| W dniu 31 maja 2019 r. Kosciuszko Heritage Inc. z upoważnienia Polonii Australijskiej podpisała dwustronne oświadczenie z Komitetem "Monero Ngarigo" przy Kosciuszko National Park. W oświadczeniu tym obie strony zgłaszają sprzeciw wobec propozycji organizacji Aborygeńskiej TKNIC z Tumbarumba skierowanej do NSW Geographical Names Board. TKNIC zaproponował wprowadzenie nazwy Kunama Namadgi.
KHI oraz starszyzna Ngarigo z regionu Monaro stoją na stanowisku, że najpierw powinna zapaść decyzja co do prawa reprezentacji (who speaks for the Country); naszym zdaniem GNB powinien przeprowadzić szerokie konsultacje z tymi grupami aborygeńskimi, które mają związek z Górą Kościuszki. Jesteśmy zdania, że do czasu zidentyfikowania właściwej, historycznie udowodnionej lokalnej nazwy na Mt Kosciuszko, obecna nazwa powinna zostać niezmieniona (zgodnie z Kosciuszko National Park -Plan of Management). KHI uznaje suwerenne prawa ludu Monero-Ngarigo jako tradycyjnych kustoszy Mt Kosciuszko. Obie strony zapowiadają wysiłki na rzecz promocji T. Kosciuszki jako bojownika o wolność, demokrację i praw człowieka
oraz jako sprzymierzeńca rdzennych ludów.
Full text of the Joint Statement - click here
Nasze oświadczenie zostało wysłane do NSW Geographical Names Board. Urząd ten zablokował propozycję z Tumbarumby, zapowiadając szerokie konsultacje, o czym poinformował Polonię oraz Ambasadę RP w Australii. Spodziewamy się, że wkrótce skontaktują się z nami eksperci mianowani przez GNB. Tymczasem w australijskich mediach powoli zaczyna się dyskusja na temat dual naming.
Poniżej linki do naszych wcześniejszych publikacji w Pulsie Polonii.
Mt Kosciuszko - pierwsza runda wygrana
Może ta cisza to dobry znak
Ostatnie poprawki na tekście Joint Statement. Od lewej: Ngarigo Elder, Aunty Deanna Davison, Iris White & Prof. Andrzej Kozek. Foto Puls Polonii |
Na stronie GNB ukazała się informacja, że propozycja z Tumbarumby została zamrożona (deferred) do czasu uzyskania obszerniejszych informacji (supportive material).
Geographical Names Register Extract dostepny pod tym linkiem
Dzisiaj, 15 czerwca 2019 Radio ABC nadało krótki reportaż:
Radio ABC on Mt Kosciuszko Dual Naming - click here to listen
Introduction: What we used to call Ayers Rock is now Uluru, the Olgas are now called Kata Tjuta — so is it time to consider an Indigenous name for Australia's highest and most famous mountain? Mt Kosciuszko was named in 1840 by Polish explorer Pawel Strezlecki in honour of his homeland hero, General Kosciuszko, a freedom fighter who died in 1817. Now the Geographical Names Board is considering a proposal from one Indigenous group for Mount Kosciuszko to be given back its traditional name, to be displayed alongside the name we know it by today.
Duration: 3min 4sec. 3 people interviewed: Uncle John Casey, Michelle Francis, & Iris White.
Bezpośredni link na stronę ABC Jedna z sygnatariuszek Wspólnego Oświadczenia, Iris White udzieliła dzisiaj wywiadu stacji ABC South East. Materiał opracowali Claire Wheaton and Simon Lauder.
While plans are afoot to assign an Indigenous dual name to Australia's highest mainland peak, there is disagreement over the one currently under consideration. Kunama Namadgi, meaning snow and mountain, has been submitted to the Geographical Names Board of NSW to sit alongside Mount Kosciuszko. The mountain was named in 1840 by Polish explorer Pawel Strzelecki in honour of his homeland hero and freedom fighter Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The proposal for dual naming was lodged by the Toomaroombah Kunama Namadgi Indigenous Corporation last month and is being workshopped to different Indigenous groups.
Ngarigo elder and Tumbarumba resident Uncle John Casey said the peak was a spiritually significant place for Ngarigo people. "We're just trying to return culture and heritage to our people. There's not many of us left," he said."It's been Kunama Namadgi for 4,000 years, since we've been on country, until the white man came in the early 1800s and that's when they changed it." He suggested there could be as many as 20 different Indigenous names for the mountain, but said not all were Ngarigo names.
Fellow Ngarigo elder Michelle Francis also supported the bid to call the mountain Kunama Namadgi."It sits well with most people that hear it, that know it," she said.
"They understand that is Ngarigo language, it is Ngarigo country, so that sits very well with a lot of people."
She described the proposal as a giant move forward.
"We want the name changed. It's about respect and integrity to the first people."
Proposed name 'offensive'. But not everyone supports adopting the name Kunama Namadgi. Ngarigo woman Iris White is chairperson of the Southern Kosciuszko Executive Advisory Committee, which was set up to link the management of Kosciuszko National Park with traditional owners.She said the conversation over dual names had been going on for a long time, and that the current proposal was offensive to Ngarigo people."That name is not from our language. It's offensive because in some of our languages Kunama actually means faeces." Ms White acknowledged part of the problem was the fact her language was disappearing and said there were not many speakers left. "I don't think anyone wants to give something an Aboriginal name just for the sake of it sounding Aboriginal or sounding good."
She urged the Geographical Names Board to consult broadly, saying there were at least six different Indigenous groups that should be part of the conversation.
"It's complex. There are competing interests and there needs to be a due diligence process demonstrated before the Geographical Names Board decides to make any changes.
"They need to pay due regard to the rightful people who speak for that country." However, she said she dreamed of the day when she could stand alongside members of the Polish community to celebrate the dual naming."It's about reconciliation, not just between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people, but also reconciliation among ourselves as well."
Names to have equal status.The Geographical Names Board said it was undertaking consultation with Indigenous communities and would not make a decision until that process was completed."The Geographical Names Board is committed to restoring Aboriginal place names in NSW," it said in a statement. "Through place naming, communities have the opportunity to preserve traditions while providing a sense of belonging and identity.
"Mount Kosciuszko will not be renamed, instead a dual name is proposed, meaning an Aboriginal place name will sit alongside the non-Aboriginal name, each having equal status commemorating their associated stories."
Source: interview with Iris White on ABC
Some more links:
Ngarigo woman Iris White is calling for a broad consultation process
www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-15/iris-white-1/11210906
mobile.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-15/iris-white/11209550?pfm=sm
Recent publication by Ian Campbell in About Regional
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