Tag Archives: Indigenous Back

Tindale and Aboriginal Languages

Posted on 29 Oct 2012| by Des Crump |

The Transforming Tindale exhibition highlights some of the many stories behind photographs taken during Norman Tindale’s anthropological expedition of 1938-1940

Transforming Tindale exhibition, State Library of Queensland.

Tindale’s other major work involved the mapping and distribution of Aboriginal people and their languages – it was a lifetime project that commenced in the 1920′s and finally published in 1974 as Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits and proper names. This research was quite a monumental task as Tindale explored the idea that Aboriginal people did not wander aimlessly but had cultural and familial connections to areas of land and that each group had a ‘tribal boundary’.

Norman Tindale's 'Aboriginal Tribes of Australia' publication.

The full Tindale Collection is housed in the South Australian Museum and comprises journals, papers, sound and film recordings, drawings, maps, photographs, vocabularies and personal correspondence. The State Library of Queensland has obtained copies of the genealogical materials collected from the Queensland communities of Yarrabah, Cherbourg, Mona Mona, Palm Island, Woorabinda, Bentinck Island, Doomadgee and Mornington Island, as well as two northern New South Wales communities at Boggabilla and Woodenbong.

In my role and work with communities, there is great interest in the language materials that Tindale collected during his work as well as the language boundaries he compiled into two maps, both of which are held at the State Library: Map showing the distribution of the Aboriginal Tribes of Australia [RBM 804 1940 06250 E] published in1940 and a more comprehensive version Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia [MAPSL 804 1974 02500 E] published in 1974 and commonly referred to as the ‘Tindale Map’.

While much of this work is open to critical analysis and there are discrepancies in the boundaries, community language workers often refer to the Tindale Map as a good starting point when identifying the languages of a region and gaining an insight into what research has previously taken place.

An important piece of information for language research is the Community Sheet which highlights the family connections of individuals that Tindale interviewed; in addition, Tindale would note the location and language grouping of key individuals in the extended family trees. Tindale also had a habit of making notes regarding language and culture directly onto the Community Sheet – this information adds to the language revival process in a community.

Extract from Woorabinda Community Sheet No. 44

The image above is an extract from Tindale’s Woorabinda Sheet 44 which features several families from South-West Queensland, notably Taroom, Roma and Mitchell districts. The transcript reads as follows: ‘Ji:man [Yiman] tribe extends from Theodore and Camboon West of the Ranges as far as Taroom and Wandoan.’ This information provides an insight into the Yiman people at the time of contact; the Hornet Bank and Cullin-la-ringo massacres changed the cultural landscape of the region with very little language documented.

A preliminary language mapping exercise of the Tindale Woorabinda Sheets has identified 72 languages present at Woorabinda in 1938, when Tindale and Birdsell visited the community; a further 15-20 languages are not clearly identified within the documents. During the second World War, people from Hope Vale Community were sent to Woorabinda, bringing with them their languages of Far North Queensland, including Gugu Yimithirr which is still spoken at Woorabinda! This information supplements linguistic surveys undertaken during the 1950-60′s and allows researchers to build a comprehensive language profile of the community.

There is a current research project involving the University of Queensland and the Woorabinda community, including the Indigenous Knowledge Centre, which has a focus on ‘language mapping’. The State Library has provided support to the project and is looking forward to outcomes of this important work.

For further details on the Tindale Community Sheets, visit the State Library’s Tindale Genealogical Collection.

Des Crump – Indigenous Languages Researcher, State Library of Queensland

Indigenous Languages Research Discovery Workshop

Posted on 18 Oct 2012| by Des Crump |

The State Library of Queensland will be hosting an Indigenous Language Research Discovery Workshop from 26-28 November 2012.

Research materials from State Library collections (March 2012 Workshop)

March 2012 Research Discovery Workshop

This workshop builds upon similar workshops held during 2009-2011 and is aimed at extending the work that many community language workers are already undertaking in Indigenous communities. It also allows returning workshop attendees to continue research work from previous workshops.

: Extract from Harriet Barlow’s manuscript – Vocabulary of Aboriginal Dialects of Queensland.

For new participants, this will be a unique opportunity to source new language references from some unusual materials and to be working with a supportive group of other community language workers from across Queensland. Another benefit from the workshop will be the identification of materials of significance and interest to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for future digitisation by State Library and possible inclusion in online resource catalogues. Advice from workshop participants have shaped the development of the State Library’s new Indigenous Languages webpages.

: Michael Aird presenting a workshop session on Tindale’s photographs.

