Gunai/Kurnai People Ramahyuck District “Gunai/Kurnai” is the name of the tribal Ramahyuck District group which inhabited the Gippsland region Aboriginal Corporation for at least 18,000 years. “Koorie” or “Koori” Aboriginal Corporation Open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday is a term widely used by Aboriginal people living in south eastern Australia as an 117 Foster Street, Sale, Victoria 3850 PO Box 1240, Sale, Victoria 3850 expression of shared identity. Phone: 03 5143 1644 Fax: 03 5144 6275 Borun (the pelican) and Tu k (the musk Email: [email protected] duck) are the Dreamtime ancestors www.ramahyuck.org of the Gunai people. The five clans are Bratwoloong, Brayakooloong, our history, Brabuwooloong, Tatungooloong and The word Ramahyuck is composed Krowathunkooloong. Foreword The History Wall The Ramahyuck Logo Mostly the people lived in harmony of the biblical word ‘Ramah’ with one another, meeting for corroborees our future Taken from an historical perspective Mounted in the foyer of the Ramahyuck The Ramahyuck logo was created by which involved marriages and initiation meaning the ‘home of Samuel’ of the local Gunai/Kurnai people and District Aboriginal Corporation is a Aunty Rose Whitehurst and is designed ceremonies, dancing, feasting and trade and the Gunai (Kurnai) word ‘yuck’ their descendants, this publication by the spectacular three panel forged glass as a message of unity. The Black and of goods such as stones suitable for axe THE RAMAHYUCK HISTORY WALL Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation commemorative ‘History Wall’. White Swans symbolise the Aboriginal making. Occasionally there were battles meaning ‘mother’ or ‘own’. ‘Our History, our Future’ provides a unique This History Wall pays respect to the and European people of Australia and the over tribal land and women. insight into the creation and demise of the Gunai/Kurnai Aboriginal nation and message Boon-Ya-Bur-Werna means ‘to The area around Cann River and Ramahyuck Mission and the forced removal peoples. It tells the story of the Ramahyuck join us’. Mallacoota was the country of the Bidawal. of its remaining Aboriginal residents to Mission and speaks of the plight of the The Circles represent the coming together People from tribes all over what is now Lake Tyers. people involved in ‘mission days’ and the of the two races and are drawn using the Victoria and southern NSW who had It also contains the ‘dreaming’ stories proud heritage of the Ramahyuck District colours of the Aboriginal Flag. The black breached tribal law were sent into Bidawal connecting the Gunai/Kurnai people Aboriginal Corporation. symbolises the Aboriginal people and the country for a period of exile. with their lands, water and all the birds The History Wall was officially launched yellow represents the sun, the constant The Aboriginal people of East Gippsland and animals contained within them. on 6 August 2008 by Katey Bryant and The re-newer of life. Red depicts the earth fought against the European invasion of This document stands as a reminder Governor of Victoria, Professor David de and peoples’ relationship to the land. their land. However technical superiority in of the historical impact of Aboriginal Kretser, A.C. It also represents ochre which is used weaponry gave the Europeans an absolute dispossession and government Ramahyuck District Aboriginal by Aboriginal people in ceremonies. advantage. It is difficult to be certain ‘protectionism’ and looks towards a Corporation recognises and respects The black swan has spiritual significance about the real death toll as so few records brighter future of reconciliation and the Bratowooloong, Brayakuloong, in the traditional histories of many still exist or were even made at the time. self-determination. It is my pleasure Brabuwooloong, Tatungoloong, and the Australian Aboriginal peoples and is Diseases introduced from the 1820s by and privilege to provide this forward Krauatungalung people who are part of also the emblem of the city of Sale. European sealers and whalers also caused to this important publication. the Gunai/Kurnai nation. a rapid decline in Aboriginal numbers. –Professor David de Kretser AC Ebenezer 1858 - 1904 Victorian Missions and Founder Board Members (1992) Cumeroogunga Malaga 1889-1953 (Stn) 1874-1888 Reserves that remained Lynette Bishop 1883-present (Res) Daphne Dowd open after 1901 Board members at the time of the Brenda Farnham commissioning of the History Wall Robert Farnham Murray Bull Mollie Glass Robert Farnham (Chair) Sandra Neilson Lake Condoh Gail Porter 1867-1918 (Stn) Coronderrk Allan Green 1861-1951 (Res) Framlington 1863-1924 Bessie Yarram 1865-1890 (Stn) Wendy Henry Ramahyuck Noel Yarram 1861-present (Res) Phillip Perry 1862-1908 Daphne Yarram Noeleen Yarram Photographs provided by The State Library of Victoria. Text provided by Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Station Corporation and the former Maffra Community Resource Centre from material supplied by East Ivy Yarram The CEO at the establishment of Reserve Gippsland Municipalities Human Services Committee Inc. Graphic Design