Decolonising Country - Beowa National Park, Eden NSW, Hon James Griffin

This year is 175 years since Benjamin Boyd trafficked some 200 Vanuatu (Tanauta) & New Caledonia (Lifou) men as slaves to labour across his whaling and cotton industries.
The Hon. James Griffin, Minister for Environment and Heritage last Friday renamed Ben Boyd national park situated 578 km south of Sydney at Eden NSW Australia.
The park is renamed ‘Beowa’ which is the killer whale, and Eden is well known for whale watching in the deep blue waters of Twofold Bay as well as learning about the region's heritage, bushwalking and getting up close to marine life on a guided tour.
The Welcome to country was performed by Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council (ELALC) chair BJ Cruse who placed the new signage with the help of 2nd generation blackbird descendant (Waskam) Emelda Davis the chair of Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) (ASSI-PJ) and City of Sydney Councillor, Danny Togo ASSI-PJ vice chair together with National Parks and Wildlife Manager Kane Weeks and staff.
BJ Cruse said … “I have raised the importance and cultural significance of this issue around the name change and recognition for some 20 years.
A Lot of traditional owners were involved across this consultation inclusive of non-Indigenous peoples.
The positive action of the governments bringing about the name change brings about the greater potential of a treaty into the future.”
Minister Griffin said … “Through an extensive consultation process with more than 60 representatives from the Aboriginal and Australian South Sea Islander community, we listened and learned, and a new, culturally-appropriate name for this magnificent national park was chosen. The name ‘Beowa’ celebrates the important connection between the park’s coastline and the spiritual lives of its first inhabitants, as well as their beliefs and cultural practices associated with the ocean, in particular orcas.”
ASSI-PJ have advocated for over a decade of truth telling of Boyd’s atrocities and we welcome the traditional owners call for the name change ‘Beowa’ that connects us all as wansolwarra (one salt water) for the whale connects our nations as explained culturally and spiritually it is our bloodlines.
When seeking cultural guidance and perspectives the Vanuatu High Commissioner to Australia explained that the killer whale is his customary totem.
His Excellency Mr Samson Vilvil Fare says… “We are grateful to the First Nations communities for taking in those men and families stolen from their island homes.
Today these are our ancestors speaking through the earth, wind, oceans and their descendants that the naming is appropriate and the right thing to do in terms of recognition and healing the generational trauma for our Indigenous, ASSI and Pacific communities in bringing us closer together.”
ASSI-PJ sees this as an affirmative action landmark 175th anniversary decision as the much needed follow through from the 2013 NSW Parliament bipartisan support for ASSI recognition motion put forward by Independent Member for Sydney Mr. Alex Greenwich.
More recently (2022) Councillor Davis received bipartisan support for her motion ‘Recognition and support for ASSIs and the annual raising of the ASSI flag at Sydney Town Hall followed by a co-signed letter by Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Clr Davis to some 500 Councils across Australia encouraging their colleagues to follow suit.
(Waskam) Emelda Davis says… “Indigenous peoples know that the naming of place carries enormous significance, understanding and gives a greater sense of belonging and healing for our nation to recognise two distinctly different cultures that bared the brunt of Boyd’s illegal blackbirding ventures.
A huge step for our NSW First Nations / ASSI communities especially as we will continue to build on existing relationships with our Thaua and traditional owner clans kinship.
This work in unpacking truth and injustices helps us find our families in reconnecting with country and bloodlines that connect us back to our homelands.
AGAIN! we are calling on our governments to listen and sit with us and work on an already drafted soft power strategy that will assist the much needed cultural specific nation building for greater ASSI inclusion and understanding of this shared history.
With the three tiers of government commitment since 1994 Commonwealth Recognition of ASSIs, Queensland in 2000 and recent NSW commitments in the right direction we should be able to resolve so much for communities that have been left behind.”
Media contact: 0416300946
Email: [e-mail]
Australian South Sea Islanders (Port Jackson) website for more information
www.assipj.com.au
Home page to watch ‘Footprints’ video
also
Click on ‘Recognition Docs’ tab for…
• Boyd Evaluation Report
• Resolution by City of Sydney Recognition of and Support for Australian South Sea Islanders