The Arabana people, traditional owners of Lake Eyre and surrounding country, have started the process to have the lake’s traditonal name officially recognised. Earlier this year the Arabana people were granted Native Title over Lake Eyre and its surrounds. Officially changing the name back to Kati Thanda will aid in the healing process and strengthen identities of tradiational owners, and contribute towards reconciliation says Aaron Stuart, chairman of Arabana. The name change is facing opposition from federal MP Rown Ramsey who doesn’t believe a name change can “contribute much to the overall cause of Indigenous Australia”. The decision ultimately rests with the Geographical Names Board.
-Annie
Australian Aboriginal Languages Student Blog 
I wholeheartedly support the proposal of the Arabana People to return Lake Eyre to it’s traditional name. Not only is this appropriate, it is entirely inappropriate to name this area, which is so significant to the Aboriginal Traditional Owners, after Eyre. While Eyre is regarded as an early explorer in Australia, examination of his time as Governor of Jamaica shows that he was involved in the extremely barbaric and brutal suppression of unrest by slaves and former slaves. These abuses occurred a little over 100 years ago. He held extreme views about the superiority of the ‘white man’ and presided over shocking abuses of power while in Jamaica. I for one do not want his name and memory glorified by naming our beautiful ephemeral inland sea after this monster.
Charmaine Beckett, Cromer NSW
Charmaine, I never knew that Eyre was also an administrator in Jamaica. Thanks for sharing š
Annie