Australia Post Packaging Will Now Have A Space For First Nations Place Names In Time For NAIDOC
Australia Post has released a new line of envelopes that have a space specifically for the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Country names.
Just in time for NAIDOC week Australia Post has released a new line of envelopes that have a space specifically for the traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Country names.
New Australia Post packaging will now include a dedicated box to fill where people can choose to include the First Nation country, just above the street address. The new packaging will begin phasing in this week, during NAIDOC.
And finally, an initiative worth writing home about …. Australia Post includes space for Traditional Place Names on parcel addresses. Love this @auspost 💕
Let’s get doing, different!
#NAIDOC2021 #NAIDOCWeek pic.twitter.com/VNRVoRLnH0— Rohini Kappadath (@TalkingAsia) July 4, 2021
Gomeroi woman Rachael McPhail has been petitioning Australia Post to make the change, as part of a campaign to include traditional place names in all addresses. McPhail has been championing the use of traditional Country names for years.
It’s a significant step in the right direction. McPhail told the ABC that there is still work to be done, however. The next step is compiling a comprehensive database of all traditional place names, so people can easily work out where to send their mail.
So proud of & inspired by my baawaa Rach who has campaigned for YEARS to get this to happen 🔥👇🏽
‘Australia Post has released a new line of envelopes which have a space specifically for traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander place names’https://t.co/mHOCMmhTKX
— Amy Thunig (@AmyThunig) July 5, 2021
A comprehensive database will take a nationwide collaborative effort, but it is vital work worth doing. Campaigns like McPhail’s will help expose people to traditional place names from other parts of the land, as well as normalise the use of traditional place names over coloniser’s names.
It’s worth noting that many Blak and First Nations businesses have already been encouraging their customers and patrons to use traditional place names. Many have also already been using traditional place names on their packaging. 10 News also used traditional place names in their weather forecast last night.
On the first day of NAIDOC my tru gawd gave to me: traditional place names on the tv pic.twitter.com/mZdeA4BjV5
— Ali Murphy-Oates (@superfishali) July 4, 2021
Using traditional place names perfectly aligns with this year’s NAIDOC theme, Heal Country. There is still a long journey ahead in healing the wounds of attempted genocide and the ongoing attempted colonisation of First Nations peoples on this continent. But you will never a heal a Country you can’t name.
So, be sure to consult the map of Indigenous lands from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and familiarise yourself with the traditional names and owners for the next parcel you send.