Reconnecting Canberra
CONTENTS Research Site Journey Experimentation
RESEARCH DECOLONISATION
Overseas Institutions
Rijksmuseum
Tropenmuseum
Name changes
Tropenmuseum has undertaken a consultation process to decolonise its exhibitions - objects on display were not changed but the signage was redesigned to introduce updated explanatory texts and display photographic prints more honestly. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam announced it would mount an exhibition on slavery for the very first time in its history. The exhibition would focus on the people who were integral to that history, rather than provide a museological overview of the economic history of slavery, with figures and dates. Slavery is an essential part of the colonial history of the Netherlands, a history that concerns every Dutch person— and the Rijksmuseum. The slave trade and slavery are so densely interwoven with the social and economic history of the Netherlands that they continue to influence society, as well as that of our former colonies and parts of our kingdom overseas. By collectively delving into this history, we can indeed arrive at a better understanding of today’s society.
They also held an exhibition ‘Afterlives of Slavery’ which focused on the enslaved and their descendants using personal stories to interrogate the history of the enenslaved and slavery’s current day legacies. Personal accounts and memory became hallmarks of the post-colonial exhibition.
DAAR (Decolonising Architecture Art Research)
DAAR is a Stockholm-based art and architecture collective, with a residency program based in Palestine. Daar proposes the subversion, reuse and recycling of the existing infrastructure of a colonial occupation. They look at some characteristics of refugee camps and propose ways of reorienting heritage.
Community outreach is the key to the “structural change” envisioned by director Sofía Hernández Chong Cuy at Rotterdam’s former Witte de With Centre for Contemporary Art. She joined in January 2018 with a mandate for change, after artists and activists argued in an open letter that a name referring to a colonial-era naval officer, Witte Corneliszoon de With, compromised an outwardly inclusive and critical programme. The museum was renamed Kunstinstituut Melly in October 2020 after a three year period, which included participation from the public in the form of an online survey.
The Parthenon Marbles
Local Institutions
The Parthenon marbles are a collection of ancient Greek sculptures and architectural details which were removed from the Parthenon in Athens and shipped to England in the 1700s. The controversial removal of the artifacts raised questions of ownership of cultural artifacts and the return of important cultural objects to their places of origin. The British museum has claimed to have saved the marbles from damage and deterioration, yet heavy rainfall on July 25th this year which flooded central London created leaks in the ceiling in the gallery of which hosts the Greek collection, including the Parthenon marbles. Leaks and poor conditions of several of the wings and galleries of the British Museum date back to 2018.
Reko Rennie - Taylor Square, Sydney
In 2012, Reko Rennie painted an entire colonial building in Sydney in a geometric design which traditionally was incised on trees to mark out ceremonial sites (a signifier of Kamilaroi Identity). Signage captures the message this always will and always will be Aboriginal Land.
National Museum of Australia The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ARM designed a black Villa Savoye (referencing the 1930 Paris building by Le Corbusier) as an understanding of a local version—an inversion, a reflection of Aboriginal architecture, culture or perceived attitudes. This idea reflected AIATSIS’s philosophy and produced a building compatible with the National Museum of Australia, yet distinct and independent.
The design is comprised of a series of boolean strings and knots, the Main Hall for example is generated by a giant knot which tangles the stories of non indigenous and indigenous Australians. The loop outside as seen above lands on a footpath which points to Uluru.
The message “Forgive us for our genocide” was originally pressed into the aluminium cladding in braille before they were forced to be changed. Other messages include “God knows”, “She’ll be right”, “Sorry” and “Resurrection city”.
The Garden of Australian Dreams in the centre of the NMA interweaves storied of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and migrant communities of Australia by overlaying an English map with a map of linguistic boundaries of Indigenous Australia.
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy
In the 70s four men set up a beach umbrella claimed as an Aboriginal Embassy opposite the Parliament House in Canberra to protest the government’s approach to Indigenous land rights. The goals of protesters have also changed over time, and now include not only land rights but also Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination. The tent Embassy challenges and argues against Canberra and what Parliament represents.
