Mapping the territories of Aboriginal nations has long been a daunting task, fraught with historical complexities and cultural intricacies that defy conventional cartographic methods. The legacy of colonisation casts a shadow over these efforts, as arbitrary borders imposed by European settlers disrupted traditional Aboriginal lands and obscured the intricate web of kinship ties and cultural landscapes.

The repercussions of colonisation continue to reverberate, complicating attempts to accurately map Aboriginal territories. Historical records are often incomplete or biased, hindering efforts to reconstruct pre-colonial boundaries. Moreover, the forced displacement of Aboriginal communities has resulted in the loss of traditional knowledge and the distortion of Indigenous perspectives on land ownership and boundaries.

Adding to the challenge are the cultural and linguistic intricacies inherent in Aboriginal nations. These communities are characterised by diverse kinship systems, languages, and cultural practices that vary widely across different regions. Many Aboriginal nations encompass multiple language groups and dialects, further complicating efforts to create standardised maps.

Central to the mapping conundrum are Aboriginal cultural boundaries, which are often defined by factors such as language, sacred sites, songlines, and seasonal resource use. These boundaries may not align with Western concepts of land ownership and borders, posing a significant challenge to cartographers seeking to represent Aboriginal territories accurately.

In navigating these complexities, consultation with Indigenous communities is paramount. Ensuring that Aboriginal perspectives and knowledge are respected and incorporated into mapping efforts is essential to creating maps that reflect the true diversity and richness of Aboriginal nations. Only through collaborative and respectful engagement can the intricate tapestry of Aboriginal territories be faithfully mapped and preserved for future generations.

For the Yugambeh people, the process of mapping their traditional territories is not merely an academic exercise but a profound journey of cultural reinvigoration and preservation. Like many Aboriginal nations, the Yugambeh Nation faces the legacy of colonisation, which has disrupted and displaced communities, eroded traditional knowledge, and obscured ancestral boundaries. Together though, Yugambeh people have worked for decades to collaboratively create maps, see the historical progression of maps below:

c. 1943 by Frederick James Watson^

^Limited to ‘Tribes of South-East Queensland’