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Marni niina Kaurna yertaanna budni Bukkibirra tarkari mankotityadlu tirkandi. It’s good that you came to Kaurna land. Learn from the past so that we can grasp the future.

Uncle Lewis O’Brien

Copyright: Council is committed to maintaining the cultural integrity of all the information and stories that have been provided for this project, be they new or existing materials, and to ensuring that the Intellectual Property Rights for any information given remains with the story teller. No material used within the signs, brochure or website should be used in any other material/printing/ promotion/website without the full consent of the provider of that material. Mudlangga to Yertabulti track

The City of Port Adelaide Enfield The Storytellers holds a deep respect for the Lewis ‘Yerloburka’ O’Brien Aboriginal people in our community Josie Agius and their continued passion to Pat Waria-Read educate us about their long- Vincent Copley standing, sustainable culture Tauto Sansbury and the traditions of learning and Josephine Judge-Rigney respect that will be important to Georgina Williams our shared future. Margaret Brodie Kathy Brodie The Mudlangga to Yertabulti Track has been Mary Williams developed as a means of telling the stories of Sharon Chester just some of the Aboriginal people who have Peter Bicknell had a long association with the area. Sonia Waters By visiting the sites, reading the signs and studying the website and brochure you will Donna Akselsen gain a stronger understanding of the lives of Aboriginal people in both the recent and Consultant distant past. Dr Kristine Peters (KPPM) The project respected the cultural and personal ownership of the storytellers. Fourteen Cultural Advice long-standing Aboriginal residents of the Port Pat Waria-Read and Lefevre Peninsula were interviewed by Dr Kristine Peters of KPPM. The stories you read have not been edited. Cultural Designer/Artist Council believes that it is important that the Karl ‘Winda’ Telfer integrity of the story is respected, using the language of the story teller. We invite you to Material from the Kaurna Cultural Heritage Survey share in the Mudlangga to Yertabulti experience conducted in 2006 is reproduced with permission which reflects a way of thinking that sustained of the storytellers or their families. Aboriginal people for more than 50,000 years. This project has been funded by: • The City of Port Adelaide Enfield • Indigenous Heritage Program - Department Prime Minister & Cabinet • Renewal SA • Defence Housing Australia • AnglicareSA Inc. Ngadluko, Kaurna Meyunnu, Kaurna yerta tampendi Let’s recognise Kaurna People and Kaurna Land

Uncle Lewis O’Brien

Ityamiitpinna The area between the Lighthouse and Port Adelaide has always been an important Information Centre on Commercial Road Port place for Aboriginal people. The Kaurna people Adelaide was one of the summer camps of the gave the Port Adelaide area the name Yertabulti, Kaurna people. Here lived Ityamiitpinna, his wife Yerta is land; bulti a place to sleep. Mudla is the Tangkaira and their daughter Ivaritji and other place of the nose, a natural corral where you can members of their family group. Ityamiitpinna, round up the emus. also known as King Rodney, was reported to Traditional people were educated people, we ran have been the first Kaurna man encountered conferences, we had a word for ‘conference’ and by Europeans when they arrived at the Port in a word for ‘ambassador’. Some of our people 1836. For thousands of years Kaurna people knew 20 languages. We had an edict that you had summer camps along the Port waterways speak the language of the person you speak to. and beaches and fed on fish, crabs and oysters. We had to have a lot of knowledge and were Ityamaiitpinna means ‘father of mushrooms’. interested in learning a lot of subjects. We’re It was common to be called ‘father of...’ thinking as we go, we’re not relying on tools. Ityamaiitpinna’s summer camp was at Port It’s magical thinking, you’re training your brain Adelaide. He used to live in the Botanic on all different levels, language, orientation, Gardens in the winter. a lot of different factors. “We didn’t roam around, we only went west We always know, our eyes will tell us. We can to east. We lived in the west by the sea in the see much more detail. We can discriminate summer and in the foothills for the winter. We between the bush and the animal. We lived were managers of country. It was a magical outside and looked long distances in clear light, system because everyone looked after the land - we didn’t weaken our eyes with reading inside.” the Sturt River (Warriparinga) was blue when the first settlers came, they were shocked, but then Lewis O’Brien they used the rivers as sewers, tanners, washing wool in them and wrecked them. You shouldn’t put anything in the river. We always lived well back from the river so it stayed pure and so the animals can drink the water and it’s useful all round. The reinstatement of Kaurna language and culture in the Port and surrounds brings with it new enthusiasm to rediscover stories of cultural significance and re-learn rituals for future generations to relate to and be proud of.

Kaurna Cultural Heritage Survey

The Mudlangga to Yertabulti project listened Meanings of Symbols to the stories of Aboriginal people who had lived in Port Adelaide for many years. Our The circle drawing design is a ‘Cultural story-tellers each had different memories and Indicator’ and the circles on the map different stories, and we felt it was important to represent the vibration of pause and ‘tell it like we heard it’. movement through space. The signs, this brochure and our web page are direct quotes, with the permission of the The Snake Design is a ‘Creation Ancestor – story teller. This information does not attempt Yura’ and is the author of the natural law to provide a complete picture of Aboriginal for country life, history and culture, it is the authentic experience of much-respected members of our community. The Emu Design footprints speak of the ‘Tjilbruke story and the Emus being pursued Some of the participants in the project on a along the coastline towards Mudlangga – tour to inspect the sites for signage. Pelican Point’ Back row L-R: Karl Telfer, Sharon Chester, Margaret Brodie, Uncle Lewis O’Brien. Front row L-R: Kristine Peters (KPPM), Janet Taylor The Shield – Mullabakka is about Ceremony, (Port Adelaide Enfield Council), Auntie Josie Agius, Manhood, Protection and Defence. Each Auntie Josie Judge-Rigney, Mary Williams, Family clan has their own design coming Bonnie Brodie. from their country totem design. Outer Harbor Birkenhead Visitor Information 1 Railway Station 7 Reserve 12 Centre Oliver Rogers Rd, Outer Harbor Cnr Fletcher/Semaphore Rds, Birkenhead 66 Commercial Rd, PortAdelaide You are in Kaurna Country which extends “Across the Port River to Torrens Island “We worked with the whites - we didn’t from Clare in the Mid North to Cape Jervis and beyond were the Medinda people, the feel the fear, we didn’t see that we were on the Fleurieu Peninsula. ‘Emu’ people. They were Kaurna as well but separate. The early whites saw us as a different family group to Lartelare’s family. separate heathens who didn’t fear them. The Kaurna on Lefevre Peninsula, on the But we learned over the years that Kardi Yarta western side of the Port River, white-fellas didn’t see us as equal, saw (Cultural Park) didn’t associate much with the Kaurna us as different, simple, uneducated, and on Torrens Island.” they took our most precious thing (the 2 Cnr Victoria Rd/Pelican Point Rd, Kaurna Cultural Heritage Survey land) away from us. And that’s when Outer Harbor we started fighting for our culture and The northern most tip of the Lefevre traditions, and we’re still fighting for Peninsula was a significant site of the these things today.” Kaurna people of the Adelaide Plains. This Yakkanninna Pat Waria-Read site was called Mudlangga (place of the 8 nose) a natural corral for herding emus. Cnr Semaphore/ Causeway Rds, Exeter The area was created by the ancient ancestors when they made the Port River. The title Yakkanninna (Sisters) is symbolic It is mentioned in the Dreaming story throughout the artwork in many ways. It Frickers Corner is designed to symbolise the sharing of 13 of Tjilbruke and how they hunted and Cnr Divett/Lipson St, Port Adelaide cultural tradition between the two ‘sister trapped emus. The coastline can “I left school at a young age and went cultures’ at Raukan Mission, where Kaurna be dated to 6,000 years. to work with my dad lumping at Cresco and Ngarrindjerri people were removed Lewis O’Brien Fertiliser on Victoria Road next to the after being dispossessed of their traditional cement works. A lot of Aboriginal men homelands. The title also symbolises worked there. I started lumping barley women sharing in the act of weaving – and wheat with my father and uncles. a spiritual process. Lefevre It was skilled work, the stack had to be built correctly.” 3 Community Centre Tauto Sansbury 541 Victoria Rd, Osborne Lartelare “We had certain people who were 9 managers of country. It was a magical Wirra Dr, New Port system because everyone looked after the “Lartelare lived on the Lefevre Peninsula Dale St Sunday land. We always lived well back from the side of the Port River. Her totem was the Club and Dale St river so it stayed pure and so the animals swan. It was Lartelare’s responsibility to 14 can drink the water.” take care of the swans on the river, to Meeting Place Lewis O’Brien ensure they had food so that the swans in turn could provide a food source for the Dale St, Port Adelaide Aboriginal people in the area. “A lot of Aboriginal families were around This site was one of the main camping then, the Sunday Club proved it. It was Taperoo grounds for Kaurna people, particularly for in the heart of Port Adelaide and people women, men camped on the other side of came from everywhere just to attend the Victoria Rd, Taperoo 4 the river.” events or activities on the day.” “Back then, some of our best friends Kaurna Cultural Heritage Survey Margaret and Kathy Brodie were white kids. There was one Italian kid among fifty of us who used to get on the bus or train from Outer Harbor to the Port as a big adventure. He was the only kid Glow Taltaityai who wasn’t black or white, he was the 10 Harts Mill only one who was different.” Adjacent to Mundy St, Port Adelaide 15 (Glowing Emus) Mary Williams The artwork at Harts Mill celebrates and Walter Morris Dr, Port Adelaide values the strong Aboriginal connection to the place and area. It represents the “We need to use words and tell our sophistication of Aboriginal culture and stories in a way that fits into our Meyer Oval language that have survived for over Aboriginal way of thinking. Aboriginal 5 60,000 years.. stories are not just dreamtime stories, Yerlo Dr, Taperoo they’re rules for living, for working with The houses that most people moving from each other, for telling our young people the missions were housed in were Housing that there are consequences if you break Trust ‘emergency’ houses constructed Waterside these rules.” from fibrolite on open or slatted footings. 11 Workers Hall Pat Waria-Read Nile St, Port Adelaide Snowdens Beach “In the past there were too many Kaurna Trail 6 broken down Nungas who didn’t feel they George Robertson Dr, Taperoo were adequate enough. But now they’re all 16 Port Canal Reserve, “I came to the Port Adelaide area when I there ready to do anything, Minories St, Port Adelaide was about 13 or 14, we were still camping it’s a good thing.” Tauondi College worked with the City people then. I was camping on Snowdens “We’ve never taken to the gun to of Port Adelaide Enfield to develop the beach with my Aunty Lavinia Edwards defend our rights. We’re a peaceful people, Kaurna Trail around Port Adelaide with (Aunty Viney), my mother’s older sister. We that’s where we come from. 6,000 years of six interpretive markers. had a shower or tub bath once a week. a peace law governing you, you negotiate, Most of the time as a kid we spent roaming that’s what you do. But the ones coming in around swimming in the river, getting fish, were used to warring all the time, and they’ll getting food in the tidal swamps at West say things to appease you, but didn’t do Lakes. You could put nets out and get birds what they promised.” and crabs and shellfish. It was a good life.” Georgina Williams Georgina Williams St Francis Boys 23 White Hollow 24 Osborne Beach 17 Home/Glanville Hall Lady Gowrie Dr, Taperoo Lady Gowrie Dr, Osborne “White Hollow is the last of what was the natural “We kept our waste separate. Middens were Park Ave, Semaphore South world. We should venerate every ‘open space last used so you didn’t mess up your country, you From 1946 to 1959 the Church of England place’, be respectful of Aboriginal people’s spiritual keep your kitchen clean. You ate your food and relationship - everyone’s spiritual relationship - with threw the scraps into the midden site, but you ran a boys hostel, ‘Saint Francis Boys Home’ the last natural things along the coast.” lived away from it.” at Glanville House. St Francis provided boys Georgina Williams Lewis O’Brien from the outback with education and a better understanding of white culture and the world of work. Many of the boys who were erta educated at St Francis became prominent Y bu citizens and leaders in politics, activism, sport to l and the arts. t a i g t g r Semaphore Road n a

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d Cnr Esplanade/Kalgoorlie Rd, Largs Bay “Young people married old people, that was part of the exchange. In between that you Strathfield Tce 20 Yerlo Dr could be with whoever you wanted as long as 5 George Robertson Dr you didn’t do it in their face. Same for women 22 d 6

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Es e d r Port Ri Largs North R 7 v er Semaphore E d x p Lady Gowrie Dr/Magarey St, Largs Bay r Exeter e Se ss y 19 maph wa “My mum Winnie Branson, was a single 18 ore Rd 8 mum with six kids. She was the first State New Ne 13 l s t o Lips Port n Secretary of the Federal Council for the Glanville S Divett S 22 Ca 10 12 o Port d t n S Advancement of Aborigines and Torres u R 11 t t Adelaide y s r Nile S e 9 t a nt S Co Strait Islanders. I remember her taking me to Semaphore w ince it Ha Wirra Dr St V rt St a m y Canberra for the very first FCAATSI meeting. South Mil 15 R 14 m t e d Dale S r It was my first introduction to Aboriginal rights c 16 ia and I’ve been on that pathway ever since.” l R Park Ave Ethelton d Pat Waria-Read 17

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