REPATRIATION
Excerpts from the National Resting Place Consultation Report
1. Recommendations 1. The Advisory Committee for Indigenous Repatriation (the Committee) recommends that as a longer term objective, all ancestral remains provenanced only to Australia should be cared for in a National Resting Place. 2. Indigenous ancestral remains that are only provenanced to a state or territory should be cared for in that state or territory as this way, they would be closer to home. 3. The Committee recommends that a National Resting Place be established in Canberra within the Parliamentary Triangle. 4. The Committee recommends a site adjacent to Federation Mall, within sight of Parliament House (refer to the map at Appendix 6.2). 5. The Committee recommends that a National Resting Place consist of three distinct places within the one site to reflect the different objectives: i. The Resting Place for the ancestors where spiritual connections can be made and contemplation can be undertaken. ii. The Ceremonial Space where Indigenous burial rites and associated ceremonies can be conducted. iii. A Public Space where reflection and prominence for the issue can be shared with all Australians. 6. The Committee recommends that the extent of further research to be undertaken to determine provenance should be a matter for the governing authority of this place taking into account prevailing community opinion. 7. The Committee recommends that the National Resting Place be controlled and run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
3. Consideration of issues 3.1 Support for establishing a National Resting Place For more than 150 years Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains were removed from their Country and placed in museums, universities and private collections in Australia and overseas. The return of ancestors to their traditional lands is extremely important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all Australians. It is a matter of justice and healing, and an opportunity to right the wrongs of the past. It is the first step towards honouring the ancestors’ dignity and to allow them to finally rest in peace. ‘The first time I held ancestors’ remains I was overcome with emotion and a sense of responsibility about looking after those old people. Let’s give them their dignity and a safe resting place.’ A key element to returning ancestors is identifying their community origins. Often documentation such as historical records, letters, diaries and reports give some indication about the exact location the ancestral remains were taken from. However, sometimes ancestral remains can only be identified as coming from Australia or from a state/territory or a region. There are many instances where information cannot be obtained to identify provenance beyond Australia. Under current arrangements, the National Museum of Australia receives funding from the Australian Government to care for poorly provenanced ancestral remains that are returned to Australia through the Indigenous Repatriation Program. The National Museum of Australia currently has over 200 such remains in its care. Each major state and territory museum also receives funding from the Australian Government to care for ancestral remains that are identified as coming from that state or territory and to repatriate them back to the rightful communities within that state or territory. There are also some ancestral remains provenanced only to Australia that are kept in state museums.
3.3 The form and function of a National Resting Place During the consultations views were sought on the form and functions of a National Resting Place. From these meetings the Committee identified a number of common suggestions, including: • A culturally appropriate place for the ancestors to be cared for or laid to rest. • A place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to visit so they are able to pay respects to their ancestors. • A nationally significant place for all Australians to remind them of past injustices, a beacon of conscience and a place to promote reconciliation. • A place of education for younger generations. • A place that facilitates the practice of cultural ceremonies. • A place that enables further research to be undertaken to identify where the ancestral remains come from. • A place where the ancestors can be permanently laid to rest or buried. • A place that provides career pathways, employment and training for Aboriginal and Torres Islander peoples in relevant areas for example archival research, anthropology and cultural heritage practice. ‘It would require a facility and strategy for the collation, management, and preservation of associated documentation and research. It should support cultural values and sensitivities, for example through associated gardens, ceremony spaces and private spaces.’ The Committee has recommended a location for a National Resting Place within sight of Parliament House but sufficiently secluded to provide the peace our ancestors deserve. It is proposed that the National Resting Place consist of three distinct spaces within the one site: 1. The Resting Place for the ancestors where spiritual connections can be made and contemplation can be undertaken. 2. The Ceremonial Space where Indigenous burial rites and associated ceremonies can be conducted. 3. A Public Space where reflection and prominence for the issue can be shared with all Australians.
The damage to the Aboriginal community of having remains [overseas] is astronomical. The spirits of our dead are disturbed by being separated from their bodies. The remains are as important to us as land rights. It’s a much more volatile issue, closer to the heart than even getting our land back. — Michael Mansell, Aboriginal lawyer
Stone scraper William Kinsela, an active collector of Aboriginal artefacts, acquired this stone scraper during a visit to Canberra in the 1930s, searching close to creeks and rivers and in the sheltered parts of hills. He sent the scraper and some other objects to the British Museum in 1934, with a request that they be exchanged for ‘several small type specimens of English or Continental stone implements of paleolithic man’. The custodians of the Canberra region reflect on the meaning of country today. Adrian Brown, Ngunnawal man, 2014: Stone tools are all over the Canberra regions. They are pieces of country. We leave them where they lie so they will continue to be part of Ngunnawal country. Tyronne Bell, Ngunawal man, 2015: Through walking tours we educate people on how to see ‘country’ in a Ngunawal way, and share stories that will build a greater awareness on how to be considerate of country. Paul House, Ngambri man, 2015: I don’t know why it surprises people to find Ngambri artefacts in the city and suburbs — the old campsites were the best spots to live. They still are.
Just as revolutionary was what Mungo Man meant for the understanding of Aboriginal culture. “Up until Mungo, Aboriginals had been frequently denigrated,” Bowler said bluntly. “They were ignorant savages, treacherous. Suddenly here was a new indication of extraordinary sophistication.” The reverent treatment of the body—the oldest ritual burial site ever found—revealed a concern for the afterlife eons before the Egyptian pyramids. Today, Aboriginal people still use smoke to cleanse the dead. “It’s the same ritual, and there it was 40,000 years ago.” All the evidence pointed to a spectacular conclusion: Aboriginal people belong to the oldest continuous culture on the planet.
