Australia’s highest mountain could be the last famous national monument to change its European name to Aboriginal, if the Ngarigo people of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales have their way.
But who was Kosciuszko? Does his name deserve to remain anonymous? Australian author Anthony Sharwood answers that question in his new book Kosciuszko: The incredible life of the man behind the mountain.
“Kosciuszko was a skilled military engineer who fought in the American Revolutionary War and led an uprising against the Russians in his native Poland,” Sharwood told Daily Mail Australia.
‘But he was more than just a soldier. Everyone loved Kosciuszko because he was a humanist who tried to free slaves in America and end serfdom in Poland.
‘George Washington was his greatest admirer. Thomas Jefferson called him ‘the purest son of liberty.’ Tsar Paul of Russia loved Kosciuszko so much that he freed him from a Russian prison even though he had led a revolution against his mother Catherine the Great.
“Kosciuszko remains morally blameless. No one has ‘cancelled’ him and they are unlikely ever to do so,” Sharwood added.
Australia’s highest peak was named Mount Kosciuszko in 1840 by the Polish explorer Strzelecki, who was the first European to climb it with the help of two Aboriginal guides.
Now the Aborigines want to reclaim the name of their mountain.
The debate over the name of Australia’s highest peak is just beginning. Above, a hiker who climbed Mount Kosciuszko, which stands at 2,228 metres above sea level.
A portrait of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, a Polish national hero who led an uprising against the Russians in Poland and fought in the American Revolutionary War.
There is currently no formal proposal before the NSW Geographical Names Board, but Sharwood says it is inevitable that the issue will come up again.
“I don’t know what the right name for Kosciuszko is at this point, but I think we’ll all figure it out,” Cheryl Davison, a Ngarigo woman, said in the book.
The highlands around Mount Kosciuszko were an important place for Aboriginal people in summer; many nations travelled long distances to gather there for the annual bogong moth festival and to engage in trade, ceremonies and dispute resolution.
Different groups have different names for the mountain, and even the Ngarigo themselves have several different names.
A new book – Kosciuszko: The Incredible Life of the Man Behind the Mountain – is set to ignite debate over the name of Mount Kosciuszko.
“I think we can all sort this out,” said Ngarigo woman Cheryl Davison (pictured).
One Ngarigo clan prefers the name “Kunama Namadgi”, which roughly translates as “Snow Mountain”.
But for another clan, that means “Mountain of Shit.”
Another popular name is Tar Gan Gil, although some believe that was the original name of Mount Townsend, Australia’s second highest peak, just four kilometres from Mount Kosciuszko and only 19 metres lower.
“Whatever the future name of the mountain, one thing is clear,” Sharwood said.
‘Although he lived more than 200 years ago, there are countless historical documents that tell us that Kosciuszko was a cheerful and good-natured guy who hated arguments.’
Kosciuszko: The Incredible Life of the Man Behind the Mountain is published by Hachette. Trade paperback Recommended retail price: $34.99