by Left, Right & Centre Dr. Ali Khan (CEO) Ramahyuck was Daphne Yarram. Stories 1863 1872 BORUN THE PELICAN 1908 1992 The original Ramahyuck was an Aboriginal Mission established by Reverend Friedrich Ramahyuck Mission The first Gunai came down from the mountains in the Closure of Ramahyuck Mission Ramahyuck Corporation August Hagenauer, a Moravian Missionary North West, carrying his canoe on his head. He was who had previously worked at the Ebeneezer State School Borun, the pelican. He crossed over the Tribal River by Under the infamous Aborigines Protection Act that For many years, the Indigenous community in Noel’s daughter (Daphne) held a meeting Mission in Western Australia. was passed by Parliament in 1886, all ‘half-castes’ Sale was supported by operations at Morwell attended by Aunty Bess, Bonnie and Terry In 1872, the State School at Ramahyuck Mission what is now Sale and walked on alone to Tarra Warackel were removed from the Aboriginal Reserves and and Bairnsdale. As the local Indigenous O’Shannassy; Mollie Glass and daughters Due to strong resistance from local squatters, gained the highest marks possible in a State- (Port Albert) in the west. As he walked, he heard a Missions. This had a dramatic effect on Ramahyuck, population grew the need for permanent Irene and Gail; Aunty Lena Thomas; Aunty Re v. Hagenauer’s initial application to wide examination. Mr Charles Topp, Inspector of the population of which decreased severely. The school service in Sale became evident. Angeline Morgan; and Aunty Regina Kennedy. establish a Mission Station in Green Hills, constant tapping sound but could not identify it. When School for the Education Department, filed the was forced to close and funds to the Mission were From this inaugural meeting, a committee was near Maffra was rejected by the Government The late Mr. Noel Yarram Senior championed following report: “This school has again passed he reached the deep water of the inlets Borun put down reduced. In 1908, the Mission closed and the remaining established with the mandate of setting up the despite the support given by the Central the concept of an independent Indigenous an excellent examination. This is the first his canoe and, much to his surprise, there was a woman Aborigines were sent to Lake Tyers, leaving a cemetery Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation. Board for the Protection of Aborigines. corporation at Sale. The name Ramahyuck case since the present result system has been and some remnants of buildings as a memorial to the in it. She was Tuk, the musk duck. He was very happy was chosen to remind and reinforce to the This dream became a reality on 12 May enforced that 100% of marks has gained by any occupation of their land. The opposition to having land reserved to see her and she became his wife and the mother of us whole community that Sale had a significant 1992, when Ramahyuck District Aboriginal school in the Colony. The children, moreover, for Aborigines continued to grow but Re v. Indigenous history. After Noel’s passing, Corporation was registered under the show not only accuracy in their work, but also all - the Gunai people. Hagenauer remained persistent and applied his family and other members of the local Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act exhibit much intelligence - excellent progress for 2,356 acres of land on the shores of Lake Koorie community continued to pursue the with the Office of the Registrar of Aboriginal is shown. The discipline is very good. The Wellington near the mouth of the Avon River. establishment of a service in Sale. Corporations in Canberra, ACT. After much negotiation and several delays, children show creditable proficiency in drill and the application was approved on 9 June 1863 extension exercises.” and Ramahyuck Mission was established. In 1877, Ramahyuck was known as the most successful of all missions. Average attendance at the station rose to 85 with up to 200 natives from five different tribal groups. The total 1877 number of buildings at the station was 25, of which 11 cottages housed Aborigines. Stories Stories Life at the Mission A Melbourne newspaper, the Argus, had Rev. Hagenauer was a strong leader whose described the station as “a pretty settlement THE SOUTHERN CROSS HOW BUNG YARNDA word was law at the Ramahyuck Mission of white painted weatherboard buildings…, Station. The Mission provided protection 2011 which are supplied with such evidence of Narran the moon was a mighty warrior and a fearless hunter. One day, (LAKE TYERS) WAS FORMED for the survivors of the Brayakooloong and civilisation...(purchasing) stoves, water tanks, Tatungooloong clans of the Gunai (Kurnai) after travelling a long way, he couldn’t find any food at all. At last he saw Ramahyuck Today meal safes and sewing machines…out of the Ngooran (the emu) on the other side of a wide creek, but the water was Narkabungdha, the sea, was tired from playing with fish, rushing tribe, but the people were forced to give up earnings of the husbands and fathers from In less than 10 years from first opening its over rocks and rolling up and back on the sand.