"Excuse me. What's Gimuy?" Visitors to my stall are often curious as to why I put "Gimuy" on many of my handmade and/or decorated souvenir items. In fact, sadly, some locals don't even understand it! I put the word Gimuy (pronounced ghee-moy) on my souvenir magnets , because I want to acknowledge the full history of the place we now call Cairns. Using this name isn't about being political, it’s about truth-telling and showing respect to the 60,000+ years of culture. When you land in Cairns, you aren’t just visiting a tropical gateway, you’re stepping onto Gimuy Walubara Yidinji Country. For thousands of years before the modern name "Cairns" existed, this land was known as Gimuy. What’s in a Name? The name comes from the Yidinji language. Gimuy is the name for the Slippery Blue Fig Tree (Ficus albipila). These massive trees once lined the Cairns inlet, providing shade and fruit for the "Walubara" people, the people belonging to the ...
