By MATT NICHOLLS
A CENTURIES-OLD debate about the traditional owners of the Armidale land has flared up again.
Armidale Dumaresq Council had tasked its Gayinyaga Committee to put the wheels in motion for Welcome to Country signage at the entrances to the city, stating who the traditional custodians of the land were.
The committee voted at its 9 October meeting for the sign to read “Yugga Danya Welcome to Anaiwan Country”.
Armidale has generally been regarded as the home of the Anaiwan tribe, however Armidale Aboriginal elder Hazel Green, who descends from the Gumbaynggirr tribe, argued at Monday night’s general council meeting that her ancestors also called parts of Armidale home.
She argued that many tribes spent time in Armidale and did not believe a sign should exclusively acknowledge the Anaiwan people.
“Why couldn’t we just have a sign that says ’Welcome to Armidale – The City of Four Seasons’,” she said.
“Or it could say ’Welcome to the land of various tribes’.”
Mrs Green’s argument was met with opposition by Anaiwan elders Margaret Walford and Steve Widders, who is council’s Aboriginal Liason Officer.
Mrs Wadford said maps dating back to the early 19th century acknowledged Armidale as the home of the Anaiwan tribe.
“This has always been Anaiwan country,” she said.
Mr Widders said he was passionate about acknowledging the rightful custodians of the Armidale land.
“I’ve got no doubt that the Gumbaynggirr tribe was a coastal tribe that came to Ebor and north of Guyra,” he said.
“They had a similar language, but they did not call Armidale home.”
Mr Widders said the proposal to acknowledge the Anaiwan tribe at the city’s entrance had been on the table for 24 years.
Councillor Rob Richardson moved a motion to hold further community consultation on the issue and set a deadline for action to be taken by 31 March next year.
It was passed unanimously.
