A Contemporary Aboriginal Community A Study of Community Housing Needs for the Contemporary Aboriginal People of Cape Barren Island. by Christopher Jonathon Zidak BArch (Honours), BAEnvDes A Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture Department of Architecture University of Tasmania Launceston 7250 November 19/1996 This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for a degree or diploma by the University or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the Thesis, and to the best of the Candidate's knowledge and belief no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text of the Thesis; ii This thesis may be made available for loan. Copying of any part of this thesis is prohibited for two years-from the date this statement was signed; after that time limited copying is permitted in accordance with the Copyright Amendment Act 1989. ~~k.., ..r.w.~ Christg~~r J. Zidak .14.:.. .1 .. /... :.1.b. date iii Acknowledgments In undertaking this thesis I would like to thank those people who made it possible. I would like to thank my parents for their unwavering support and encouragement when research times proved difficult, and my supervisor Dr Krzysztof Bieda, who always had time to discuss and advise me on my work and keep the research and presentation focused. Dr Bieda's support encouraged my extension of scholarship to enable me to complete my work. I would like to thank the Department of Architecture at the University of Tasmania, Launceston campus, for providing me with a scholarship and making all their facilities available to me in order to undertake my research and complete my work. I thank Stuart Arden, Head of Department (1992-1994), for his advice and encouragement in pursuing my research, and to Andras Kelly, Head of Department (1994) for realising the importance of my work and supporting my extension of post-graduate scholarship. I would like to thank the people of Riawunna, the Centre for Aboriginal Education at the University of Tasmania, Launceston. In ~ ' .... particular, I thank Patsy Cameron, Deputy Head of Department and Student Services Coordinator, who through discussions first mentioned the need for careful and immediate consideration of the housing requirements of the Aboriginal Islander community of Cape Barren Island which is the focus of this thesis; Lola Greeno, Resource Officer, who provided me with invaluable assistance in locating important information and access to the wonderful resource library of Riawunna, and Greg Lehman, Head of Department, who assisted me in my research and provided me with important details concerning the Aboriginal community of Cape Barren and prepared me for my visit to the island. lV Acknowledgements I would like to thank other members of staff of the Department of Architecture: Rory Spence, lecturer, for his assistance in providing me with his critical responses to a num.ber of drafts;-Dr Jain Fei Zhu, lecturer, for his advice and assistance, to Ian Blakey, Computer Systems Officer, who provided assistance whenever I experienced computer difficulties. I would like to thank those government bodies and individuals who provided me with information and directed me towards helpful resources. Thank you to T. A. Mowle, (Assistant General Manager) and Ferdinand Maganga of the Housing and Infrastructure Management Section of the Aboriginal and Torres Str:ait Islander Commission for providing me with publications and references to other sources regarding information about Aboriginal housing. I would like to especially thank the community of Cape Barren Island without whose help this research could not have been possible. Thank you to Dyan Shaw, Administrator of the Aboriginal - community and Head of the Cape Barren Aboriginal Islander Council, who arranged my visit and accommodation on the island and who helped clarify many preconceived ideas I had of this remote Aborigine community, and to Roseanne Thomas and Sharon Hughes who answered the many questions I had regarding the island and the people. For their hospitality and friendship I thank the many Aboriginal islanders, in particular Max Mansell, Roseanne Thomas, (Auntie) Joan Brown, Lauren Riley, Claude and Stuart Mansell (whose gift of a Nautilus shell remains among my most prized mementos of the island) who allowed me access to their homes enabling me to photograph and measure up their houses, and to the people who accepted me into their community and taught me much of their ways and were generous enough to include me in many of their activities. v Acknowledgements Thanks also to the non-Aboriginal residents; Doreen Coyle, a Flinders Island resident on sabbatical with whom I shared accommodation, who taught me much of her