Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Australian Aboriginal, Arnhem Land a
white person, aEuropean
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From Makasar Balanda, from Malay Belanda, from Dutch Hollander.
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Examples
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Gopuru tells of a totemic fish chasing the northwest wind, of clouds forming and ocean currents swirling: metaphors for the complex kinship patterns that exist within a system where everything is shared, decisions are taken collectively and balanda non-Aboriginals who spend time with the Yolngu are incorporated into the family.
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But Djambawa, one of Australia's most important indigenous artists, says being appointed a Member of the Order of Australia is important for his Yolngu people of Arnhem Land because it will help bridge the divide between their deep-seated culture and that of the balanda (white person).
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