|
|
Hermannsburg Mission
The
Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission was established in 1877 on the Finke River in
the centre of the continent by W.F. Schwarz, from Württemberg, L.G. Schulze
from Saxony and A.H. Kempe, from Dauben near Dresden (<<).
They had headed north from Bethany in the Barossa Valley and experienced great
hardship in setting up an economically viable community in the heat of central
Australia. From 1894-1922 it was led by Carl Strehlow who gained a reputation
as an expert on the mythology and language of the Aborigines of that area. He
developed a written form for the Aranda language, produced an Aranda grammar,
an Aranda dictionary, and translated the New Testament into Aranda. He became
skilful in treating the sick and the Aborigines trusted him. His son Theodore,
who grew up in close contact with the Aranda people and preferred living in
that part of Australia, completed university studies in Adelaide and returned
to the Aranda in 1933. He developed a huge collection of anthropological items
and his work influenced anthropological studies in other parts of the world.
Ownership of Hermannsburg's facilities was handed over to the Aranda people
in 1982, and now includes Aboriginal villages such as Wallace Rockhole where
alcohol is banned by the inhabitants. Albert Namatjira, the first Aboriginal
artist to become famous painting in the Western style, grew up at Hermannsburg.
Early photo of the mission
| Top | Back
| Chronology | Issues
| Students | Site Map |
auf Deutsch |
| Primary Sources (in German) | Bibliography
| Search |
German Australia © D. Nutting 2001
