AY Honors/Aboriginal Lore/Answer Key

A 19th century engraving showing Aboriginal people and humpy.

A humpy is a small temporary shelter made from bark and tree branches, traditionally used by Australian Aborigines. A standing tree is usually used as the main support. The word humpy comes from the Jagara language (a Murri people from Coorparoo, Brisbane). Other language groups would have different names for the structure.

The word humpy was adopted by early white settlers, and now forms part of the Australian lexicon. Small impermanent dwellings, made of branches and bark (particularly paperbark, were built prior to the construction of more permanent buildings, and were referred to as humpies.

It is sometimes called a lean-to, since it can rely on the tree for support.

In South Australia, such a shelter is known as a Wurley (also spelled wurlie), possibly from the Kaurna language.

See also

• Indigenous Australians
• List of English words of Australian Aboriginal origin

External links

• State Library of Victoria photo of Aboriginal people and humpy
• article on early white settlers making humpies