A bittersweet place, Myall Creek has become synonymous with both deep anguish and healing.
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The site of the brutal murder of 28 Aboriginal men, women and children in 1838, Myall Creek is also remembered as a rare moment of justice. Seven of the 11 perpetrators were charged and hanged for the massacre – in the first trial of its kind in Australia.
The region will commemorate the massacre and the historic trial that followed in a service at the memorial site from 9.30am on Sunday.
“Myall Creek at the moment has become a bit of a shining light for a lot of Aboriginal organisations, because they see that we’re leading in regards to reconciliation. We’re leading in regards to recognition. We’re also leading in regard to making sure that people don’t forget that incident on the 10th of June 1838,” Friends of Myall Creek member Kelvin Brown said.
“These injustices that occurred in regards to massacres, murders, rape, mayhem, you name it, occurred right throughout Australia - from one end of Australia right through to the other. Myall Creek is the only place though, where justice was found,” he said.
These injustices occurred... from one end of Australia right through to the other. Myall Creek is the only place though, where justice was found.
- Kelvin Brown
“It just makes you feel glad that their spirits are free now,” Sue Blacklock said. Founder of the memorial committee, Sue is a descendant of the survivors of the massacre.
“I love going to (the commemoration) because you meet so many new people,” she said. She was pleased to see many young people help keep the tradition alive.
Her late brother Earl Munro, a traditional elder of Tingha who was instrumental in having the memorial plaques installed, will also be honoured on the day.
Gamilaroi singer/songwriter Roger Knox will perform and a group of Indigenous children will give a traditional dance. Mark Tedeschi, law professor and author of Murder at Myall Creek will be the guest speaker.
In February, Mr Tedeschi held two booked-out lectures on the topic in Armidale.
Plans for next year’s 180th anniversary have already begun.
Artists find future inspiration at Myall Creek Memorial event
A group of leading contemporary Aboriginal artists will be attending the memorial event on Sunday as part of a major artistic project which will be shown in Armidale at the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) next year.
The Brisbane based Aboriginal artist and curator Bianca Beetson has been appointed as Guest Curator of the Myall Creek and beyondproject and has worked with the team at NERAM to select a group of outstanding contemporary Aboriginal artists to take part in the residency and exhibition including Fiona Foley, Judy Watson, Robert Andrew and Laurie Nilsen.
The group will attend the memorial event Bingara and then spend time around the region meeting with community members, researching the place, its history and culture and learning more about the tragic events which happened there 179 years ago.
“This is an opportunity for these artists to learn about the Myall Creek Massacre on the site and take part in one of the great reconciliation events in our country,” said Robert Heather, Art Museum Director.
“They will be there to participate in the annual memorial event organised by the Friends of Myall Creek which attracts hundreds of people from around Australia each year.”
“Every June people travel long distances to participate in this solemn and moving event at the site where twenty eight Aboriginal people were murdered by a group of stockmen and squatters in 1838, the only time that the white perpetrators of a massacre were rounded up and put on trial,” he said.
This is an opportunity for these artists to learn about the Myall Creek Massacre on the site and take part in one of the great reconciliation events in our country.
- Robert Heather
“Unfortunately the successful prosecution of these murderers mostly succeeded in ensuring communities kept these terrible events of the Frontier War secret from the authorities.”
“The works created as a result of this residency will be exhibited at NERAM in 2018 to coincide with the 180th anniversary of the massacre and we see this as an opportunity to start a broader regional and national dialogue about the significance of this event.”