Missions+in+the+Kimberley+-+Joanne

MISSION LIFE IN THE KIMBERLEYS Mission Life in the Kimberleys has been recorded in many different fashions and with many different viewpoints. Here is presented six different records of mission life in the Kimberleys. Some accounts are from the viewpoint of the missionaries and some from the people being “missionised ** RESOURCE ONE: VIDEO - “A big photo album: the archives of the Sisters of St John of God.” ** [] The first record is a video from the ABC media website. It is 7mins27sec in length and highlights the photo album archived and preserved by the Sisters of St John of God. The video displays a level of warmth and depth of relationship between the Sisters and Indigenous families. Pat Dodson, speaking of his early years in Broome with photos juxtaposed of his childhood home, his Catholic Ordination, and his highly respected grandfather. Cissy Djiagween, Yawuru Elder, performed the ‘Welcome to Country’ salutation with tears of heart-felt emotion as she speaks of her parents. She is thankful for their time at the Beagle Bay mission, although her face shows a touch of anguish and sorrow as well as mentions their traditional homelands from which they were taken. The ABC commentator paints a picture as he says “…the archive shows the Sisters who taught, chastised and treated ‘Baamba’ as a child..” (referring to Stephen Albert aka ‘Baamba’). This record of Kimberley mission life imparts a sense of togetherness and maturity.

** RESOURCE TWO: Excerpt from textbook by Jebb, M., pages 132-135. ** The next record chosen to show an aspect of Mission Life in the Kimberleys is very different to the previous video. This item is an excerpt from the text by Jebb. This text paints a picture not of mutuality and maturity as above but of political jostling focussed on control and domination of missionary presence and efforts. This reading shows Neville was suspicious that missionaries may act as a front for pastoral leaseholders wanting to access and control the land. Hence, he was opposed to their growing demands for land and occupation and would offer neither land nor any governmental support. Instead he required the local police to check their activities and to ensure that stealth land acquisition was not occurring. This reading suggests the presence of missionaries was not welcomed by the government but needed control as in so many areas of the lives of Indigenous people.

** RESOURCE THREE: NATIONAL LIBRARY AUSTRALIA – Bringing Them Home Goes to Beagle Bay. ** []

This next resource is a paper from the National Library of Australia’s Bringing Them Home Oral History Project. Unfortunately, the vast vault of audio recordings was not able to be accessed remotely at this stage. The paper, however, details some personal perspectives on Beagle Bay and the removal of children into the mission. Specifically, Mr Ernie Sarah (born 1932) and Mr Phillip Cox (born 1921) are interviewed by Colleen Hattersley in Beagle Bay, November 2000. Both of whom were residents of the Mission for some part of their teenage years. Sarah was removed from his family and country at the age of 12 and taken to Beagle Bay for schooling. He mentions his sorrow at being removed from his mother, and her devastation at having her son removed. It is a personal account and shows the reader the humanity of the separation. Sarah says of his mothers “…They hitting their heads and everything with stones and everything you know. Yeah, our mothers.” He also talks of the schooling and skills training, but the impression is left that the sorrow of separation overshadowed the educational opportunities. The second former resident interviewed in Mr Phillip Cox. Cox has spent the majority of his life involved with the mission community. He was very fortunate to have grown up with his parents at Beagle Bay. This important difference between Cox & Sarah may account for some of the differences in their recollections of mission life. Cox states “ …Beagle Bay was a very happy place…..We were happy. It was just like one, big large family – everybody together. Caring and sharing.” Cox’s experiences had been predominantly in the mission setting with his parents. He didn’t experience the trauma of separation such as Sarah. At the time Cox was unaware of the manner in which other children arrived at the mission, although he knew they were from other areas. His account shows a blissful ignorance that should be a part of all childhoods, where they are unaware of the harsh realities of the adult world. Unfortunately, Sarah and others were not afforded the same opportunity.

** RESOURCE FOUR: ABC MEDIA UNIT – “Road to Kalumburu”. ** []

Resource number four is an account of the 100 year celebrations for the Pago/Kalumburu Mission captured by the ABC media unit. It includes the perspective of various participants and observants. Of note the primary account of mission life from Ms Mary Pandilo was gathered through a partnership approach. Ms Mary Pandilo’s experiences of mission life are relayed to Father Anscar who wrote them down for Lilian (no further name supplied) to read out at the celebrations. It appears a partnership approach was a common theme. The picture below shows the combination of Christian symbolism and traditional Aboriginal dress.


 * [[image:http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200808/r283109_1203896.jpg width="600" height="450" caption="Locals prepare for a procession before the Centenary Mass at Kalumburu"]] ||  ||

Locals prepare for a procession before the Centenary Mass at Kalumburu | Photographer: | Matt Brann

** RESOURCE FIVE: Excerpt from Windschuttle website “The Extent of Kimberley child removals in the 1900s”. ** []

This website proclaims its basis is //The F//abrication of Aboriginal History, Volume Three: The Stolen Generations 1881–2008 by Windschuttle. Hence, although the written book has not been accessed I expect the website contains materially the same information in a very similar format.

By mere mention of author’s name, the reader knows this record of mission life will be contrary to widely held views. Windschuttle states in the preface of his writings “Aboriginal children were never removed from their families in order to put an end to Aboriginality or, indeed, to serve any improper government policy or program. The small numbers of Aboriginal child removals in the twentieth century were almost all based on traditional grounds of child welfare. Most children affected had been orphaned, aban­doned, des­titute, neglected or subject to various forms of domestic violence, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.” His examination of mission life in the Kimberleys is in support of the preceding statement. The information he brings to his writings support his original hypothesis, that the “Stolen Generation” never occurred. His writings clearly and out rightly deny the existence of a “Stolen Generation” and that any child delivered to the said missions were done so on just welfare grounds. His writings tend to be very specific in areas that support his hypothesis, whilst ignoring wider considerations. For example, he details carefully the number of children placed in Beagle Bay mission from 1906 to 1912 and then extends this number across the Kimberleys. However he fails to mention the opening of the Pago Mission in 1908, Lombadina Mission in 1911, Turkey Creek Ration Depot 1908, Moola Boola Ration Depot 1910 and Violet Valley Ration Depot 1911. The opening of these other missions and regulated centres must have impacted the life of Indigenous Australians at the time, however Windschuttle ignores any impact.

** RESOURCE SIX: DVD Sisters, pearls and Mission girls. ** [] []

Please note the DVD has not been viewed, only the pages referenced above. This DVD shows the aspect of mission life from the viewpoint of the missionaries. It was directed by David Batty at his request after hearing of the stories of the Sisters through prior work. The study guide produced for the DVD quotes Batty “…. // In the course of researching their // // humble video I was constantly amazed by their selfless acts of kindness and determination in caring for the sick, uneducated, distressed and down trodden … They seemed to have earned a deep love and respect from // // the Aboriginal community as a whole…” // The DVD indicates a compassion and affection between the Indigenous peoples and the missionaries.



** REFERENCES: ** Jebb, M. (2002). Blood//, Sweat and Welfare: A History of White Bosses and Aboriginal Pastoral Workers//. Perth: University of Western Australia Press

** WEBSITES: ** ABC KIMBERLEY – A big photo album: the archives of the Sisters of St John of God. []

NATIONAL LIBRARY AUSTRALIA – Bringing Them Home Goes to Beagle Bay. []

ABC RURAL – Road to Kalumburu []

ABC RURAL – Centenary of the Pago/Kalumburu Mission []

THE STOLEN GENERATIONS – The extent of Kimberley child removals in the 1900s []

DVD - Sisters, pearls and Mission girls. [] []