UNCIVILISED ABORIGINES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22628, 20 July 1935, Page 11

UNCIVILISED ABORIGINES

HELP TO BUILD MISSION UNEXPECTED FRIENDLINESS (From Odr Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY* July 11. The expedition sent from Darwin by missionaries of the Sacred Heart some weeks ago to form a new mission tor aborigines at Fort Heats, in the Mild ritzmaurfce River area of the iciri* fory, has already made friendly contact with the blacks, and work has begun on the mission building. Four days alter the missionaries arrived in their luggers, 100 aborigines, of magnificent physique, appeared from the bush, leaving their spears behind in the bush as a sign 9! 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 Doherty leader of the expedition, might meet ivitb trouble, but all fears have been dispelled. Other white men with Father Doherty are Mr Pat Ritchie, a missionary, and Mr W. E. H. Stanner, anthropologist.. 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 being 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 t been in hiding and summing up the mission party, appeared from the bush. They belonged to .the Mariwuda tribe, of the Port Kents area. There were many piccaninnies in proportion to the adults showing that the tribe was flourishing All the aborigines seen by the missionaries seemed well nourished and healthy. Some of them spoke pidgin English Some had apparently wandered up the coast to Darwin; others had had contact M’ith 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 ivere of great assistance to the missionaries. It is expected that the mission will conserve much of the aboriginal life in this sector of the coast. It is hoped it will encourage the aborigines to remain in their tribal areas. When the mission is properly established. Mr Ritchie, who was formerly a New South Wales farmer, proposes to encourage the aborigines to engage in agriculture.