An Australian Aboriginal Man's 73-Year Search for The
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Dharmalan Dana An Australian Aboriginal man’s 73-year search for the story of his Aboriginal and Indian Ancestors Dharmalan Dana An Australian Aboriginal man’s 73-year search for the story of his Aboriginal and Indian Ancestors By George Nelson & Robynne Nelson Published by ANU Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] This title is also available online at http://press.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Author: Nelson, George Edward, author Title: Dharmalan Dana : an Australian Aboriginal man’s 73 year search for the story of his Aboriginal and Indian ancestors / George Nelson and Robynne Nelson. ISBN: 9781925021493 (paperback) 9781925021509 (ebook) Subjects: Nelson, George Edward--Family. Aboriginal Australians--Genealogy. East Indians--Mauritius--Genealogy. Yorta Yorta (Australian people)--History. Racially mixed families--Australia--Genealogy. Victoria--Genealogy. Other Authors/Contributors: Nelson, Robynne, author. Dewey Number: 994.0049915 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Aboriginal History Incorporated Aboriginal History Inc. is a part of the Australian Centre for Indigenous History, Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University and gratefully acknowledges the support of the School of History RSSS and the National Centre for Indigenous Studies, The Australian National University. Aboriginal History Inc is administered by an Editorial Board which is responsible for all unsigned material. Views and opinions expressed by the author are not necessarily shared by Board members. The Committee of Management and the Editorial Board Peter Read (Chair), Rani Kerin (Monographs Editor), Shino Konishi (Journal Editor), Robert Paton (Treasurer and Public Officer), Ann McGrath (Deputy Chair), Isabel McBryde, Niel Gunson, Luise Hercus, Harold Koch, Tikka Wilson, Geoff Gray, Dave Johnson, Ingereth Macfarlane, Brian Egloff, Lorena Kanellopoulos, Richard Baker, Peter Radoll. Copy Editor Geoff Hunt. WARNING: Readers are notified that this publication may contain names or images of deceased persons. Contacting Aboriginal History All correspondence should be addressed to the Editors, Aboriginal History, ACIH, School of History, RSSS, Coombs Building (9) ANU, ACT, 0200, or [email protected]. Sales and orders for journals and monographs, and journal subscriptions: Thelma Sims, email: [email protected], tel or fax: +61 2 6125 3269, www.aboriginalhistory.org Cover design by Nic Welbourn and layout by ANU Press Printed by Griffin Press This edition © 2014 ANU Press Contents Dedication . .vii Acknowledgements . ix Foreword . xiii Our Way . xv PART 1: THE EARLY YEARS Introduction . 3 1 . Beginnings . 5 2 . Nanny’s Stories . 21 3 . A Little Fulla . 29 4 . Hunting and Gathering . 39 5 . Dad’s Work . 51 6 . Nothing Stays The Same . 55 PART 2: OUR LIFE . 79 7 . Starting Out . 81 8 . A Brilliant Career . 103 9 . From Runner To Trainer . 123 10 . Back To School . 131 PART 3: GRAMPA’S STORY 11 . His Mission Life . 143 12 . The Land Grab: 1907–1910 . 169 13 . A Man Of The Community . 181 14 . The Rebellion: 1912–1922 . 193 15 . The Man Of Mystery . 205 16 . The Letter . 209 17 . Across The Indian Ocean . 213 PART 4: ROOTS 18 . Retracing His Footsteps . 227 19 . Searching For Clues . 239 20 . Our Mauritian Family Recipes . 245 21 . Bishop Ryan’s Journal . 249 22 . Uncovered Treasures . 263 PART 5: THE LEGACY 23 . Great Southern Land . 279 24 . Grampa’s Ways . 285 25 . Going Forward Looking Back . 297 PART 6: APPENDICES Appendix One: Ronald Morgan’s (1952) Reminiscences of the Aboriginal Station at Cummeragunga and its Aboriginal People . 305 Appendix Two: ‘Cumeroogunga Mission – Story of Its Early Days, Tribute to Teacher’ . 321 Appendix Three: ‘George Nelson Wins Richest Mile’ . 325 Appendix Four: Thomas S . James’ letter to R .H . Mathews, 27 September 1897 . 327 Appendix Five: Timeline . 331 Appendix Six: My Track Record . 357 Appendix Seven: Interviewees And Contributors . 359 Appendix Eight: Bibliography And Further Reading . 