Glossary
As we welcome many guests from overseas to join us for Sydney WorldPride, we’ve compiled a list of terms to help festival attendees appreciate the wonderful diversity of our community.
The terms below are used by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, as well as people in the broader First Nations communities from across the Asia-Pacific region to express important parts of their identity and cultural practices.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the custodians of this land, and of the oldest living culture in the world. Always was, always will be Aboriginal Land.
Acknowledgment of Country
A practice that allows anyone to pay their respects to Aboriginal people and the country they are on.
BIPOC
Black, Indigenous and People of Colour.
Brotherboy
A term used to describe gender diverse people who have a male spirit and take on male roles in the community.
Deadly
For Aboriginal people this means awesome or great.
Fa’afafine
Fa’afafine are people who identify themselves as having a third gender or non-binary role in Samoa, American Samoa and the Samoan diaspora.
First Nations
Refers to the Indigenous peoples of the land, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian.
LGBTQIA+SB
The abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, asexual, and more, with the addition of Sistergirl and Brotherboy.
Mob, Nation, Clan
In Aboriginal cultures, refers to kin, family connection, particular place or country.
Sistergirl
A term used to describe gender diverse people who have a female spirit and take on female roles in the community.
Traditional Owners
Refers to a local Aboriginal descent group who have certain rights and responsibilities in relation to a tract of land or area of sea.
Yarn/Yarning
For Aboriginal peoples yarning is about building respectful relationships. The use of yarning circle (or dialogue circle) is an important process as it promotes interactions and community connections.
Welcome to Country
Delivered by Traditional Owners or by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have been given permission from Traditional Owners.
