IN MEMORY OF BARAK By Jason Gibson ---------------- According to the Lilydale and Yarra Valley Express (01/May/200) the current State Government of Victotria has refused to honour a Kennett government promise to provide $250,000 to remember Healesvile elder William Barak. William Barak, clan-head of the Wurundjeri, at the age of 11 witnessed the negotiations leading up to the signing of the Batman Treaty in 1835. Years later Barak and Simon Wonga of the Woiworung clans invited others from the greater Kulin Nation area (surrounding what is now named Melbourne)to come to Healesvile (far east of Melbourne and build what was to become known as the Coranderrk Aboriginal Station. Barak was also known as a Tracker, who helped police find the infamous Kelly gang. Early researchers and anthropoligists learnt a great deal from this remarkable Aboriginal figure and much of it to this day persists as the foundation of public understanding on Kulin history. In the mid 1870's the Board for the Protection of Aborigines won greater control over the Coranderrk reserve and attempted to close it. This began more than a decade of 'Rebellion' by the Aborigines, utilising their literacy skills to follow colonial politics in the press and write letters to the daily newspapers and government ministers as wellas striking on several occasions during the 1870's. The Coranderrk collective under Barak, Wonga, Bamfield and the 'bush missionary' John Green called for land for the,mselves, or retention of previously reserved for their use; help to develop land; better living conditions; and self-government or at least government sympathetic to their interests. Barak died on August 15, 1903 and is buried at an overgrown and tiny Coranderrk cemetary. The bronze sculpture of Barak has been divsed by two local artists Peter Schippereyn and Cinzia Ruffilli for the last ten years. Former preimer of Victoria, Jeff Kennett's arts adviser, Frank Peppard, said $250,000 had been allocated to the project. It was announced in the daily press (17/09/99) that the sculpture was to be commissioned for the yet to be completed Federation Square in Melbournes CBD. The funding has now been refused by Arts Victoria, under a the new Labour government. Spokesperson for present Arts Minister, Mary Delahunty, have denied any governmental committment to the project, despite bipartisan agreeance that the sculpture was a 'good idea.' At a time when the Federal government committment to Reconciliation is at an all time low, simple gestures of Indigenous recognition appear once again difficult to progress. William Barak has been widely recognised as one of Victoria's most important Indigenous leaders. A memorial to Barak would be a significant starting point from which all Victorians could honour the place of Indigenous people and history within this small state. As American historian, Howard Zinn recently exclaimed: "it is necessary to remember the unremembered heroes of the past, and to look around us for the unnoticed heroes of the present!" Lets hope the new government is committed to these reconciliatory gestures, that will open eyes to the present, also. Write to Mary Delhunty with your concern by sending feedback to the Victorian Government Cabinet: http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/domino/web_notes/comments.nsf/52f29006fb3a44a44a25 65a80021870c?OpenForm _______________________ Sources: Attwood, Bain and Markus, Andrew (ed) (1999) "The Struggle for Aboriginal Rights." Allen and Unwin Barwick, Diane. (1998) "Rebellion at Coranderrk." Aboriginal Affairs Victoria. Elliot, L. "Artist bronzoned off: No cash for statue." Lilydale and Yarra Valley Express. 1/may/2000. _________________________ -------------------------------------------------------- Jason Matthew Gibson Media and Communications Swinburne University of Technology email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URL= http://indigenous.gibsonnet.net ________________________________________________________ "If only a favoured segment of the population gets a chance to enjoy the advantage of on-line technology, the network may exaggerate the disconuity in the spectrum of intellectual opportunity." J.C.R Licklider, "the father of ARPANET," in 1968 ________________________________________________________ -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
