Uncle Neil Ingram senior is celebrating the inclusion of the traditional Aboriginal name for one of the region's landmarks.
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The Senior Wiradjuri Elder spent about a year working towards the dual naming of Gaanha-bula/Mount Canobolas and is delighted the traditional name is now official.
"I'm so happy all the hard work has paid off," Uncle Neil said.
"This means the feature has two names, an Aboriginal name and a non-Aboriginal name, each existing and having equal status - Gaanha-bula/Mount Canobolas.
![Gillian Ingram and Uncle Neil Ingram Senior Wiradjuri Elder are celebrating the dual naming of Gaanha bula Mount Canobolas. Picture by Carla Freedman Gillian Ingram and Uncle Neil Ingram Senior Wiradjuri Elder are celebrating the dual naming of Gaanha bula Mount Canobolas. Picture by Carla Freedman](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GpZJ7bTi6nvXt5tnNdnKeU/01a9fcac-9cd5-4f88-9eff-90c741ef885b.JPG/r0_422_8256_5082_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mr Ingram applied for the name change last year after gaining the support of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Geographical Name Board, the Gaanha-bula Action Group and many community organisations.
"Without that support it wouldn't have got over the line," Uncle Neil said.
"Aboriginal place naming is central to language revitalisation. It helps reawaken, preserves, and grows Aboriginal language and strengthens Aboriginal connection to culture, identity and country.
"This will allow our communities to share the richness of our culture and stories.
"Aboriginal people and stories have crossed this landscape since the beginning of time and before the invasion of European colonisers."
![Gaanha-bula / Mount Canobolas is a natural feature in the landscape near Orange. Picture by Carla Freedman. Gaanha-bula / Mount Canobolas is a natural feature in the landscape near Orange. Picture by Carla Freedman.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GpZJ7bTi6nvXt5tnNdnKeU/0b627229-213a-4e29-a46d-d0d35de972a5.JPG/r0_404_8256_5064_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Uncle Neil said the dual name is for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and he's received several messages of support since the name change became official.
"We need to instill pride in our young people - they don't have many good role models and they need to be proud of their language and identity," he said.
"Non-Aboriginal people need to know the significance and cultural values because it is rich in our history as well and we all need to embrace this together.
"We need to preserve, protect and respect our sacred and spiritual places."
Gaanha-bula is the traditional name for the mountain with Gaanha meaning shoulder and bula meaning two, giving it the meaning, Two Shoulders.
"It's always been a sacred and spiritual place for our people," Uncle Neil said.
"There's men's and women's business up there."
Uncle Neil said he'd like to see dual naming for everything now like Mt Panorama, which has the traditional name Wahluu, which means young men's initiation site.
He said he'd also like to see dual naming for the Macquarie River at Dubbo, Wambuul, and other rivers and mountains on Wiradjuri land but they can only work on one at a time.
"It's just a slow process but the aim is to try and embrace it," Uncle Neil said.
"I've had a lot of phone calls of congratulations from non-Aboriginal people, more so than Aboriginal people, so the wider community is starting to embrace it and appreciate it.
"It makes me feel good in my heart and you know, it's exciting."
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Aunty Alice Williams was also delighted Uncle Neil's "hard work and dedication" paid off.
"It's been a long time coming," she said.
"It's good to revive language back on country and it's a good educational thing for the wider community to understand the significance of the mountain and how important it is to put the traditional name back on country.
"I think it's good for all the community, like non-Indigenous people too, it's a way for them to embrace that mountain and the importance of the place."
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