Adelaide PHN Embraces meaningful Kaurna connection with Cultural Heritage in Reconciliation Journey

Adelaide PHN used Reconciliation Week to extend its commitment to reconciliation by honouring the local Kaurna people, the Traditional Custodians of the Adelaide Plains by naming our office meeting rooms with appropriate Kaurna names.

The project emerged from extensive consultations with the Reconciliation Working Group, Aboriginal Community Advisory Council, and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The project further enhanced staff’s cultural learning and strengthened our understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s histories and culture.

The vision was to assign meeting spaces with names that resonate with the cultural and ecological significance of the Kaurna lands, building on the story of our RAP Artwork. This initiative aligns with the broader vision outlined in Adelaide PHN’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which emphasises cultural respect, inclusivity, and connection. 

Each new name was chosen for its deep connection to the natural and cultural heritage of the Kaurna land. The renamed spaces include:

Boardroom A & B: Renamed Karrawirra Pari East & West

• Karrawirra Parri, the cultural name for the River Torrens, represents the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains. Known for its role as a lifeline to the Kaurna people, the River Torrens is central to the Reconciliation Action Plan Artwork and symbolises the heartland of the Kaurna heritage.

The Hub: Renamed Yartapuulti

• Yartapuulti, represents the Port River region and estuary, another culturally significant water way for the Kaurna people, and used extensively as a source of food and plant materials to fashion artefacts used in daily life. 

CEO Meeting Room: Renamed Karra

• River Red gums are a vital part of Australia’s river ecology, and stablises riverbanks ​

Meeting Room 1: Renamed Witu

• Reedbeds were found throughout Witongga 

Meeting Room 2: Renamed Warnpa

• Wetland grass like plant​

Meeting Room 3: Renamed Karku

• Sheoaks produce a very hard wood which is excellent for making boomerangs, clubs and digging sticks.

Meeting Room 4: Renamed Kanya

• Source of traditional medicine

The renaming of Adelaide PHN’s meeting rooms serves as a visible and meaningful step towards reconciliation, embodying a commitment to cultural integration and mutual respect. It reflects Adelaide PHN’s ongoing journey to deepen understanding and foster meaningful connections with Aboriginal culture within the community and beyond.

​For more details on Adelaide PHN’s Reconciliation Action Plan click here.