The Dish given Wiradjuri name to mark start of NAIDOC week

The Dish, famous for broadcasting the moon landing, will now be known as ‘Murriyang’, representing the ‘skyworld’ that it has scanned for more than 50 years.

The CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope has been given a Wiradjuri name to mark the start of National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week.

• This article by Hugh Hogan was first published by ABC Central West. 

Aboriginal elder and Wiradjuri man Stan Grant senior helped to choose the name.

He said Murriyang was the home of the creator spirit.

“He went back to the stars eventually and now you see Orion’s belt, that’s where he lives,” he said.

Dr Grant has worked to keep the Wiradjuri language alive. His grandfather taught him, but as a young man, he was not allowed to speak it because of the prevailing assimilation practices of the time.

“I’m 80 years old … so I never ever imagined that this [naming] was going to happen when I was a young bloke.”

He said to see the Wiradjuri language honoured at one of the most iconic landmarks in the central west of New South Wales gave him great pride.

“Well I think this is a fantastic day for our people, I think it’s one of the biggest things to ever happen to our people actually,” Dr Grant Sr said.