AUSTRALIAN BLACKS

Northern Advocate, 25 July 1935, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN BLACKS

HELP TO ERECT MISSION. VENTURE AT PORT KEATS. DARWIN, July 15. The expedition sent from Darwin by missionaries of the Sacred Heart some weeks ago to form a new mission for aborigines at Port Keats, in the wild Fitzmaurice River area of the Northern Territory, has already made friendly contact with the blacks, and work has begun on the mission building. Four days after the missionaries arrived in their luggers, 100 aborigines, of magnificent physique, appeared from the bush, leaving their spears behind as a sign of friendliness. Later they brought their lubras and piccaninnies to the encampment of the missionaries, and now they are assisting in the erection of the mission building. In recent years, Port Keats has been a notorious trouble area. Several murders of white men and Japanese by natives have taken place there. Apart from Arnheim Land, it is the only portion of the Territory in which Australian aborigines in their native state are to be found.

It was felt that Father Docherty, leader of the expedition, might meet with trouble, but all fears have now been dispelled. Other white men with Father Docherty are Mr Pat Richie, a missionary, who is author of “North of the Never Never,” and Mr W. E. H. Stanner, anthropologist, of Sydney University, who is studying the aborigines of the Northern Territory.

The expedition, which left Darwin in two luggers, had a rough trip, lasting four days, to Port Keats, which is about 200 miles south-west of Darwin. A site for the mission station was selected on the. south side of the harbour, and now timber is being cut for the mission building. A road is tjeing made through the jungle, and wells are being sunk. The mission will front a magnificent ocean beach, which affords a perfect landing ground for aeroplanes at low tide. Before the expedition left Darwin, news of its projected departure for Port Keats circulated among nearly all the aboriginal tribes by means of the “bush telegraph.” Within four days of the landing of the missionaries, the blacks who had been in hiding, watching and summing-up the mission party, appeared from the bush. They belonged to the Mariwuda tribe, of the Port Keats area. There were many piccaninnies in proportion to adults, showing that the tribe was flourishing. It was learned that other strong tribes were hovering in the background, and it is expected that they will come into the mission within the next few weeks. All the aborigines seen by.the missionaries seemed well-nourished and healthy. The only serious case of disease noticed was a case of yaws in a piccaninny. A few had eye troubles. It was apparent that the area had a good natural food supply for the blacks. Most of the aborigines seemed tractable.

Some of the aborigines spoke pidgin English. Some had apparently wandered up the coast to Darwin: others had contact with luggers. Some had been gaoled for various offences, while others had encountered civilisation by having been taken to Darwin as witnesses. The blacks who knew pidgin were of great use to the missionaries. Mission’s Objectives.

It is expected that the mission will conserve much of the aboriginal life in this sector of the coast. It is hoped that it will encourage the aborigines to remain in their tribal areas and not to wander to the peanut settlement on (he Daly River. When the mission is properly established. Mr Ritchie, who was formerly a New South Wales farmer, proposes to encourage (he aborigines (o engage in agriculture. Near the new mission station are several tamarind trees, which, it is thought were left as the result of visits by wandering Malay seamen many years ago.