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Maningrida: A History of the Aboriginal Township in Arnhem Land
This is not the story of a sleepy little hamlet in the wilderness of Arnhem Land. This is the story of an intriguing place and some remarkable people. Several themes run through the history including the control of land, the impact of grog, the importance of 'good people' and the value of positive partnerships between Aboriginal and Balanda. Above all there is the struggle by Aboriginal people to be the decision-makers, to determine their own future.
The story of Maningrida began long before Arnhem Land emerged into national consciousness. It was once considered as the site for Australia's northern capital. Makassans, navigators, surveyors and patrol officers visited the area before government men sought to establish a settlement at Manayingkarrira in the land of the Kunibidji people. Maningrida was founded in 1957.
It aimed to transition tribal Aboriginal people into mainstream Australian society. Health and education services faced special challenges. Attempts to establish industries other than Aboriginal art, all failed. Deep divisions developed in the community when Aboriginal people became part of the electoral landscape. Struggles peaked in the late 1970s when defenders of Aboriginal self-determination went head-to-head with the Commonwealth in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
The story of Maningrida began long before Arnhem Land emerged into national consciousness. It was once considered as the site for Australia's northern capital. Makassans, navigators, surveyors and patrol officers visited the area before government men sought to establish a settlement at Manayingkarrira in the land of the Kunibidji people. Maningrida was founded in 1957.
It aimed to transition tribal Aboriginal people into mainstream Australian society. Health and education services faced special challenges. Attempts to establish industries other than Aboriginal art, all failed. Deep divisions developed in the community when Aboriginal people became part of the electoral landscape. Struggles peaked in the late 1970s when defenders of Aboriginal self-determination went head-to-head with the Commonwealth in the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory
308 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 2, 2021
The first ~220 pages of this book should be compulsory reading for anyone beginning work/life in Maningrida. Very interesting insight into the establishment of the township in the 1950s and early settlement life in the 1960s and the complexity of social problems faced by Indigenous people on coming into contact with White society/economy and governance.
The last ~70 pages gets bogged down in politics. Dealings of the Council and the Oustation Resource Centre (later to become Bawinanga) are treated in far too much detail - although important to the later development of the town this section could be examined in half the time and more time given to other aspects of social life that are mentioned far too briefly, such as:
*development, influence of and attitudes towards outside religion
*language development, vernacular education and adult education
*football and other organised community events and introduced passtimes
*inter-racial marriages (2 are mentioned) including community response
*politics between indigenous tribes, particularly how Burarra came to be the dominant group on Ndjebbana (Kunividji) land.
Finally, it is very disappointing that although the book was published in 2013 after the author lived in community herself from the 1980s to 2000s, the book only covers the period to 1980. It's hard to deal with contemporary events in a history book, but continuing the history until the 2000s would have been possible and preferrable. If not, the subtitle should make this time period clear.
The last 70 pages really drags the book down to 3 stars overall, however I have kept 4 stars as I would definitely recommend this book - just stop when it gets boring :)
The last ~70 pages gets bogged down in politics. Dealings of the Council and the Oustation Resource Centre (later to become Bawinanga) are treated in far too much detail - although important to the later development of the town this section could be examined in half the time and more time given to other aspects of social life that are mentioned far too briefly, such as:
*development, influence of and attitudes towards outside religion
*language development, vernacular education and adult education
*football and other organised community events and introduced passtimes
*inter-racial marriages (2 are mentioned) including community response
*politics between indigenous tribes, particularly how Burarra came to be the dominant group on Ndjebbana (Kunividji) land.
Finally, it is very disappointing that although the book was published in 2013 after the author lived in community herself from the 1980s to 2000s, the book only covers the period to 1980. It's hard to deal with contemporary events in a history book, but continuing the history until the 2000s would have been possible and preferrable. If not, the subtitle should make this time period clear.
The last 70 pages really drags the book down to 3 stars overall, however I have kept 4 stars as I would definitely recommend this book - just stop when it gets boring :)
June 23, 2016
Maningrida was the name of the town that I had heard mentioned many times while I worked at Centrelink, and not necessarily in glowing terms. I had heard that there had been 'troubles' and that Government intervention / interference was not always appreciated by the aborigines.
I read this book while sitting in the back of a 4x4 for way too many hours as I travelled from Nhulunbuy to Maningrida via Arafura Swamp and Ramingining.
The more I read, the more I began to see just how complex the relationship between aboriginal and european peoples is, and between aboriginal groups themselves and between them and their country.
This book goes a way toward unravelling that mystery, and the convoluted process that is still being acted out as the aboriginal people come to terms with a new world and a new order after evolving and living their own culture over 40,000 years.
As for successive governments and their policies, whether it be integration of self-determination, they seem to ignore the possibility that they, representing the new world of the white-man, are the problem. No matter what solution is proposed, it is always within a framework of white dominance, and that is going to take much much longer than the 200 years from our first appearance in Australia, to be resolved.
And when you finally pull into Maningrida, albeit the small part we are allowed to see, you cant help but think about the contents of this book as you look out over the ramshackle community and the people who inhabit it.
I read this book while sitting in the back of a 4x4 for way too many hours as I travelled from Nhulunbuy to Maningrida via Arafura Swamp and Ramingining.
The more I read, the more I began to see just how complex the relationship between aboriginal and european peoples is, and between aboriginal groups themselves and between them and their country.
This book goes a way toward unravelling that mystery, and the convoluted process that is still being acted out as the aboriginal people come to terms with a new world and a new order after evolving and living their own culture over 40,000 years.
As for successive governments and their policies, whether it be integration of self-determination, they seem to ignore the possibility that they, representing the new world of the white-man, are the problem. No matter what solution is proposed, it is always within a framework of white dominance, and that is going to take much much longer than the 200 years from our first appearance in Australia, to be resolved.
And when you finally pull into Maningrida, albeit the small part we are allowed to see, you cant help but think about the contents of this book as you look out over the ramshackle community and the people who inhabit it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews