Mundi and Baabak - Names approved by the Bunurong Land Council | QEC Skip to main content

We acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Traditional Owners of the lands on which together we walk, live and raise our children. 

We pay our respects to Traditional Owners past and present, future and any Aboriginal people present here today. We acknowledge the importance of children being raised with connections to culture, community and family

View our Acknowledgement of Country.

Inclusion statement

At QEC, we work together with families and communities to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment. We celebrate the different strengths and experiences that everyone brings.

We embrace diversity and want to make sure our places, processes, and services are fair, more accessible, and open to all.

It is important to us that people can express their beliefs, values and needs and that these are heard and understood so that everyone feels safe, respected, and a sense of belonging.

Mundi and Baabak – Names approved by the Bunurong Land Council

We are honoured to share that QEC has received two Boonwurrung names for our sites, from the Bunurong Land Council.

Last year, we approached the Bunurong Land Council to explore how we could more meaningfully reflect and respect Boonwurrung Country across our sites. Rather than selecting names ourselves, we sought to follow the appropriate cultural process and be guided by community.

A Community-Led Process

The process began with a Language Inception Meeting with a lungist fromrom the Bunurong Land Council. We outlined our purpose, the nature of our work with families, and how the names would be used.

The Bunurong Land Council then consulted with Bunurong Elders to determine whether language could be shared and which words would be appropriate.

Archival research was undertaken to identify historical examples of Boonwurrung language. From this research, two words were identified for further exploration: Mundi and Baabak.

Through linguistic analysis, pronunciations and meanings were determined:

Mundi MOON-dee: ‘hug; embrace; hold tight’

Baabak BAAH-buck: ‘nourish or care for a child; hold a child close’

This confirmation of approved language use comes with the explicit consent of the Bunurong Community as represented by Bunurong Elders and Knowledge Holders. The accuracy of the words above, including their meaning, spelling, and pronunciation, has been confirmed by rigorous research and peer review.

The words and analysis were peer reviewed by professional linguists at La Trobe University and the University of Melbourne. Modern standardised spelling was finalised following this review.

The proposed names were then returned to Bunurong Elders for confirmation and approval.

With their endorsement, the names have been formally approved for inclusion in the Boonwurrung Dictionary and for use by QEC.

Mundi – Noble Park

Mundi has been selected for our Noble Park site.

Baabak – Hastings

Baakak has been selected for our Hasting Site.

Both names reflect the core of our work with families, connection, care and support. We are grateful to the Bunurong Land Council and Elders for their guidance and for entrusting us with these names. We are committed to carrying them forward with respect.

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Young child hugging/holding onto parent