Whether you’re a Murri, Koori, Noongar or anything in between, these are universal signs that you’re Aboriginal in Australia.
1. When you pass another blackfulla on the street, you do the universal head-nod of recognition
2. Your household includes your extended family
3. You’ve been called upon in school/uni to give an opinion on Indigenous affairs, culture or history
4. You either ignore or emphasise the letter ‘H’
5. You've taught your gubba/migaloo mates a swearword in language
6. You know what this key is for
You know you're a blackfella when you know what this key is for (Wikimedia Commons) Source: Wikimedia Commons
7. You have a ‘white voice’ for phone calls
8. You don’t believe people when they say they’re “just around the corner” or “two minutes away”
9. You frequently tell people you’re “just around the corner” or “two minutes away”
10. You call your cousins your brother or sister
11. You grew up on miscellaneous 'and rice' for dinner
12. Your favourite was curried sausages and rice
Curried Sausages and Rice (Instagram/@spacountryliving) Source: Instagram/@spacountryliving
13. This image gives you PTSD
When mum was holding her thong - it didn't mean you were going to the beach (Amazon) Source: Amazon
14. You've given one non-Indigenous friend the title of an honourary blackfullah
15. You've told your teacher that something was "cultural" to avoid getting in trouble
16. You have a tattoo of your tribe or totem
Grayson McCarthy-Grogan (author) tattoo (Supplied) Source: Supplied
17. You call Dan Murphy's "Uncle Dan's"
18. If your team isn't playing, you'll end up supporting whichever team has the most blackfullahs
19. You have to borrow your own clothes back off your siblings/cousins
20. You own a pair of these earrings
Indigenous Pride Glitter Heart Earrings (Instagram/@HausOfDizzy) Source: Instagram/@HausOfDizzy
21. Beef is nothing without salt
22. You claim at least one footy star is your cousin
23. You’ve been told you're ‘too pretty to be Aboriginal’
24. You squeeze lemon on chicken-flavoured potato chips
25. The first thing friends or family say when they come over is “make us a cuppa”
26. Country classics like Merle Haggard and George Strait were the soundtrack to your childhood, and you know all the lyrics to Neon Moon by Brooks & Dunn
'Neon Moon' - Brooks & Dunn (Giphy) Source: Giphy
27. You can always spot a blackfulla house because of all the cars parked out the front
28. Before heading to the shops, your parents/grandparents give you the ‘when-we-get-in-here-don't-ask-for-nothing-or-you’ll-get-a-flogging’ talk
29. You're too afraid to watch scary movies after dark
30. Your office drawer snacks consist of two min noodles, tea bags, chips, bag of lollies, muesli bars
31. Your other blackfulla work mates help themselves to and never replace your office drawer snacks
32. You have one of these baking dishes in your cupboard
Casserole dish (Etsy) Source: Etsy
33. You take 'shame leave' after mucking up at a work function
34. You don't answer unknown numbers
35. You've had to sleep in head-to-toe formations with your siblings/cousins
36. Growing up, you had to be home before the street lights turned on
37. You've rocked up to a family cookout with nothing, and left with at least two plates
38. Words like Goodways, Shame, Hole, Bless, Whichway, Gammin are used in your everyday vocabulary
39. Going to the shower or car is always a race against your siblings/cousins
40. You've had the hots for someone and later found out that you're related to them
When you find out your Tinder match is your second cousin (Giphy) Source: Giphy
41. You call the Labor Day long weekend the Koori Knockout long weekend
42. Devon and tomato sauce sandwiches helped you grow-up strong
43. You travel with, or store your clothes in, one of these bags
Plastic Jumbo Checkered Bag (Amazon) Source: Amazon
44. You know of someone who is a 'Big Dorris'
45. You, yourself are a 'Big Dorris'
46. Growing up, bathtime was always shared with cousins (and your grandparents still have the photos)
47. You get followed around stores by 'shop assistants' aka: Security
48. Singing along to 'Hotel California' is a road trip ritual
49. Your mum calls you "mum", your dad calls you "dad", your aunty calls you "aunty" and your uncle calls you "uncle"
50. The Koori Grape Vine has a wider reach than social media — you've learned this the hard way
Grayson McCarthy-Grogan is a Yanyuwa, Garrawa and Kuku Yalanji man and NITV Digital Producer. Follow Grayson @GraysonMcG
