The Hearth as the Heart of the Family: Aboriginal Foodways and Daily Lives at the Former Weipa Mission (1898–1932), Waypandan, North-Eastern Australia

Author(s)
Morrison, Michael
McNaughton, Darlene
Hector, Florence
Gordon, Ivy
Woodley, Maurice
Gordon, Robert
Gordon, Leonard
Gordon, Dorothy
Gordon, Leanne
Woodley, Amanda
John, Simeon
Gordon, Graham
Gordon, Pamela
Schill, Cassandra
Mulligan, Alvine
Asmussen, Brit
Claudie, David
Abstract
Indigenous/First Nations people should be aware that this output contains images, voices and/or names of deceased persons. The paper refers to examples of historical colonial violence, dispossession, removals and more, content that may be upsetting. The content also include images of Custodians involved in our project at the time of writing.
Abstract
<p>This chapter explores the foodways and daily lives of Aboriginal people at the former Weipa Mission, North-Eastern Australia. Christian Missions were a vital part of the colonising repertoire of the British in Australia, as elsewhere, but despite the hardships and traumatic histories these places represent, they are frequently of very high cultural significance to First Nations' People today. As in many colonial settings, documentary records are rife with omissions, biases and potentially harmful content, which severely limit a more comprehensive understanding of the lived experiences of First Nation's Peoples in these and other colonial settings. Here, we outline a long-term and ongoing research collaboration with Anathangayth People and Country that examines foodways as a basis for developing more inclusive and refined histories of First Nation people's lives, drawing on an approach that some community members have termed 'Proper History'. Specifically, the chapter focuses on the daily life in an area known as "Hamlet Number 1." We present the results of ongoing collaborative research to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the intersections of religion, culture, and colonial power. Of particular interest are earth ovens and how these features provide insights on far more than diet and subsistence alone, expanding our knowledge of aspects of past social interaction, cuisines, family life, commensality, and other aspects of daily life, and thus contributing unique insights into the community's 'real' or 'proper' history.</p>
Citation
The Oxford Handbook of Global Indigenous Archaeologies, p. 1-30
ISBN
9780197607695
9780197607725
Link
Language
en
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Edition
1
Title
The Hearth as the Heart of the Family: Aboriginal Foodways and Daily Lives at the Former Weipa Mission (1898–1932), Waypandan, North-Eastern Australia
Type of document
Book Chapter
Entity Type
Publication

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