Blacktown residents could soon head to the polls to determine whether the area should change its name because ... well, it is not entirely clear why.
Independent councillor Russell Dickens,who holds the balance of power in the chamber and has been campaigning for a name change for two decades, said: "Black is beautiful, but black in general terms is not a very enlightening type of adjective.
"If you went to a place called Blacktown and not knowing about it what would you think?
"I think the name Blacktown does very little for the ordinary people and to denote vitality and progress."
Cr Dickens said his aversion to the term black was not related to race.
"I'm talking about black denoting something that is not full of vitality, not dynamic," he said.
Liberal councillor Karlo Siljeg, who also backed the motion and suggested West Sydney as an option, said the name Blacktown had racist connotations and changing it was a chance to "right a wrong".
Local historians say the name was derived from Black Town Road - now Richmond Road - which was the route to the Native Institute where Aboriginal children were schooled. Other suggested name options have included Indigenous names Bungarribee and Nurragingy.
Blacktown historian Jack Brook said there had been discussions about changing the name for decades and it was raised in NSW Parliament in 1878.
"If it were it called Whitetown, nobody would be wanting to change it," Mr Brook said.
"It's a name of character born of history."
Darug elder Gordon Workman, who is chairman of the Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation, said the council itself was being racist in trying to wipe the word black out of the suburb's identity.
"The name goes back 100 odd years to where the Darug people were here," Uncle Gordon said. "It was named after the Darug people who lived here."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/blacktown-residents-could-go-to-the-polls-on-changing-suburb-name-20150811...
I think the Aboriginal ppl who still live there should have the final say on whether the name should stay or be changed.
Although I think the name "Bungaribbee" would be good and would acknowledge the aboriginal heritage. An area of Mt Druitt is already called Dharuk.
