The Bible in Buffalo Country: Oenpelli Mission 1925–1931

Abstract

and the Injalak Arts board members. Copies of the photographs were circulated in the community for over a year with names being added to the manuscript throughout this time. We will never know exactly how many people assisted with this process but we thank you all. We thank A. Manakgu for checking over the spelling of Aboriginal names and words used in this book, especially within the Esther Manakgu story. We are grateful to the Bininj Kunwok Regional Language Centre for their support and advice, especially Murray Garde, Andy Peart and Jill Nganjmirra. We thank Rev. Lois Nadjamerrek from the Emmanuel Anglican Church in Gunbalanya for her insights into local history and her encouragement to bring the Church Missionary Society photographs back to the community and ensure this history is not forgotten. Thanks also to Tracey Fairman at the Northern Land Council for facilitating permits during the course of this research. Joakim Goldhahn and Robert Levitus read and commented on chapters of this book and we are grateful for their insights and suggestions. Robert Levitus also kindly shared his unpublished oral history recordings from 1981 with us and allowed us to quote from them. Thanks to Emily Miller who assisted with transcribing some of the archival material, Sandy Blair who provided early inspiration to delve into Oenpelli history, and Janet Davill who helped with archival research.

When the Foreign Becomes Familiar: The Glass Bead Assemblage from Madjedbebe, Northern Australia

“…As noted above, the majority of the beads from Madjedbebe were in the small and medium size categories (see Figure 6). This reflects the dominance of seed beads in the assemblage, a preference for which was revealed in archival sources in which Alfred Dyer requested 'small' beads that could then be purchased by the mission's permanent workers (ML MSS 6040/12, cited in May et al 2020). This also agrees with the ubiquity of seed beads seen in material culture collections containing glass beads (Allen et al 2018;Hamby 2011).…”

“…Importantly, in 1926, Reverend Alfred Dyer reported on the value of glass beads to local Indigenous groups at Oenpelli-which contrasted markedly to European attitudes to the glass beads-remarking that if he were to acquire glass beads to provide to the mission occupants, he would be able to 'cut down expenses' (NTRS 1099/P1 vol. 1, as cited in May et al 2020). This potentially ties into a trope described by Thomas (1991, 85) whereby 'the [Indigenous] people are [perceived as] innocent but hopelessly greedy'.…”

The missing Macassans: Indigenous sovereignty, rock art and the archaeology of absence

“…This included the Kaparlgoo Native Industrial Mission in 1899, the Methodist Mission on Goulburn Island in 1916, and the Oenpelli Anglican Mission in 1925 (e.g. Baker 2007;Berndt and Berndt 1970:5;Dewar 1992;Grant 1995;Lamilami 1974;Levitus 1982;May et al 2020;Miller et al 2021). There were of course other 'intruders' in northwest and west Arnhem Land throughout this time including adventurers such as Ludwig Leichardt, John McKinlay, Ted Ryko (Edward Frederick Reichenbach), and Francis Birtles, as well as prospectors seeking natural resources such as tin and gold, and Australian, British, American and even Japanese military servicemen (Levitus 1982).…”

Histories of rock art research in Western Australia’s Kimberley, 1838–2000

“…. Such communities became nodes where people could gather, exchange experiences, and transfer cultural knowledge and protocols to coming generations(Blundell and Woolagoodja 2005;Crawford 2001; see alsoMay et al 2020 for a comparable situation in Arnhem Land). These enclaves enabled the noteworthy work of ReverendLove (1917) among the Worora.Arriving in 1914 to work at the Presbyterian mission at Walcott Inlet, Love conducted research about the Worora, including the meaning and significance of their rock art.…”