Sydney - Really Saying Sorry
Here's a list of the original names given to places in Sydney Harbour by the First Nation Aboriginal people of Australia. http://australianmuseum.net.au/Place-names-chart
Maybe this is a good act to make good the exceptional apology presented to Australian Aboriginal people. Maybe we could rename a few places. You know, we re named Ayers Rock and now, the younger generation only know it as Uluru.
One generation and Sydney would be the first Capital City in Australia to really commit to acting on the Apology in a real "non compensation way."
Don't you think Darling Point sounds much better as Yarranabbe?
Transcript from web page at http://australianmuseum.net.au/Statement-of-Tuhbowgule-Nangamay
"It is the current generations that ultimately hold the responsibility and honour of maintaining Aboriginal culture around Sydney Harbour and ensuring that the natural presence, restoration, interpretation and beauty of Aboriginal culture be continued through the dreaming.
It is therefore our duty to educate our community within to ensure that the traditional pathways of knowledge are passed on and interpreted by our people in genuine Aboriginal cultural environments. We see this as having inseparable sustainable relationships within all elements of 'Tuhbowgule'.
We seek to protect the cultural sites of 'Tuhbowgule' through conservation, restoration and maintenance programs. We will achieve this by active participation in natural resource and environmental, cultural heritage and interpretive tourism industries.
We will strive to demonstrate and promote Sydney Aboriginal culture and heritage as a living and evolving culture, one which is expressed in traditional and contemporary ways, honouring the past, celebrating the present and securing the future 'spirit of place'.
The vision ensures all Australians and visitors are rewarded by the 'Tuhbowgule' experience. It is hoped that by providing a cultural platform, which promotes gestures of goodwill, harmony and reconciliation, people will be able to identify, feel and connect with 'Tuhbowgule' and its 'Nangamay'."
Jenny Munro and Allen Madden - Metropolitan
Local Aboriginal Land Council - June 2000