The workshop is centred around individual research on particular language(s) or areas with support from State Library of Queensland staff; participants identify the languages and communities they are working in prior to attending the workshop which allows identification of relevant materials from the collection. There are also opportunities to showcase specific items from the collection as well as participant presentations on language revival activities in their communities.

: Norman Tayley sharing a YouTube clip from Wujal Wujal

This research event is aimed at language workers and community members who are currently working/have an interest in traditional languages and supporting language revival programs in communities.

Aims of the Research Discovery Workshop:

to introduce community language workers to Queensland Memory collections;
to explore materials held in SLQ collections;
to undertake language/locality specific research; and
to identify potential applications for using materials to support language activities in communities.

Essentially, the workshop presents an opportunity for participants to research and explore items from the collections relating to their languages and communities. In Queensland, there are over 100 languages and dialects; only 20 are spoken on a daily basis! The remaining languages are in danger of being lost, hence the importance for language revival in Queensland Indigenous communities.

A wordle showcasing many of Queensland's 100+ Indigenous languages and dialects.

For further details, including Expressions of Interest to attend the workshop, please contact Des. Crump, Indigenous Languages Researcher, State Library of Queensland: Des.Crump@slq.qld.gov.au

On the road with Australia’s Children’s Laureate

Posted on 12 Jul 2012| by Des Crump |

For the second week of the Queensland school holidays, I was fortunate enough to spend time in Far North Queensland playing chauffeur to Australia’s Children Laureate – Boori Monty Pryor. Boori and Alison Lester share the inaugural position appointed by the Australian Children’s Literature Alliance and their roles serve as ambassadors for children’s literature to foster a love for reading.

Boori is an award-winning children’s author has published six books – all of which can be found in State Library collections through OneSearch.

Boori with the ACLA Laureate Sign at Normanton

Boori had already spent some time in North Queensland speaking at the School Library Association of Queensland biennial conference in Cairns as well as conducting a radio interview that morning with ABC Far North Queensland to promote his role; then it was on a plane to Normanton to start his Gulf road trip!

Australian Airlines plane at Normanton Airport 1955.

After a quick welcome at the Airport and drop-off of bags at his lodgings, it was off to the Normanton Sports Centre for a ‘meet and greet’ and allowed Boori the opportunity to rekindle his basketball skills – did you know that Boori played competitive basketball in his youth, including a stint in the Victorian Basketball League? Our daughter Emily joined the Normanton children who were all keen to take on Boori in an ‘around the world’ basketball shoot-out.

Emily and Boori shooting some hoops at Normanton.

Next day, we were setting up for Boori’s session at the Normanton Library which is located in the former Burns, Philp & Co Stores – Burns, Philp & Co were originally shipping merchants who expanded into general merchants, importers, shipping agents, etc. across Queensland with stores in most major centres in the North, including Townsville, Cairns, Charters Towers and Normanton. The company also had interests in mining, timber, pastoral enterprises, wool, tourism, pearling and later banking and insurance. The former stores building is heritage listed and now serves as the Tourist Information Centre with the Council Library sharing the space.

Burns, Philp & Co Stores, Normanton 1984.

The cold weather kept many people indoors at Normanton, however Boori had a small but enthusiastic audience, including several tourists who dropped into the Library and Information Centre. Tonia, the local school Principal, took the opportunity to have Boori sign his books from the Normanton State School Library.

Boori with Tonia, Principal of Normanton State School.

Renee was someone who did brave the cold to listen to Boori’s stories – she especially liked his latest story ‘Shake a Leg’, which will be turned into a TV series; a sequel is already being planned.

Boori with Renee at Normanton Library.

The following day, Croydon Library had a big surprise in store for Boori – the Day Care group walked down to the Library to create a group of nearly 30. This comprised children aged 3-17, including those home from Boarding Schools as well as parents, Croydon State School Principal and Croydon Shire Council staff.

Boori with the group at Croydon Library.

The Croydon group were thoroughly entertained with Boori’s storytelling, didj playing and dance – the group learnt some basic ‘shake a leg’ moves including animal actions. This was followed by a Q&A session with a difference – Boori went around the group asking them to ask a question! The time went very quickly and soon it was time for morning tea under the trees; Diane the Librarian organised a wonderful cake featuring the cover of one of Boori’s books – ‘Njunjul the sun’.

Boori cutting the cake with Croydon children.

For something different in Mt Surprise, Boori entertained a group of travelling families and couples around the camp fire that night – Boori’s voice was getting tired from all the storytelling over the past couple of weeks, so he played the didj or ‘yiggi yiggi’ as it is known in his Kunggandji language from North Queensland.

Boori at Mt Surprise.

