aboriginal name for a black woman.The name comes from Tasmania, appearing first in the form loubra, in a vocabulary given in the `Voyage deDecouvertes de l'Astrolabe' (Paris, 1834), vol. vii. p. 9,and was obtained from a Tasmanian woman, belonging to PortDalrymple on the Tamar River. It is probably a compoundof the Tasmanian words loa or lowa, a woman,and proi (with variants), big. In Victoria, the useof the word began at the Hopkins River and the vicinity,having been introduced by settlers from Tasmania, but it wasgenerally adopted south of the Murray. North of the Murraythe native women were called Gins (q.v.). Both wordsare now used indiscriminately.
1855. W. Blandowski, `Transactions of Philosophical Societyof Victoria,' vol. i. p. 73 :
«The young man who wishes to marry has first to look out for awife amongst the girls or leubras of some neighbouringtribe.»
1864. H. Simcox, `Outward Bound,» p. 87:
«Many lubras so black with their load on their back.»
1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,» p. 23:
«Certain stout young gins or lubras, set apart for thatpurpose, were sacrificed.»
1891. `The Argus,' Nov. 7, p. 13, col. 4:
«A few old lubras sufficiently dirty and unprepossessing.»
1892. Gilbert Parker, `Round the Compass in Australia,' p. 28:
«Naked, and not ashamed, the old men grey-bearded and eyesbright, watched the cooking of the fish, and the younger, withthe lubras, did the honours of reception.»