,000 years. They stayed in the area even during the cold winter months when food supplies were scarce. The oldest Aboriginal site yet found within the ACT is the Birrigai rock shelter which contains stone tools and charcoal from ancient campfires going back 21,00 years. 

How many generations of women lived over this long period of deep history? What can we know of the lives they lived? How were they like us? How were they different to us? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but I hope Capital history here can find out more about these women of deep history and share our findings with you.

Acknowledgement: Photo by Vincentiu Solomon on Unsplash

Please share. Let’s get the past and present talking.