Former Warangesda Aboriginal Mission – Art and Historical Exhibition

Former

Warangesda Aboriginal Mission Art and Historical Exhibition

WARNING: This booklet contains images of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people who are now deceased.

This is a celebration of a special event and is provided as a record of the history of a prominent place in Aboriginal contemporary history.

Acknowledgements Rev. John Brown Gribble – responsible for establishing the former Warangesda Aboriginal Mission in 1880.

The Aboriginal people who helped establish, moved on, were born on, were raised on, died on and were forcibly removed from the former Warangesda Aboriginal Mission.

Jeff and Rohan King and families – who own and have maintained a strong family connection to the property since 1926, and who continue to allow access to the former Aboriginal mission site particularly for descendants of Warangesda.

Dr Peter Kabaila – preparation of content for the exhibition and historical storyboards.

The Articulate Pear – exhibition and historical storyboard design, booklet design, and production assistance.

Graham Inglis, Precision Signs in Wagga Wagga – exhibition and historical storyboard print production.

Brett Naseby, Photographer – photography of exhibited artwork and launch event.

Cover and Inside Front Cover: Detail of corrugated iron from the Warangesda Girls Dormitory. Photo by Brett Naseby.

Contents Background to the Project .. ......................................................................... 04 Funding Partners

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Project Working Group

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Warangesda: Deep Waters Exhibiting Artists Artwork

06 07

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08

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09

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Art Exhibition Launch

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Historical Exhibition Launch Historical Elements

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16–17 18–19 20–21

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Storyboards Introduction

10–15

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Exhibition Storyboards (Art Gallery) Historical Storyboards (Library)

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Contributors of supplementary content

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23–41

42–46

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© Warangesda Project Working Group, 2018.

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission.

03

Background to the Project Warangesda has always held strong significance to many Aboriginal people throughout New South Wales, Australia and in fact across the world.

This project started through a conversation with Aunty Heather Edwards of Darlington Point in 2016. Aunty Heather’s mother, Isabel Edwards, was born and raised on the former Warangesda Aboriginal Mission at Darlington Point, and Aunty Heather has strong connections to Warangesda. That conversation came up with an idea of doing an exhibition that showcased the history and heritage of the old Aboriginal Mission.

The project idea was presented to Raina Savage and Raymond Wholohan at the Griffith Regional Art Gallery who expressed dedicated support and interest in assisting with the project. A working group was then formed to guide the development of the project.

The project expanded to include an Aboriginal art component with support from the Western Riverina Arts. Dr. Peter Kabaila, archaeologist, architect, historian and heritage advisor, was engaged to prepare the historical and informative story boards.

04

The exhibition was launch in 2 parts. The ‘Art Exhibition’ component titled Warangesda: Deep Waters was launched on 16 June 2017 and the ‘Historical Exhibition’ was launched on 6 July 2017. The exhibition was presented at three separate locations – the Griffith Regional Art Gallery, Regional Library and Regional Theatre. The exhibition was also taken to the Narrandera Regional Art Centre. Overall the exhibition was visited by over 3,000 people.

Gary Currey Aboriginal Joint Management Coordinator, West Branch NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (on behalf of the Warangesda Project Working Group)

05

Funding Partners This project was jointly funded by the Commonwealth and NSW State/Local Governments.

The major funding partner was the Commonwealth Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet (PM&C) – Indigenous Affairs Group who contributed a significant amount of resources under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS) ‘Culture and Capability’ theme. The funding has supported the exhibition, development of a Warangesda website, Warangesda Oral History Recording and Warangesda Tours.

Other funding partners included: • Griffith City Council – Regional Art Gallery and Regional Theatre • NSW Western Riverina Arts • NSW Office of Environment and Heritage – National Parks and Wildlife Service

Proudly developed with funding from the Australian Government

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Project Working Group Karen Davy, CEO Leeton and District Local Aboriginal Land Council Robert Carroll, CEO Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Council Tamileigh Chirgwin, Coordinator, Waddi Housing and Advancement Corporation Stephen Collins, Bringing Them Home Worker, Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service Anthony Edwards, Aboriginal Police Liaison Officer, NSW Police Graham Kilby, Aboriginal Community Member Raina Savage, Manager, Griffith Regional Art Gallery and Theatre Raymond Wholohan, Coordinator, Griffith Regional Art Gallery Jo-anne Southorn, Public Programs Officer, Griffith Regional Art Gallery Derek Motion, Regional Arts Development Officer, Western Riverina Arts Inc. Ethan Williams, Senior Heritage Operations Officer, OEH Heritage Division Gary Currey, Aboriginal Joint Management Coordinator, OEH National Parks and Wildlife Service Heather Edwards, Aboriginal Community Elder Craig McIver, Senior Engagement Officer, Indigenous Affairs Group (Western Region NSW), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Roger Penrith, Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Griffith City Council

