Cultural Heritage Management 1 5.1
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Cultural 5 heritage management 5.1 Aboriginal heritage This chapter deals with Tasmania’s rich cultural heritage. Cultural heritage values include 5.2 Historic and maritime heritage Aboriginal heritage sites and artefacts and 5.3 Climate change and cultural historic heritage sites and artefacts, both are heritage protected under specific legislation. 5.4 Tools and resources Cultural heritage places offer an insight into past ways of life, and for Aboriginal people they provide a powerful connection to place. Cultural heritage sites are often fragile and easily damaged. They can be difficult to identify and once they are lost or destroyed they are gone forever. Everyone who undertakes land management works has a legal and moral obligation to protect Tasmania’s cultural heritage values for future generations. Tab photo: Remnant Jetty Bridport northern Tasmania. © Renee Hodskiss. Tasmanian Coastal Works Manual Cultural heritage management 1 5.1 5.1 Aboriginal heritage Tasmanian Aboriginal people have strong and ongoing connections to coastal landscapes and heritage sites. This section deals with Aboriginal heritage They are the primary source of information about management and the importance of working with their heritage and should be involved in its protection, the Tasmanian Aboriginal community to ensure that identification and management. Aboriginal heritage values are valued and protected. Aboriginal occupation of Tasmania stretches back at least 5.1.1 Tasmanian Aboriginal people 40 000 years, and the entire Tasmanian landscape is part Tasmanian Aboriginal culture is one of the oldest living of the Aboriginal story. As a result, there are numerous cultures on earth. Sites bearing signs of occupation Aboriginal heritage places including shell middens, rock and past traditions and practices have been markings, stone quarries, stone arrangements, rock scientifically dated back to 40 000 years ago. shelters and fish traps in coastal areas. Tasmanian Aborigines lived through ice ages and All Aboriginal places are important, as each one is an major geographical change such as the sea level integral part of the ‘country’. ‘Country’ describes all of rise which inundated the Bassian Plains, separating the areas that Aboriginal people traditionally used or Tasmania from mainland Australia. occupied. Aboriginal people have strong physical and spiritual links with the ‘country.’ Tasmanian Aborigines are the only group of humans Figure 5.1 Aboriginal midden on the north-east coast of Tasmania. © Chris Rees 2 Cultural heritage management Tasmanian Coastal Works Manual 5.1 to evolve in isolation for 10 000 years. Their culture 5.1.2 Legislation and approvals and heritage is unlike any other and they are a diverse group of people with many nations, languages and Currently Aboriginal heritage in Tasmania is protected traditions. under both Tasmanian and Commonwealth heritage legislation. Aboriginal heritage places, both tangible and non- tangible, provide a spiritual link for Aboriginal people The Aboriginal Lands Act 1995 (Tasmania) covers to their tradition, culture and roots. These places management of access to land and waters for mineral are of great interest to archaeologists and historians and petroleum exploration purposes. globally. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Tasmanian Aboriginal people have a long association Protection Act 1984 (Commonwealth) protects with the coast and have sustainably used coastal Aboriginal Heritage at a National level. resources for thousands of years, gathering food The Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 protects Aboriginal items such as short-tailed shearwaters (yolla or ‘relics’, ‘protected sites’ and ‘protected objects’ in muttonbirds), seals, swan eggs and shellfish. Today Tasmania. many Tasmanian Aboriginal people continue to practice traditional cultural practices such as going ‘Relic’ is defined as: birding (gathering yolla) and collecting coastal • any artefact, painting, carving, engraving, resources such as shells, grasses and kelp to make arrangement of stones, midden, or other object necklaces, baskets and water carriers. made or created by any of the original inhabitants Aboriginal middens can be found on most Tasmanian of Australia or their descendants before 1876; coastlines and contain layers of shell, stone artefacts, • any object, site, or place that bears signs of the charcoal, ochre and animal bones. Aboriginal shell activities of any such original inhabitants or their middens hold ancient cultural knowledge and descendants which occurred before 1876; or information and are extremely important on a local • the remains of the body of an original inhabitant and a global scale. or of a descendant who died before the year Middens provide an insight into the way people lived 1876 that are not buried in: in Tasmania and the resources that were available in 1. any land that is or has been set aside or any particular area. With the ongoing threat from used as a burial ground or cemetery under development and sea level rising, middens are a any Act, deed, or other instrument; or non-renewable source of information and hold great 2. a marked grave in any other land. potential for further understanding and appreciation A ‘protected site’ is land where a relic is situated of the lives of Tasmanian Aboriginal people. which the Minister has declared ought to be protected and preserved. A ‘protected object’ is the specified relic to which a Ministerial order declaring a protected site relates. Tasmanian Coastal Works Manual Cultural heritage management 3 5.1 It is an offence under the Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 to: or condition, requires a permit under section 14 of the Act. All Aboriginal heritage places are protected, • destroy, damage, disfigure, conceal, or otherwise whether on private or public land. interfere with a protected object or relic • carry out an act which is likely to endanger a 5.1.3 Role of Aboriginal Heritage protected object Tasmania • remove a relic from where it was found or abandoned Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania is the state government • sell or otherwise dispose of a relic or remove it agency responsible for preventing natural and human from the state actions from adversely affecting Aboriginal heritage • destroy, damage, deface or otherwise interfere places and values. with any fencing or notice erected, or any other Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania works with the work carried out in, or in respect of, a protected Tasmanian Aboriginal community to recognise and site under the Act, other than in accordance with respect Tasmanian Aboriginal culture and heritage, and a permit granted by the Director of National secure the protection and promotion of Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Aboriginal heritage for present and future generations. • remove a protected object from a protected site, other than in accordance with a permit granted by The agency is responsible for administering the the Tasmanian Minister. (However, the Director of Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 and provides land National Parks and Wildlife can direct the removal management and expert advice for responsible of protected objects from a protected site to a management of Tasmanian Aboriginal heritage. It also place of safety if he or she is satisfied that they are undertakes research and interpretive activities to help likely be damaged, destroyed or lost.) protect and promote Tasmanian Aboriginal heritage throughout the state. The penalty for a contravention is a fine of up to $1000 or imprisonment for up to six months. You must report any discovery of Aboriginal The vast cave middens of the Rocky Cape National heritage relics Park in the state’s north-west provide one of the most complete records of the lifestyle of coastal Any person who finds a relic must (with limited Aboriginal people anywhere in Australia. exceptions), inform the director or an authorised officer as soon as practicable after the find. The Material accumulated in the cave middens reveal penalty for failing to comply with this requirement is a 8000 years of continuous occupation. Evidence fine of up to $1000. shows that seals, scale fish and a variety of shellfish, supplemented by other game and edible plants such You must have a permit before doing anything that as grass tree and fern, formed a large part of the will impact on Aboriginal heritage diet at Rocky Cape. Tools used for gathering and All Aboriginal heritage places are protected under the preparing food and for other cultural activities have Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 and any action that will have also been discovered at the site. an impact on Aboriginal heritage, no matter its size 4 Cultural heritage management Tasmanian Coastal Works Manual 5.1 5.1.4 Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea The Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council Council endorses Aboriginal Heritage Officers (AHO). It investigates areas of land for the presence or absence Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (TALSC) of Aboriginal heritage and provides advice on the plays a role in consulting with and representing the ongoing management of this heritage. Aboriginal community through providing advice and services to the public and land managers on heritage, 5.1.5 Tasmanian Aboriginal Site Index land management and land rights issues as well as sea management and sea issues. (TASI) TALSC offers the following range of services: Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania is the custodian of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Site Index (TASI), which • Cultural awareness and education program provides the main listing of recorded