Charlotte Varcoe
THE Cave Gardens will be one of six iconic local landmarks to receive dual naming in line with traditional language.
Part of an ongoing project between Mount Gambier City Council, the Bunganditj Language Reclamation Committee and Burrandies Aboriginal Corporation, the ongoing project plans to revitalise the traditional language of the Boandik peoples.
The Bunganditj language – which is the traditional language of the Boandik peoples – will be used to provide a dual name for Umpherston Sinkhole, Leg of Mutton Lake, Brownes Lake, Valley Lake and the Blue Lake with both the traditional and the European place names to be used on signage.
Following the decision made by council this week, the Umpherston Sinkhole will also have the Bunganditj name of Balumbul which means buttercup flower.
The Cave Garden will have Thugi which means bullfrogs.
The Leg of Mutton Lake will also be known as Yatton Loo, the Blue Lake will also be WarWar which means crow country, Brownes Lake will have the dual name of Kroweratwari which means emu tracks while the Valley Lake will have Ketla Malpi which means sacred talking tree.
Language Reclamation Committee member and Boandik elder Aunty Michelle Jacquelin-Furr said the dual naming of the areas was a positive step towards reconciliation.
“This project has been going on for a while but we have been talking about it for much longer than that,” Aunty Michelle said.
“It only came into fruition last year when the council said they really wanted to get it up and running.
“We worked out what the names were for specific and important cultural areas and worked from there.”
Aunty Michelle said the project allowed reclamation of the traditional language with other Boandik elders hoping the community would accept the dual naming process.
“It is important for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living here because it gives us a sense of pride in knowing that we are being recognised here and the language is being used,” she said.
“The project tells us that we are being respected and hopefully the European names will be the secondary names and people will just use the Bunganditj names.”
Labelling the project as an “important step forward” Aunty Michelle said the next dual naming she would like to see was the traditional name for Mount Gambier, Berrin, on welcome signs outside the township.
“As we travel around Australia and go to other areas we see these languages being used and it is nice to think that may be the future here as well,” she said.
“This project is important for respect for the Aboriginal people here in Mount Gambier and is the beginning of our healing journey; to see the language revived and being used is really significant in the healing process.”
Council’s Dual Naming Policy also includes acknowledgement, celebration and preservation of cultural practices, traditional sites and significant places.
