Gadigal Words to Recognise Aboriginal Language and Return It To the Local Environment

WORDS from the language of the traditional custodians of Sydney, the Gadigal people, have been selected as the chosen names for four Sydney Park wetlands.

On Monday evening City of Sydney Council officially recommended the wetlands within the park take on the names Wirrambi, Guwali, Bunmarra and Gilbanung wetlands – pending approval from the Geographical Names Board of NSW.

The names reflect the natural environment of the wetlands that once ­extended from what is now Sydney Park all the way down to Redfern, and form part of the City of Sydney’s work to recognise Aboriginal culture and the local ecology.

Nathan Moran, CEO of the Metro Local Aboriginal Land Council, said the move was a very important step.

The use of Gadigal words, sourced from University of Sydney academic Jakelin Troy’s The Sydney Language, has been labelled an incredibly important step in recognition by Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) CEO Nathan Moran.

“It’s incredibly important to acknowledge the traditional language and people of the land,” Mr Moran said.

“It’s a great honour to ­regenerate or return the language to the local area.”

The Metropolitan LALC was consulted and ­expressed support of the Gadigal words as part of the naming approval process – words that represent a connectivity to the site, which “lives and breathes despite some 228 years of colonisation”, Mr Moran said.

The fact that the flora and fauna named are still an ­active part of the wetlands’ ecosystem is “an amazing tribute to the strength and tenacity of the local ­environment,” he said.

Sydney Park wetlands, the only remnants of the wetland that once spread through the whole area.

Mr Moran said he hoped the move would encourage people to treasure the land.

“It’s an important link ­between the past and the present. It’s great to see its continuance,” he said.

“To see the language ­rehabilitated brings a good shot of spirit to the soul.”

The Geographical Names Board is expected to complete its assessment process by midyear. If approved, signage at Sydney Park will be updated to include the new names of the wetlands and to provide interpretative information about the new names.

The proposed names

Warrambi (meaning bat) refers to the microbats which feed in the park

Guwali (cormorant) relates to birds visiting the wetlands

Bunmarra (lizard) references the blue tongue lizards living in the park

Gilbanung (grasshopper) refers to the common insect prevalent in the park