The next day we headed east and said goodbye to Boori in Cairns as it was time to head home.

It was a great experience to spend time with Boori and listen to his stories; he is a born storyteller, a wonderful ambassador for children’s literature and an excellent choice as Australia’s first Children’s Laureate!

Boori reading 'My Girragundji'.

Des. Crump – Indigenous Languages Researcher, State Library of Queensland

New permanent exhibition at the Ration Shed Museum, Cherbourg

Posted on 28 Jun 2012| by Myles Sinnamon |

The Ration Shed Museum is part of the historical precinct in the Aboriginal community of Cherbourg, located in the South Burnett region of South-East Queensland. On Monday 2nd July, a new exhibition will be launched at the Ration Shed – it will be the museum’s first permanent exhibition and represents years of work by the museum and members of the Cherbourg community. The opening launches Cherbourg’s NAIDOC celebrations for 2012.

The exhibition traces the complex history of Cherbourg, from its beginnings as Barambah Aboriginal reserve in 1899 to the proud and resilient town of today. It takes the form of a timeline, placing the detailed history of Cherbourg in the wider context of the history of Aboriginal Australia. As the exhibition notes, at times Cherbourg has been in step with national developments, but at other times Cherbourg people have had to face their own distinct challenges. The exhibition shows the reality of “living under the Act” in Queensland: the restriction of freedoms, the breaking up of families and clans, the deliberate destruction of culture and language, the control of people’s wages and finances. It is a story of strength and survival. For in the face of this repression and domination, Cherbourg people have created a vibrant community with a distinctive identity and the exhibition celebrates this as well.

The timeline is accompanied by many images, which capture this multi-faceted history. The historical shift is evident as these change from black and white to colour, from photographs taken by doctors and visiting officials for Annual Reports to photographs taken by Cherbourg artists, honouring Elders and depicting contemporary life. The exhibition would not have this visual richness without the support of the State Library of Queensland who provided numerous photographs from their collection to feature in the exhibition.

Few Australians have a real knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal history. This sounds like a strong and bald statement but I speak here from my personal experience of someone who has worked for many years in the heritage and museum sector yet really knew so little. In working with members of the Cherbourg community on this exhibition, I have learned more than I could have imagined. It has made me reflect upon the power of history – the power of people being able to express their own history, in their own way. Sharing their story of survival and resilience with the broader community brings healing and pride for the Cherbourg community. But it is a powerful experience for visitors as well. When you visit the historical precinct, history is all around you. You will see the centre of control at the former Superintendent’s Office and the bureaucracy of permits and permissions; you walk through the former Boys’ Dormitory and feel the presence of the many children who lived there over time and visit the Ration Shed itself, where rations of flour, sugar and tea were handed out to the “inmates”. You can watch wonderful films about life in Cherbourg past and present and you will meet an Elder or member of the community who will bring this history alive for you. With this new exhibition, visitors will gain an even broader perspective.

The State Library of Queensland has provided 54 high resolution images of Cherbourg for this exhibition, some of which can be viewed through One Search.

Jo Besley – Principal Arts Development Officer, Creative Communities, Arts Queensland/Department of Science, IT, Innovation and the Arts

20th anniversary of the Mabo decision

Posted on 31 May 2012| by Myles Sinnamon |

The date 3 June 1992 is forever remembered as a victory for Indigenous land rights with the High Court of Australia’s landmark decision in the case Mabo v Queensland (No 2) – more commonly known as simply ‘Mabo’. ‘Mabo’ marked the first formal recognition of Indigenous land rights in Australia. The High Court overturned the legal doctrine of terra nullius (‘land belonging to nothing, no one’) which implied that no-one held ownership of the land until the arrival of European settlers.

One of the main agitators for Indigenous land rights was Torres Strait Islander and land rights activist Eddie Koiki Mabo. In 1982 Eddie Mabo and four other Meriam people from Murray Island in the Torres Strait began legal action in the High Court of Australia. Sadly Eddie Mabo died five months before the High Court’s decision after 10 years of struggle. A tele-movie celebrating the life of Eddie Mabo will premiere on ABC1 on 10 June.

The State Library of Queensland holds OM95-26 Mabo Cutting Books. These books contain newspaper articles relating to the ‘Mabo’ Abotiginal land claim debate and Aboriginal land rights between November 1990 and October 1994.

Each year on the anniversary of the Mabo decision numerous events are held throughout Australia. You can find more details on Mabo Day - a celebration.

‘Mabo’ is also celebrated as part of National Reconciliation Week

Myles Sinnamon – Project Coordinator, State Library of Queensland

John Oxley Library