Indigenous: Cultural centre opened near Pinjarra massacre site On the 180th anniversary of the Pinjarra massacre, the Noongar community has opened a new cultural centre near where their ancestors were killed. The 1.7 hectare site of the new precinct, south of Perth, was formerly an Aboriginal reserve. A party led by Governor James Stirling headed towards Pinjarra in 1834, chasing the murderer of Private Nesbitt of the 21st Regiment. They came across a group of between 70 to 80 Aboriginals near the Murray River and opened fire after one Indigenous man was identified as being among a group of offenders. The witness extracts of Governor Stirling and Captain John Septimus Roe both stated there were around 15 men among the 20 plus killed. Governor Stirling wrote at the time: They were thus completely surrounded and overpowered. Captain Roe noted in his field book: After the first charge which killed four or five, the natives retreated to the river. In this dilemma they took to hiding themselves among the bushes and dead logs of the river banks, and were picked off by the party on either shore. In this way, between 15 and 20 were shot dead, very few wounded being suffered to escape. Elders recount harrowing details Senior elder Harry Nannup was born and grew up on the Pinjarra Station where the centre has now been built. Everyone thought of it as battleground, but there was no battle it was just plain murder, he said. Our people were cut down with high powered rifles. According to our research, the river ran red that day with all our mob. Franklin Nannup Traditional owner Franklin Nannup said: This was the biggest meeting place for Noongar people. Our mob led a resistance down here. But they came with guns and were used to killing with no resistance. They were shooting for nearly an hour and a half. According to our research, the river ran red that day with all our mob. Two plaques at the memorial site have been vandalised over the last two years. Harry Nannup attributed that to underlying tensions in the Pinjarra community between Indigenous and non-Indigenous. They were trying to protect their ancestors, he said. They didnt want their ancestors blamed for what went on here, but we wouldnt blame them.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 23:09:42 +0000
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