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Warangesda: Deep Waters In 2016 Western Riverina Arts partnered with the Griffith Regional Art Gallery in applying for an Aboriginal Regional Arts Fund grant through Create NSW. Success with the funding allowed for a number of workshops to be conducted with local Aboriginal artists, working towards the outcome of an exhibition, which would tour to the Griffith Regional Art Gallery and the Narrandera Arts Centre.

This exhibition was to become the creative arts component of Warangesda: Deep Waters. The exhibition examined the history and legacy of the Warangesda Mission at Darlington Point, a significant cultural site for the Wiradjuri People. The project ended up including partnerships between Western Riverina Arts, the Griffith Regional Art Gallery and National Parks and Wildlife Service, in collaboration with the Aboriginal Medical Centre, Murrumbidgee Shire Council, Waddi Housing and Leeton and District Local Aboriginal Land Council and Youth Off The Streets.

Over the course of 2016/17 Aboriginal artists participated in a number of skills development workshops, and also visited the Warangesda site, reacting to the remains of the original Mission and pondering their personal connections to the surrounding landscape while creating new works. Well-known Aboriginal artists who came in to lead individual workshops included Dr. Treahna Hamm (working with young people from Griffith), Melanie Evans (who led creative workshops with a group of women from Darlington Point), the Wagga Hands On Weavers, and Kerry Johnson (who choreographed a site-specific dance routine that featured as a video work in the final exhibition). Individual works from local Aboriginal artists with connections to Warangesda were also accepted for display in the exhibition, such as prints by Roy Kennedy.

The arts component of Warangesda: Deep Waters endeavoured to showcase the history, significance and ongoing legacy of the Warangesda site. The exhibition indeed became a point of reflection for anyone related to former residence of the Mission or anyone interested in contemporary Aboriginal art or the history of the Western Riverina Region.

As local Wiradjuri elder Aunty Heather Edwards noted:

It’s such an important site for local Aboriginal people and beyond. I’m very glad there has been a recent interest in Warangesda Mission and its legacy.

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Exhibiting Artists AMS Women’s Group

Tynieka Powell

Will Carter

Veronica Reid

Veronica Collins

Ezra and Elaina Simpson

Treahna Hamm

Kyeesha Simpson

Joyce Hampton

Lakeesha Simpson

Shaleen Harris

Rodney Simpson

Roy Kennedy

Tamia Simpson

Allan McKenzie

Robert Sloane

Cory McKenzie

Strong Girls Group

Dianne McKenzie

Lorraine Tye

M.A.K.E. Darlington Point Womens Group

Bill Wallace / Faye Clayton Moseley

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The Exhibition 01. AMS Women’s Group

Murrumbidgee Yellow Belly Weaving

02. Will Carter

Invaded Dreaming: Incarcerated on Sacred Land (2017)

Acrylic on linen

08. Treahna Hamm

Forever & Always

Work on paper - gouache

Treahna Hamm Distant Memories Linoprint on dyed silk

09. Treahna Hamm

Internal Lessons

Work on paper - gouache

Will Carter Not Forgotten Acrylic on canvas

Will Carter Sacred Ashes Acrylic on canvas

Veronica Collins Warangesda: Now & Then Mixed media on canvas

10. Treahna Hamm

Journey to Warangesda (2017) Linocut 06.

06. Treahna Hamm

Big Water Shield

Colour etching

09.

01.

08.

02.

10

11.

Treahna Hamm Lessons of the Spirits Work on paper - gouache

16. Joyce Hampton

Large Basket

Raffia, seagrass

23. Joyce Hampton Untitled (2014)

Weaved and dyed raffia

12.

Treahna Hamm Murrumbidgee Yabby Sedge grass and synthetic string

17.

