Tarndanyangga
Encyclopedia
Tarndanyangga (ˈd̪̥aɳɖaɲaŋɡahttp://kaurnaplacenames.com/primary.php?id=4697) is the Kaurna word for red kangaroo dreaming or red kangaroo rock, and although is one half of the official name of Victoria Square, Adelaide
, it was used in Kaurna language to refer to the greater area of what is now the immediate Adelaide
city region.
Tarndanyangga derives from tarnda (red kangaroo
) and kanya ('rock'), -ngga is a suffix frequently found in Kaurna place names to denote location. The name is said to originate from a former red rocky outcrop in Elder Park, Adelaide
which resembled a kangaroo; the rock has since been removed and was used in the construction of Parliament House
.
Tarndanyangga is still considered an important meeting place for Indigenous peoples. It is the focus for many political and community-based Indigenous events, such as the Journey of Healing and it is the starting point for the annual NAIDOC march to Parliament House.
The Australian Aboriginal Flag
was first flown here in 1971 and now flies permanently in Tarndanyangga adjacent to the Australian Flag
.
Victoria Square, Adelaide
Victoria Square is a public square in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. The square is in the centre of the city's grid of one square mile, and was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after Princess Victoria, heir presumptive of the British throne. Less than a month later the...
, it was used in Kaurna language to refer to the greater area of what is now the immediate Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
city region.
Tarndanyangga derives from tarnda (red kangaroo
Red Kangaroo
The Red Kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, avoiding only the more fertile areas in the south, the east coast, and the northern rainforests.-Description:This species is a very...
) and kanya ('rock'), -ngga is a suffix frequently found in Kaurna place names to denote location. The name is said to originate from a former red rocky outcrop in Elder Park, Adelaide
Elder Park, Adelaide
Elder Park is a public open space in the city of Adelaide, South Australia on the southern bank of the River Torrens and that is bordered by the Adelaide Festival Centre and North Terrace....
which resembled a kangaroo; the rock has since been removed and was used in the construction of Parliament House
Parliament House, Adelaide
Parliament House, on the corner of North Terrace and King William Road in Adelaide city centre, is the seat of the Parliament of South Australia. It was built to replace the adjacent and overcrowded Parliament House, now referred to as "Old Parliament House"...
.
Tarndanyangga is still considered an important meeting place for Indigenous peoples. It is the focus for many political and community-based Indigenous events, such as the Journey of Healing and it is the starting point for the annual NAIDOC march to Parliament House.
The Australian Aboriginal Flag
Australian Aboriginal Flag
The Australian Aboriginal Flag is a flag that represents Indigenous Australians. It is one of the official "Flags of Australia", and holds special legal and political status, but it is not the "Australian National Flag"...
was first flown here in 1971 and now flies permanently in Tarndanyangga adjacent to the Australian Flag
Flag of Australia
The flag of Australia is a defaced Blue Ensign: a blue field with the Union Flag in the canton , and a large white seven-pointed star known as the Commonwealth Star in the lower hoist quarter...
.