Canberra is Ngunnawal country. The Ngunnawal are the Indigenous people of this region and its first inhabitants. The neighbouring people are the Gundungurra to the north, the Ngarigo to the south, the Yuin on the coast, and the Wiradjuri inland. It is a harsh climate and difficult country for hunter-gatherer people. To live here required great knowledge of the environment, skilful custodianship of it and close cooperation. People normally moved in small family groups but there were, on occasion, big gatherings of a thousand or more people at a time, coming together to make use of resources which were seasonally abundant (most famously the Bogong moth and the Yam Daisy). Important ceremonies were held, art was painted in rock shelters, marriages were arranged, goods were traded, important news was shared and old friends met again. In summer, people visited the high country where the Bogong moth, in millions or billions, could be found hiding in rocky crevices to survive the warmer weather. The moths were rich in stored fats and oils and were enthusiastically eaten (some say the taste resembles peanut butter). The moths were shaken and teased out from under rocky overhangs into nets and then roasted on a fire. Some were smoked and stored as cakes for use in more difficult times. At other times, the lowland resources of plants, like Yam Daisies, and the freshwater resources of creeks and lakes could be harvested. In the harshness of winter, fur cloaks were worn for warmth and people would gravitate to the coast to share resources with the others there. Others moved further inland. Indigenous people have been living here for at least 20 000 years, perhaps from the time when the extreme cold of the last Ice Age eased. The hunter-gatherer lifestyle continued to be practised into the early nineteenth century, until the arrival of Europeans with their sheep flocks and cattle herds. The arrival of introduced diseases, like smallpox and measles, quickly affected Aboriginal numbers. Introduced animals with hard hooves and big appetites rapidly reduced the abundance of plants like Yam Daisies, damaged water holes and creeks, and the essential food resources there. Graziers may also have restricted Aboriginal movement, and movement was essential in this region. Despite this, thousands of people continued to gather in the Snowy Mountains in Bogong season and, in 1826, some 1000 people gathered at Lake George to protest the behaviour of shepherds. Aboriginal people adapted to the arrival of Europeans by taking jobs as stockmen, and proved their knowledge and skill could be applied to introduced stock. However, government policies and the pressures of this new occupation created severe social pressures on the Ngunnawal community and neighbouring Indigenous peoples. The Ngunnawal people have always remained in the area, and in recent years they have become more visible in the general community, and increasingly involved in affairs at the local and national level. Magazine, S. and Tony Perrottet, D., 2021. A 42,000-Year-Old Man Finally Goes Home. [online] Smithsonian Magazine. Available at: <https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mungo-man-finally-goeshome-180972835/> [Accessed 2 November 2021].
SITE
Canberra, 1930s
Canberra, 1920s
The Griffin’s Masterplan
Decolonising Lake Burley Griffin
Ground Floor / Entry Storage - Long Term
Public Journey Public Ceremonial Space
Memorial Bridge - Public
Handling Station / Reconciliation Space
Research
Storage - Long Term
Foyer
Staircase to Level 1
Staircase to Level 1
Forecourt
Recipient Journey
Foyer
Ceremonial Loading Bay
Initial Conversation with National Resting Place Official
PRIVATE
JOURNEY
Lecture Theatre
Level 1
Public space
Public Journey Exhibition Space
Meeting Space / cafe Reconciliation Space
PRIVATE
Education / Pathways
Level 2
Recipient Journey
Views - Parliament / High Court
V
Meet with Official Recipient Stair
Meetin
PRIVATE
Education / Pathways
Level 2
Views - Parliament / High Court
Recipient Journey
Views - War Memorial
Meet with Official Recipient Stair Meeting Place
Reconciliation / Consultation Space
Waiting Area
Exit Handover Space
IDENTIFIED REMAINS (Recipients Take Part in the Process) Consultation 2 - Repatriation Options
Journey - Remains / Artefacts Ceremonial Loading Bay
Initial, Handling Station to assess condition
Temporary Storage
Repacking Recpient Handover - by Ceremony official or Recipient (Optional)
Journey from Museum
Provenance Research
Method of transport dependant on Remains Status Officials identify any hazards to recipients
Long Storage
UNIDENTIFIED REMAINS (Process defined by protocols)
SITE EXPERIMENTS
Acton Peninsula
Black Mountain Peninsula, Kurrajong Point
Yarralumla
Black Mountain War Memorial
1:15 000
Parliament
Ceremonial Sites
Artefact Sites
Griffins Masterplan
Proposed Axis
Memorial Bridge
Forecourt / Memorial Garden
Memorial Bridge - Public (pedestrian) Acton Peninsula Initial Conversation with National Resting Place Official
Cafe / Foyer
Education - Re-connection to country (Optional)
Public Ceremonial Space
Public Exit
Memorial Bridge - Public
Memorial Bridge - Private Memorial Bridge - Private
Memorial Bridge - Public (pedestrian) Education - Non-indigenous focused education including forgotten history
PUBLIC
Optional Viewing of Remains
Springbank Island PUBLIC
Education - Indigenous / Non-indigenous
Consultation 2 Repatriation Repacking Options by official or Recipient (Optional)
Recipient Exit
Recipient Handover Ceremony
Cultural Cleansing of Remains
PRIVATE Yarralumla Bay
PUBLIC
Memorial Bridge PRIVATE
Ceremonial Loading Bay Optional for a Resting Place official to be included for the rest of the journey
Black Mountain Peninsula
Memorial Entry Foyer / Cafe Education / Research Ceremonial Repatriation