'MOUNTAIN'
pronounced 'koo-narn-yee'
7 AUGUST 2013
'kunanyi' means “mountain” in palawa kani, the revived language of Tasmanian Aboriginal people. The dual name kunanyi / Mount Wellington recognises a continuing cultural connection with this place.
MWCC welcomes opportunities to deepen visitors’ understanding of the mountain through Aboriginal-led storytelling and learning. Working with the people authorised to share those stories is central to that approach. We want visitors to leave with more than a photograph: a stronger appreciation of the mountain, the people connected to it and the care it deserves.
We have committed to a significant investment in cultural interpretation and look forward to enabling better visitor awareness through our proposed Pinnacle Centre. Whilst collaborative work with various indigenous elders and stakeholder groups shows promise to ensure this unique heritage is properly interpreted, we recognise that engagement does not establish collective support. We look forward to any associated tourism opportunities being guided by appropriate relationships, permissions and Aboriginal leadership, and we continue to welcome discussion about how those responsibilities should be met.
Throughout history, the mountain has carried many names. Some of the first recorded names included Unghbanyahletta and Poorawetter, whilst during early European exploration the mountain was referred to in Dutch as Skiddaw, French as Montagne du Plateau and English as Table Hill. After the landing of David Collins in 1804 it was known for a several decades as Table Mountain, after its ‘twin’ overlooking Cape Town, South Africa. After the defeat of Napolean in Europe, it was officially named in honour of the Duke of Wellington.
We hope all visitors to the mountain can be taken on a journey of discovery through its fascinating and largely untold geological formation, aboriginal heritage, colonial adaptation and modern day stories so visitors gain a deeper respect for the mountain's significance.