24. Joyce Hampton Untitled (2014)

Weaved and dyed raffia

Treahna Hamm

Spirit River (2017) Linocut 14. Joyce Hampton Basket

Raffia, seagrass 15. Joyce Hampton Basket

Raffia, seagrass

Joyce Hampton Large Basket (2014) Weaved and dyed raffia/seagrass

18. Joyce Hampton

Large Basket with Handle (2014)

Natural raffia with paper coil 19. Joyce Hampton

Large Dilly Bag (2014)

Plain and bush dyed raffia and seagrass 20. Joyce Hampton

Medium Basket (2014)

Weaved raffia and

25. Joyce Hampton Untitled (2014)

Weaved raffia and seagrass 26. Joyce Hampton Untitled (2014)

Weaved raffia and seagrass 27. Joyce Hampton Untitled (2014)

Weaved raffia and seagrass

seagrass 21.

Joyce Hampton Medium Basket (2014) Weaved cane

12.

22. Joyce Hampton Untitled (2014)

Weaved and dyed raffia

10.

14–27.

11.

11

28. Shaleen Harris

Warangesda Meeting Place

Acrylic on canvas

34. Cory McKenzie Campsite

Acrylic on canvas

29. Roy Kennedy

My Mission As I Liked It (2002)*

35. Cory McKenzie

Corroboree Frog

Acrylic on canvas

Drypoint etching

30. Roy Kennedy

My Original Mission – Darlington Point (1999)*

Drypoint etching

31.

Roy Kennedy Our Bridge on the Murrumbidgee (2003)* Drypoint etching

Cory McKenzie Willandra Moths Dreaming 2 Acrylic on canvas

33.

32. Allan McKenzie Memories

Acrylic on Canvas 33. Allan McKenzie

Pepper Tree Lane

Acrylic on canvas

32.

28.

34.

29.

35.

30.

31.

* From the Wagga Wagga Art Gallery collection

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37. Diane McKenzie

Warangesda Back Burn

Acrylic on canvas

42. Veronica Reid Banishment

Acrylic and plant printed paper on canvas

Diane McKenzie Yella Belly Acrylic on canvas

39. M.A.K.E. (Darlington Point)

Not Forgotten (2017)

Mixed media on found object

M.A.K.E. (Darlington Point) Under this Constellation (2017) Found objects

44.

43. Ezra and Elaina Simpson

Bidgee Platypus

Acrylic on canvas 44. Kyeesha Simpson Gathering (2017)

Acrylic on canvas 45. Lakeesha Simpson

Safe House

Acrylic on canvas

41. Tynelka Powell

Girls Dormitory Bath Tub (2017)

Acrylic on canvas

42.

37.

45.

41.

39.

43.

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46. Rodney Simpson Didgeridoo (2017)

Handcut stained wood

47. Rodney Simpson

50. Rodney Simpson Hope (2017)

Handcut stained wood Tamia Simpson Road to Warangesda Acrylic on canvas

Didgeridoo (2017)

Handcut stained wood

48. Rodney Simpson Extinct (2017)

Handcut stained wood

52. Robert Sloane

Bandharr Hunters

Acrylic on canvas

49. Rodney Simpson Greed (2017)

Handcut stained wood

53. Robert Sloane

Budalang Guuya (Pelican & Fish) (2008)

Acrylic on canvas

48.

49.

46–47.

50.

52.

14

53.

54. Robert Sloane Dhinawan (Emu) (2010)

Acrylic on canvas board

Lorraine Tye Untitled

Mixed media textile

55. Robert Sloane

Goowaa Gadhi (Death Snake) (2008)

Acrylic on canvas

Lorraine Tye Untitled

Mixed media textile and found object

56. Robert Sloane

Tracking the Devil Dog (Dingo) (2008)

Acrylic on canvas

Lorraine Tye Untitled

Weaved palm

Robert Sloane Untitled (2008)

Acrylic on canvas

64. Bill Wallace and Faye Clayton Moseley

Memories of the Past

Acrylic on canvas 64.

Strong Girls Group Warangesda (2017)

Site specific performance 59. Lorraine Tye Platter

Palm frond and raffia

Lorraine Tye Untitled

Mixed media textile

59.

56.

54.

55.

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Art Exhibition Launch

16

Griffith Regional Art Gallery | Friday 16 June 2017

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Historical Exhibition Launch

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Griffith Regional Art Gallery | 6 July + 8 July 2017

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Historical Elements 02.

03.

04(a).

01.

05.

04(b).

06.

20

07.

01. Framed image of Rev Gribble’s Headstone

Collection of St Paul’s Church,

Darlington Point 02. Baptismal Font from St. James’ Church

Collection of Pioneer Park Museum 03. Warangesda Girls Dormitory chimney

remains after fire

Photo by Derek Motion, 2017

08.

04. Warangesda Bible – (a) & (b)

Collection of St Paul’s Church,

Darlington Point 05. Diorama of Warangesda Mission

Collection the Edwards Family 06.

09.

10.

Dedication Plaque Collection of St Paul’s Church, Darlington Point Photo by Gary Currey, 2017

07. Horse drawn sulky, Warangesda Mission

Michael Walsh pictorial collection, 1980 AIATSIS 08. Objects from Warangesda site inspection

by Peter Kabaila in 1993

Collection of Pioneer Park Museum 09. Replica of Chief’s Breastplate

Collection of Peter Kabaila

11.

12.

10. Objects from Warangesda site inspection

by Peter Kabaila in 1993

Collection of Pioneer Park Museum 11.

Lock from Warangesda Mission Collection of Murrumbidgee Council

12. Ruler and Gear Stick from Warangesda

Collection of Murrumbidgee Council

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Storyboards Introduction Dr. Peter Kabaila prepared and guided the development of the storyboards. A total of 19 boards were prepared for the main exhibition at the Griffith Regional Art Gallery.

The Exhibition storyboards consisted of the following themes: Survival in pre-colonial Australia – Aboriginal people lived in partnership with the environment and only used what was needed Violence on the settlement frontier – conflict occurred in many places as non-Aboriginal people spread and took over Aboriginal people’s county Survival in 19th century Australia – Aboriginal people had to work with what was left, finding work, looking after family John Gribble – self appointed saviour of Aboriginal people who established Warangesda Jim Turner – came with Gribble from Maloga on the Murray River, helped establish Warangesda and last Aboriginal person to leave The Mission as a Village – setup of self sufficiency Order at the Mission – rules applied to everyone on the site The Mission Church – Religion had a strong presence Warangesda Girls Dormitory: The Model for Cootamunda Girls Home – young mothers and females in different areas to others The First Generation – early days, Aboriginal people free to come and go The Second Generation – harder rules through management by the Aboriginal Protection Board Closure of Warangesda Aboriginal Station – numbers reduced and closed in 1924 King Family – won property through ballot, presence since 1927 Darlington Point Reserve – where Aboriginal people moved to the northern side of the Murrumbidgee River Resettlement at “The Point” – Aboriginal people moved into Darlington Point to access services Warangesda Aboriginal Servicemen – Aboriginal men who went to war alongside their non-Aboriginal brothers Heather Edwards – maintains a strong connection and involvement in Warangesda Five Historical storyboards were prepared for the Griffith Regional Library.

These consisted of: Sources for Warangesda Aboriginal Mission – historical records and interpretations of Warangesda by many people History is told by a wide range of documents – records of photos, oral histories and movable heritage items Finding original sources – many records are available through libraries, institutions, in hard copy and electronic form

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Scan for further information

Exhibition Storyboard No. 01

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 02

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 03

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 04

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 05

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 06

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 07

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 08

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 09

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 10

Exhibition Storyboard No. 11

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 12

Exhibition Storyboard No. 13

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 14

Exhibition Storyboard No. 15

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 16

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 17

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 18

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Exhibition Storyboard No. 19

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Historical Storyboard on display at Griffith City Library No. 01

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Historical Storyboard on display at Griffith City Library No. 02

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Historical Storyboard on display at Griffith City Library No. 03

Historical Storyboard on display at Griffith City Library No. 04

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Historical Storyboard on display at Griffith City Library No. 05

Contributors of supplementary content • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies • National Library of Australia • High Ground Consulting • Philippa Scarlett – Indigenous Histories • Heritage Darlington Point • Beverley (Gulumbali) and the late Don Elphick

Pictured: Aerial view of the former Warangesda Aboriginal Mission site in 1993. Photo by Peter Kabaila.

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Leeton & District Local Aboriginal Land Council

Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Council

Griffith Aboriginal Medical Service

WADDI HOUSING and Advancement Corporation Ltd.