LAST year’s bicentenary of Campbell Town celebrations featured well subscribed initiatives such as heritage tours, community lunches, concerts, sports events, custom post mark, fishing competition and much more. But one lasting tribute, organised by the Bicentennial Committee, has possibly gone unnoticed by the majority of local residents.
In Blackburn Park a plaque has been installed at the base of a pine tree near the chainsaw sculptures, recording the dates of the bicentenary and recognising the Tasmanian indigenous palawa kani name for the area that includes Campbell Town – Pantukina (meeting of the rivers).
When committee member Danny Saunders, an Aboriginal man of the Yiman-Iman nation in Queensland, first joined the committee, he said he felt strongly that his role would be to ensure there was an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presence and recognition as celebrations unfolded.
“I organised for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre to give the committee a cultural and language workshop and following that the idea was born for the plaque, which will complement the name’s addition to official town signage that will soon be erected,” he said.
“We also invited Ted Sutherland, of the Wiradjuri nation, to give his personal story of discovering his Aboriginal heritage in his 70s – and so many people were able to identify with that on various levels.”
Danny said he would like to encourage people to learn and use the name Pantukina and that he’s glad there is a way for visitors to become familiar with it too as they tour the park.