First Nations. Indigenous. Aboriginal. Torres Strait Islander. What’s the difference?
- Josh Ahmat
- February 13, 2025
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First Nations. Indigenous. Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander? In Australia today, some people use these terms interchangeably to refer to the first peoples of Australia. However, while this may seem true on the surface, each term carries nuance and distinct meanings and interpretations. Consequently, non-indigenous Australians often misunderstand these terms.
For instance, the term, ‘First Nations’ originated in Canada as a replacement for ‘Indian’. In the 1980s, the Canadian government officially adopted it to recognise Indian, Inuit and Metis peoples as the first peoples. In Australia, people commonly use First Nations to refer to the first people of Australia – who are Aboriginal peoples.
Listen to the personal perspective of Josh, a proud Badu Island man and our Indigenous Education Officer, on the use of these terms and what they mean for him.
Please note: This video reflects one person’s personal preference or opinion. It does not present the only perspective on the topic. We encourage you to discuss these terms with others and consider their views.
Mina koey esso
Joshua Ahmat – Badu Island
Additional Resources
Student Activities
- The University of Sydney’s “Ask Us Anything” series includes an episode where students and staff answer anonymously submitted questions to challenge myths and stereotypes about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Use this episode in your classroom to spark discussions about stereotypes.
- Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali platform offers a wide range of free activities and resources on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories, reconciliation, and protocols like Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country.
- Our free online learning module, Portraying Australia’s Diversity, explores how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are represented in film and television. This module is designed for mid-to-upper secondary students.
Professional Learning
- Watch the recent webinar recording, Effectively engaging Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Families, to hear more from Josh. You can access it free on our online learning portal.
- The Australian Curriculum’s FIRST framework helps teachers and schools build meaningful connections with their local First Nations communities.
Further Exploration
- Learn more about appropriate and inappropriate terminology in this teaching practice article from The University of New South Wales.
- Explore online articles and resources on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and stories from the National Museum of Australia and the State Library of Queensland.
About the Author
Josh is a proud Torres Strait Islander man with connections to Badu and Erub Islands, He is passionate about improving educational outcomes for mob first, and all young people, regardless of cultural heritage or faith background. Josh’s lived experience is deeply rooted in his Christian faith, his identity as a Torres Strait Islander man, and his past eight years working in education, He has an unwavering passion for transforming educational landscapes, fostering inclusivity and bridging gaps in learning outcomes beyond the borders of culture, faith or worldview.
Copyright
Metadata © Together for Humanity (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Together for Humanity (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Together for Humanity (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Together for Humanity is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Copyright
Metadata © Together for Humanity (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Together for Humanity (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Together for Humanity (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Together for Humanity is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Stage: All
- Curriculum: HASS, English
- Topics: Language; Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander perspectives; Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander histories