personal history of living on the Furneaux group of islands and provided me with fascinating accounts of the history of Flinders and Cape Barren Islands during after-dinner conversation; Cape Barren residents; the Fuglsan family, residents of the medical centre, who shared with me their personal history on the Island; Knud Anderson, Madder River station manager,. who showed me much about the island and its infrastructure; Frank and Emily Creighton, residents, two delightful people who recounted their personal history of living on the island and always made me welcome. Vl Abstract This study involved an investigation of the Aboriginal community - the small township on Cape Barren Island living at The Corner. Cape Barren Island is located off the northeast corner of Tasmania in Bass Strait. The aim was to determine whether the Government housing provided for them is appropriate in facilitating their lifestyle. The study also examined traditional Abodginal customs and compared these with the contemporary Aboriginal community lifestyle to determine if any traditional domiciliary cultural practices exist today. Consideration was given to whether these continued practices - influenced the way in which dwellings were used by the contemporary Aboriginal community of Cape Barren Island. The study involved different methods for the collection of data. Literature sources such as the observations of European settlers and explorers provided information on the domiciliary behaviour of Tasmanian Aborigines during the early years of colonisation of Tasmania. Primary sources were a significant part of the study, and included architectural records, the author's behavioural and architectural observations, participation in communal activities, informal interviews with residents and the use of questionnaires. A body of data was used to carry out a post-occupancy evaluation of the government dwellings. The general results indicated that with a few exceptions, most traditional cultural practices no longer play a part in the lifestyles of the contemporary Aboriginal community of Cape Barren Island. But those remaining elements of traditional culture which are still maintained today, do have an effect upon the domiciliary behaviour of these people and the way dwellings are used. vii Abstract The major conclusions drawn from the study indicate:- (i) The development of community housing on Cape Barren Island has stemmed from conventional ideas of Australian suburban planning and does not include any inherent characteristics of the natural environment or cultural behaviour and practices of the Aboriginal people. (ii) The design and construction of government dwellings on the island were responsible for much of the dissatisfaction expressed by the Aboriginal residents with their houses. Incorrect orientation of dwellings, inappropriate choice of building materials and poor workmanship contributed to the partial failure of many government dwellings. (iii) The design of government dwellings needs to incorporate an open plan arrangement of general livi'ng areas to enable domiciliary activities, which are an integral part of contemporary Aboriginal Islander life, to comfortably take place within them. (iv) Design modifications could easily rectify many of the problems associated with existing dwellings experienced by the contemporary Aboriginal residents of Cape Barren Island. The thesis concludes with a list of design and planning recommendations for the future design and planning of Aboriginal housing on Cape Barren Island. viii Contents Acknowledgements iv Abstract vii List of Illustrations xv Introduction xix Chapter 1 Research methodology 1 Chapter 2 Cape Barren Island - A Historical Background 6 2.1 European Settlement and the "Black War" 7 2.2 Aboriginal Settlement on Cape Barren Island 11 2.3 Summary 24 Chapter 3 Domiciliary Behaviour 28 3.1 Traditional Tasmanian Aboriginal Domiciliary Behaviour 28 3.1.l Cooking 28 3.1.2 Food Gathering and Hunting 29 3.1.3 Living Environments and Dwelling Types 30 3.1.3.1 Shelter 30 3.1.3.2 Camps 31 3.1.4 Customs 31 3.1.5 Religious Beliefs 32 3.1.6 Death and Ceremony 33 ix Contents 3.1.7 Song and Dance 33 3.1.8 Art 35 3.2 Contemporary Tasmanian Aboriginal Domiciliary Behaviour - Cape Barren Island 35 3.2.1 Cooking 36 3.2.1.1 Meals 36 3.2.1.2 Meal Composition 36 3.2.1.3 Meal Preparation 37 3.2.1.4 Indoor Cooking 38 3.2.1.5 Outdoor Cooking 39 3.2.1.6 Eating 39 3.2.1.7 Food Storage 40 3.2.1.8 Household Waste 41 3.2.2 Washing 41 3.2.2.1 Personal Hygiene 41 3.2.2.2 Clothes Washing and Domestic Cleaning 42 3.2.3 Sleeping 45 3.2.3.1 Household Sleeping Arrangements 45 3.2.3.2 Visitor Sleeping Ar_rangements 45 3.2.4 Traditional Customs 47 3.2.5 Music