Tags: Australian Aboriginal Settlements. Australia. Queensland. Bribie Island. History.
BRIBIE’S FIRST ABORIGINAL MISSION
RON POWELL – Article Author
When researching for Warwick Outram’s new book about the mission, people were generally surprised when told how long our aborigines inhabited Bribie. Even though they had resided on Bribie for over 3000 years the mission came too late to help the local Joondoburri people.
The last Joondoburri person is Kal-Ma-Kuta, died 1897, buried close to the monument unveiled on 10 March 1962 by the Caboolture Historical Society. That sacred ground is today locked between the divided Bribie-Caboolture Road at Ningi
SCIENTIFIC PROOF
Carbon dating of midden material tells us aboriginal people were on Bribie from about the time of Stonehenge construction in prehistoric Britain before the Egyptians began building pyramids, and around the time when Abraham founded Judaism.” COME THE WHITE MAN Like all Australian Aborigines the Joondoburri people enjoyed the isolation that gave them a remarkable disease-free life.
Then in 1788, the First Fleet came to Australia, unfortunately with diseases common to all Europeans that then spread to the natives. Without acquired immunity, aborigines paid a heavy price. Estimates are between 60 and 90 percent of Australian aborigines died. The principal killer being smallpox which was eradicated by 1979 through an aggressive program conducted by the World Health Organisation. Immunization now controls many diseases but smallpox is the only human disease eradicated by vaccination.
AUSTRALIA TODAY
Over the last 225 years, Australia has taken a lot of people from different countries, races, religions, and politics. They have done a lot of good for Australia — but also made mistakes.Australia today is very different from the original British colony. I feel there is little gained by dwelling on the past, for today, Australians are proud of our independent nationhood, with its mix of people from all continents of the world, including aboriginal people both present and past.
BRIBIE’S PAST
Includes 3000 years residency on Boorabee (Bribie) of the people we now call the Joondoburri. On Bribie, at the Joondoburri Conference Centre within the Fisheries Research Station, is where the Queensland Government recognises the Joondoburri people. However, there is no general public acknowledgment on Bribie that the Joondoburri people ever existed.
PEOPLE ASK
“How should the Bribie community best honour the Joondoburri 3000 years’ residency? “ Suggestions made to date include, A prominent monument on the Bribie waterfront. A Joondoburri Park on Bribie, in which community employed professional guides, explain native methods of fishing, cooking, and hunting or supervise demonstrations of aboriginal art. Let everyone know your views by letters to the editor expressing the various ideas. Raise the matter within your local organisations, ask them to act on behalf of the Joondoburri who through no fault of their own, after 3000 years residency on Bribie, are no longer with us.
AUSTRALIAN VIEWPOINT
The Commonwealth of Australia, independent of the United Kingdom since 1st January 1901, publicly acknowledges the past with a Union Jack in the corner of our flag. On 14 July 1995, the Commonwealth proclaimed the Australian Aboriginal Flag, thereby acknowledging some 40,000 past years of Aboriginal existence in Australia.
BRIBIE VIEWPOINT
I believe our Bribie Community should acknowledge the proven 3000 years residency on Bribie Island of people we call the Joondoburri.
Do you agree? If so, I ask Bribie residents and Bribie Organisations to work together to establish a very visible public acknowledgment of Joondoburri past existence.
Other Articles
https://thebribieislander.com.au/history-bribie-island/