What's in a Name Change?
Over the last few weeks, I have seen two news articles about how two Australian national parks have recently officially and legally had their names changes to reflect their local Aboriginal name. It has caused me to reflect on how significant words can be, and how important a name can be in terms of reconciling our present with the past.
Scrapping European names, which more often then not, reflect a painful, violent colonial past for First Nations communities, can be a wonderfully positive move forward in terms of building on reconciliation in that area. Moves to traditional First Nations names for places not only acknowledges, but celebrates the connection of First Nations people to those places; long-lasting connections which span tens and tens of thousands of years.
Name changes are significant in that they are a step in the multi-layered truth-telling process, acknowledging foremost, Aboriginal connection to Country. Aboriginal people hold knowledge, understanding, obligation and custodianship of the physical and cultural landscape, often expressed as Connection to Country. Country is multi-dimensional, consisting of people, animals and plants, reaching into the sky, covering all the land and sea, and extending underground. Returning the official name of a place to its original name, reminds people and visitors that they are walking on, swimming on, Aboriginal land.
One of the best known traditional names in Australia is Uluṟu. Uluru had its name change back in 1993, when the iconic landmark became the first in the Northern Territory to be dual named. Officially it became ‘Ayres Rock / Uluṟu’ and is written that way on signs, maps and other materials. This change led to a wave of dual naming across Australia.
For some more info on name changing, check out the following resources:
