Borrow it
Coverart for item
The Resource 'We grew up this place': : Ernabella Mission 1937-1974, Carol Ann Pybus

'We grew up this place': : Ernabella Mission 1937-1974, Carol Ann Pybus

Creator
Summary
"Since the 1960s revisionist Australian histories have sought to redress the perceived imbalance of earlier accounts. These histories have predominantly argued that invasion and dispossession typify contact between Aborigines and settler Australians. Concerning contact between missionaries and Aborigines, missionaries are held to be largely responsible not only for the dispossession of Aboriginal spirituality, but for the current dysfunction at many former mission sites. Furthermore, much scholarly work and commentary over the last three decades assumes a crude binarism in respect to Aboriginal religious beliefs and Christianity. Traditional, or classical Aboriginal belief systems and adherence to the Christian faith are held to be antithetical. Implicitly more than explicitly, but apparent nevertheless, is the accompanying understanding that Christian beliefs displace Aboriginality. Aborigines, therefore, are either spiritually traditional or Christian, not both. That is, to be authentically Aboriginal one cannot be Christian and vice versa. While revisionist studies have been useful in contesting earlier assessments of the mission era, they have become established as yet another orthodoxy. Much evidence suggests that the interface between missions, Christianity and Aborigines is more nuanced than this new orthodoxy permits. Taking its cue from this evidence, this thesis investigates the premise that many Aboriginal people find Christianity important and that their belief in Christianity is a legitimate expression of Aboriginality. This thesis challenges the dominant reading of missionary impact through a case study of the contact between Presbyterian missionaries and Pitjantjatjara people at Ernabella Mission (1937 to 1974) in the far north-west of South Australia. A close reading of archival material from Ernabella and recollections of Pitjantjatjara people who associated with the mission reveal that missionaries at Ernabella attempted to preserve tribal life through a policy of minimal intervention, that the presence of the mission and its policy allowed Pitjantjatjara people to remain connected to their country, and that Pitjantjatjara people exercised agency in their relationships with missionaries and in their engagement with Christianity. This research found that at Ernabella (and elsewhere) those who are Elders of the church are most often those also responsible for upholding traditional Law. The alleged boundaries, therefore, and dislocation between Aborigines and Christianity, are not so clearly defined. Throughout the mission era Aboriginal people expressed Christianity in myriad and innovative ways and have continued to do so in the post-mission era. Recognising this, studies of other missions may also find histories which contest the established position." [Abstract]
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xii, 391 pages
Contents
  • Introduction : "There was to be no compulsion or imposition of our way of life on the Aborigines, nor deliberate interference with tribal custom"
  • Missions to Aborigines: "Places of refuge or concentration centres?"
  • From bush to mission: first contacts to 1937
  • Ernabella 1937-1952: "hunters become herders"
  • The evolution of a Christian community (1953-1961) : "it had come to pass"
  • Ernabella after 1962 : travellers along the road"
  • Aboriginal and Christian : "still we got Anangu way"
  • Conclusion
Instance
Label
'We grew up this place': : Ernabella Mission 1937-1974
Title
'We grew up this place':
Title remainder
Ernabella Mission 1937-1974
Statement of responsibility
Carol Ann Pybus
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"Since the 1960s revisionist Australian histories have sought to redress the perceived imbalance of earlier accounts. These histories have predominantly argued that invasion and dispossession typify contact between Aborigines and settler Australians. Concerning contact between missionaries and Aborigines, missionaries are held to be largely responsible not only for the dispossession of Aboriginal spirituality, but for the current dysfunction at many former mission sites. Furthermore, much scholarly work and commentary over the last three decades assumes a crude binarism in respect to Aboriginal religious beliefs and Christianity. Traditional, or classical Aboriginal belief systems and adherence to the Christian faith are held to be antithetical. Implicitly more than explicitly, but apparent nevertheless, is the accompanying understanding that Christian beliefs displace Aboriginality. Aborigines, therefore, are either spiritually traditional or Christian, not both. That is, to be authentically Aboriginal one cannot be Christian and vice versa. While revisionist studies have been useful in contesting earlier assessments of the mission era, they have become established as yet another orthodoxy. Much evidence suggests that the interface between missions, Christianity and Aborigines is more nuanced than this new orthodoxy permits. Taking its cue from this evidence, this thesis investigates the premise that many Aboriginal people find Christianity important and that their belief in Christianity is a legitimate expression of Aboriginality. This thesis challenges the dominant reading of missionary impact through a case study of the contact between Presbyterian missionaries and Pitjantjatjara people at Ernabella Mission (1937 to 1974) in the far north-west of South Australia. A close reading of archival material from Ernabella and recollections of Pitjantjatjara people who associated with the mission reveal that missionaries at Ernabella attempted to preserve tribal life through a policy of minimal intervention, that the presence of the mission and its policy allowed Pitjantjatjara people to remain connected to their country, and that Pitjantjatjara people exercised agency in their relationships with missionaries and in their engagement with Christianity. This research found that at Ernabella (and elsewhere) those who are Elders of the church are most often those also responsible for upholding traditional Law. The alleged boundaries, therefore, and dislocation between Aborigines and Christianity, are not so clearly defined. Throughout the mission era Aboriginal people expressed Christianity in myriad and innovative ways and have continued to do so in the post-mission era. Recognising this, studies of other missions may also find histories which contest the established position." [Abstract]
Cataloging source
AIAS
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Pybus, Carol
Dissertation note
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tasmania, 2012
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Ernabella Mission (S. Aust.)
  • Christianity and culture
  • Aboriginal Australians
Label
'We grew up this place': : Ernabella Mission 1937-1974, Carol Ann Pybus
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Bibliography : pages 349-391
Carrier category
volume
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • text
  • still image
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction : "There was to be no compulsion or imposition of our way of life on the Aborigines, nor deliberate interference with tribal custom" -- Missions to Aborigines: "Places of refuge or concentration centres?" -- From bush to mission: first contacts to 1937 -- Ernabella 1937-1952: "hunters become herders" -- The evolution of a Christian community (1953-1961) : "it had come to pass" -- Ernabella after 1962 : travellers along the road" -- Aboriginal and Christian : "still we got Anangu way" -- Conclusion
Extent
xii, 391 pages
Governing access note
Open access - Reading. Open copying for private study. Closed quotation. Not for Inter library loan
Immediate source of acquisition
Carol Pybus
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Other physical details
illustrations (some coloured)
Stock number
R01967
Label
'We grew up this place': : Ernabella Mission 1937-1974, Carol Ann Pybus
Publication
Bibliography note
Bibliography : pages 349-391
Carrier category
volume
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • text
  • still image
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Introduction : "There was to be no compulsion or imposition of our way of life on the Aborigines, nor deliberate interference with tribal custom" -- Missions to Aborigines: "Places of refuge or concentration centres?" -- From bush to mission: first contacts to 1937 -- Ernabella 1937-1952: "hunters become herders" -- The evolution of a Christian community (1953-1961) : "it had come to pass" -- Ernabella after 1962 : travellers along the road" -- Aboriginal and Christian : "still we got Anangu way" -- Conclusion
Extent
xii, 391 pages
Governing access note
Open access - Reading. Open copying for private study. Closed quotation. Not for Inter library loan
Immediate source of acquisition
Carol Pybus
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Other physical details
illustrations (some coloured)
Stock number
R01967

Subject

Library Locations

    • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)Borrow it
      51 Lawson Cres, Acton, ACT, 2601, AU
      -35.292556 149.118617

Library Links

Structured data from the Bibframe namespace is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). Additional terms may apply to data associated with third party namespaces.