Mullumbimby street name Hottentot Crescent slammed by councillor, migrant for racial connotations

A Byron Shire councillor has backed a resident’s passionate push to change a “derogatory” northern NSW street name – and there is movement on the proposal. Here's the latest.

Hottentot Crescent at Mullumbimby. Picture: Savannah Pocock

A Byron Shire councillor says Mullumbimby street Hottentot Crescent must have its name changed due to South African racist connotations.

That is despite the street originally being named after a tree native to the country.

Councillor Mark Swivel has spoken out as Byron man and South African migrant Jonny Simons has put up flyers in the shire and launched a petition pushing for the change.

Byron Shire Council councillor Mark Swivel has backed the push to change the name of the Mullumbimby street.

The council confirmed it is in the process of reviewing the street name.

Local governments and Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) are responsible for naming roads in NSW. The Geographical Names Board must be notified of any new road names.

Cr Swivel said he used to live in the street and many in the shire were unaware of the history behind the term.

Byron man and South African migrant Jonny Simons.

“But if you do (know), it’s deeply offensive so I do think it would be appropriate to change it,” he said.

“I know the history. It’s one of those tricky situations because the crescent is named after the tree, but that doesn’t diminish the offence caused to people who understand the history of the term Hottentot.”

The Hottentot fig is a tree native to South Africa and can also be found in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

However, nowadays the word in question is also recognised as a slur, or derogatory term directed at the nomadic Indigenous Khoi, or Khoikhoi, people – of southwestern Africa.

The Hottentot Crescent sign. Picture: Savannah Pocock

Mr Simons hails from Cape Town and has two shows on Byron community radio station BAY.FM – Africa Calling and Afriquencies.

“Seeing that word brings up all those memories and conjures up images of not belonging and being a second-class citizen,” he said.

“It’s not a blame game, we are not against the residents … they were oblivious to the fact the word is the same as n--ger (to those targeted) …

“A lot of people said ‘it’s a tree name, what’s wrong with you?’ … but it’s the context, we can’t hide racism behind semantics.”

One resident of the street, who asked to remain anonymous, said she was not opposed to a change.

“If someone of a South African descent is upset by our street sign, then of course take it down,” she said.

“I’m not here to offend any persons of any race.

Simons has put up flyers to raise awareness in the Byron Shire. Picture: Savannah Pocock

“In this instance though, I’ve been made to believe it’s the name of a flower.”

Mr Simons said be believed the northern NSW street name lived on due to a lack of awareness, and research when it was initially named.

“For that name to exist in such a progressive, alternative and freethinking town of Australia … you’d think people would be more aware,” he said.

“The name has to go – it cannot live there.”

Mr Simons has a Change.org petition active named ‘Hottentot must fall’, which has collected more than 330 signatures since it launched in late June.

“The use of the term ‘Hottentot’ is now considered offensive and has been deprecated,” Mr Simons writes.

“The derogatory name ‘Hottentot’ was given to the First Nation people of South Africa by the European colonisers in the 18th Century.

Mr Simons would like to see the street renamed to Khoisan Crescent, after the Khoisan Indigenous people of his home country.

The Geographical Names Board of NSW has been contacted for comment and more information is being sought about the history of the street name.

Originally published as Mullumbimby street name Hottentot Crescent slammed by councillor, migrant for racial connotations