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Kaurna Placename Meanings within the City of Adelaide.
In late 1996, Dot Davy, a Kaurna woman working for the Adelaide City Council, approached Rob Amery to develop a Kaurna naming strategy for Council. This was prepared in collaboration with KACHA Inc. Five of these names, These were Piltawodli, Karrawirra, Tambawodli, Wirranendi and Karrawirra Parri, initially gained in-principle approval in 1997. The first four of these were officially endorsed by Council in March 2000 and signage installed in November 2001. Karrawirra Parri, being a geographical feature, had to await approval from the state government. This was forthcoming in November 2001. An additional 19 names were approved in May 2001. Tarndanyangga-Victoria Square was dual named in May 2002. The remaining city squares and named parks were dual named in March 2003.
Kaurna Naming Project
Full List of Adelaide City Park Lands and City Squares Assigned Kaurna Names
| Park Number | Kaurna Name | Naming Protocol - January 2004 |
|---|---|---|
| Park 1 | Piltawodli'possum place' | Piltawodli |
| Park 2 | Padipadinyilla'swimming place' | Padipadinyilla |
| Park 3 | Kandarilla'kandara root place' | Kandarilla |
| Park 4 | Kangattilla'kangatta berry place' | Kangattilla |
| Park 5 | Ngampa Yerta'ngampa root ground' | Ngampa Yerta |
| Park 6 | Nanto Womma 'horse plain' | Nanto Womma |
| Park 7 | Kuntingga'kunti root place' | Kuntingga |
Park 8 |
Barnguttilla'barngutta root place' | Barnguttilla |
| Park 9 | Tidlangga'tidla root place' | Tidlangga |
| Park 10 | Warnpangga'bullrush root place' | Warnpangga |
| Park 11 | Tainmundilla'mistletoe place' | Tainmundilla |
| Park 12 | Karrawirra 'river red gum forest' | Karrawirra |
| Park 13 | Kadlitpinna'Captain Jack' | Kadlitpinna Park |
| Park 14 | Mullawirraburka'King John' | Mullawirraburka Park |
| Park 15 | Ityamaiitpinna'King Rodney' | Ityamaiitpinna Park |
Park 16 |
Bakkabakkandi'to trot: a term applied to horses' | Bakkabakkandi Park |
| Park 17 | Tuttangga'grass place' | Tuttangga |
| Park 18 | Wita Wirra ‘peppermint grove/place’ | Wita Wirra |
| Park 19 | Pityarrilla'marshmallow root place' | Pityarrilla |
| Park 20 | Kurrangga'blue gum place' | Kurrangga |
| Park 21 West | Minno Wirra'golden wattle grove' | Minno Wirra |
| Park 21 | Walyo Yerta'walyo root ground' | Walyo Yerta |
| Park 22 | Wikaparndo Wirra'netball park' | Wikaparndo Wirra |
| Park 23 | Wirranendi'to become wirra' | Wirranendi |
| Park 24 | Tambawodli'plain place' | Tambawodli |
| Park 25 | Narnungga'native pine place' | Narnungga |
| Park 26 | Tarndanya Womma‘Adelaide plain/oval’ | Tarndanya Womma |
| Park 27 | Tulya Wodli‘Police Barracks’ | Tulya Wodli |
| Park 28 | Pangki PangkiKaurna tracker and guide | Pangki Pangki |
| Park 29 | Tandotittingga‘native lilac place’ | Tandotittingga |
Dual Kaurna Named City Squares
| City Square | Kaurna Name | Naming Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Square | Tarndanyangga Red Kangaroo Dreaming |
Victoria Square/Tarndanyangga |
| Hindmarsh Square | Mogata King John's wife |
Hindmarsh Square/Mogata |
| Hurtle Square | Tangkaira King Rodney's wife |
Hurtle Square/Tangkaira |
| Light Square | Wauwe Captain Jack's wife |
Light Square/Wauwe |
| Wellington Square | Kudnarto First Aboriginal woman to marry a European |
Wellington Square/Kudnarto |
| Whitmore Square | Ivaritji King Rodney's daughter |
Whitmore Square/Ivaritji |
Other City Features with Kaurna Names
| Feature | Kaurna Name | Naming Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Torrens River | Karrawirra Parri | Torrens River/Karrawirra Parri |
| Main Lake Botanic Garden | Kainka Wirra | Main Lake/Kainka Wirra |
Original Names not yet officially recognised.
Two additional Kaurna names are known for localities within the jurisdiction of the Adelaide City Council, but do not yet have official recognition.
Tinninyawodli (lit. rib house) was the name that the Kaurna gave to the Ironstores. Tinninya ‘rib’ was extended to mean ‘iron’ probably because iron was imported in lengths that were likened to ribs. Even though Tinninyawodli is some distance from Piltawodli, it is located within the Piltawodli Park.
Ngamatyi (originally spelt Ngamaji in the Advertiser article in 1927) was given by Ivaritji as the name of the site where the GPO is now located. The meaning of Ngamatyi is unknown, but as the name bears some resemblance to ngammi ‘breast’ and ngammaitya ‘woman’ it is thought by some to refer to a women’s site. The GPO was approached by Kaurna Warra Pintyandi in mid-2003 for recognition of the name.
