Naming the Ice Breaker, nuyina
The Australian Antarctic Division held a national competition among school students to name the new Ice Breaker.
Winners were students from St. Virgils college, Austins Ferry, Hobart and Secret Harbour Primary School, Western Australia. They nominated the palawa kani word nuyina (southern lights) for the new name.
The word nuyina was shared by Aborigines with George August Robertson as they watched the lights in 1831 from near Ansons Bay, and again in 1837 from Flinders Island.
A quarter of the 800 names submitted were from Aboriginal languages. The TAC received impressive statements from students who asked to submit palawa kani names.
Congratulations to the students for their acknowledgement nayri rrala of palawa kani, the language of Tasmanian Aborigines.
Further references
- What’s in a name? Antarctic Division article (external link)
- Construction of the new ice breaker (external link)