361 Dedication For my beautiful wife Brenda Who always supported me and my dreams A special thanks to my son-in-law Larry Jackson (Robynne’s husband) whose incredible support for both Brenda and me, over the last seven years has made this book possible And a big thanks to my daughter Robynne, who through her tireless dedication, over the past seven years, has completed this research in Australia and Mauritius, and then written this book, on my behalf, in my words. In memory of our Aboriginal Ancestors, Who amidst great oppression, injustice and inequity, on their land, Stood strong and proud, defending their tribe and clan, With one determined goal, The ancestral right to continue to practice our culture, traditions and lore, on our Ancestral lands, To ensure the continued health and wellbeing of their land, environment And people. Remembering our Indian Ancestors from Mauritius and India, Who also felt the full force of oppression and inequality within a British colony, But still, would not be beaten. & Honouring Grampa Thomas Shadrach James, Who through his own personal journey of oppression, injustice and inequity, By white man on Yorta Yorta land, Continued to fight for the rights of Aboriginal people at Maloga and Cummeragunga Missions, As he worked to empower our people through Leading and Writing. Where would we be today, without them all? DHARMALAN DANA: Yorta Yorta language for Grandfather’s Pathway Yorta Yorta Language Advisor: Lyn Thorpe. vii Acknowledgements Remembering Aunty Priscilla Thomas, our Indian Mauritian Elder, aged 96 in 2006, who held onto our family stories waiting for the day that her Australian family would come looking for answers. Our Mauritian Family Arlette Purahoo, Sydney Purahoo and Lorna Purahoo, who graciously told us all that they knew about our shared Mauritian ancestry. Contributors to the book Many family members who have since passed away to the Dreaming, including my wife Brenda Nelson, her father Ronald Morgan, Nanny Priscilla and Pop Mackray, my parents George and Rebecca Nelson, and countless Aunties and Uncles who are mentioned throughout this book. Other contributors in order of interview: Pat Neve, Carey James, Alf Turner, Murray Moulton, Paul Briggs, Valda Doody, Rhonda Dean, Carol Collie (nee Nelson), Melva Johnson, and Colin Walker. Illustrations Ian Faulkner Research Support in Mauritius Marie France Chelin-Goblet and Abdool Cader Kalla, and a very special thanks to Govinden Vishwanaden (Mahatma Gandhi Institute), who never gave up on searching for traces of our family history in Mauritius and beyond. Research Advisors/Editorial Assistants in Australia Heather Goodall: Professor of History and Deputy Director, Indian Ocean South Asia Research Network, University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Simone Alcorso: Masters in Education Policy, Stanford University. ix Dharmalan Dana Research Advisors in India Meera Oommen: Community and Conservation Researcher, Dakshin Foundation, India and UTS. Dr J. Raja Mohamad: Pondicherry University, former curator of the Government Museum, Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu, India. Funding Support AIATSIS, UTS and Statewide Executive of the Community Justice Panels Victoria. Proof Readers Jennifer McConachy, Judy Cue, Glenda Jones. Project Support Carey James Jnr, Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Simon Flagg, Lee Joachim, Neville Atkinson Jnr, Felicia Dean, Paul Briggs, Jennifer McConachy, David Jones, Professor Larissa Behrendt (Law University of Technology Sydney), and Professor Ann McGrath (Director of Australian Centre for Indigenous History ANU). Primary Sources Australia: Museum Victoria, Echuca Historical Society, State Library Victoria, AIATSIS, Koori Heritage Trust, University of Queensland Press, and Public Records Office Victoria. Mauritius: Mahatma Gandhi Institute, Civil Status Office and Coromandel Archives. Private sources as noted throughout the book. Other Resource Supports Judy Williams, Margaret Bates, Maxine Briggs, Sandra Smith, Valerie Brown and Heath Garrett x Acknowledgements Administrative Support Kellie Douglas Special Thanks We extend our enormous thanks to Heather Goodall without whom none of this would have ever been possible. Her patience, compassion, wisdom and support helped us keep going through the hard times, when we might otherwise have given up. And to Lyn Thorpe who helped us make this special connection with Heather. xi Foreword In 1855 at Majorca near Maryborough Victoria, on the land of the Dja Dja Wurrung people, a baby boy is born to Mary Jane Tegurrk1 and Harry Karakom Gorrakkum.2 They name him Henry Harmony Nelson. In 1872,3 as a young man he travels with his tribe across country to Mount Beauty in the high country, for the Bogong Moth gathering and harvesting. It is there that he meets Maggie Stone McDonald, the girl that he will someday marry. Her mother died in child birth and she is being raised by her Grandparents, Billy and Mary (otherwise named by white man as King Billy and Queen Mary) of the Waywurru4 people which extends from Wangaratta to Corryong and into the Victorian high country here in Australia. Also in the 1850s, but on the other side of the Indian Ocean, an Indian rebellion is brewing. The British East India Company has been tightening its grip across