Hermannsburg Historic Precinct
21/09/2019
Also on my day off I checked out the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct. It is situated near the turn off to Finke Gorge NP. It was the first Aboriginal Mission in the Northern Territory. Established by the Lutheran Church in 1877. For over a century the Lutheran Church educated and preached conversion to the so called Heathen. They were confident that by providing education, employment and food, the Aboriginals would abandon their traditional lifestyles. They wanted to see the Aboriginal people “civilised”. The missionaries main concern was to secure a more perfect life after death for the Aboriginals. They were convinced that Christianity was superior than Aboriginal beliefs. But there was despair due to the lack of converts. The Aboriginal beliefs are still at the core of the local Aranda Society.
The Old Church. Built in 1897.
Built in 1896, this was the Aboriginal school until 1963.
Inside the classroom. No Air-conditioning here.
The sick patient house or isolation ward. It did have a room with a view of the palm trees though. It was built in 1974. Not that long ago really. It was very crude. I wouldn’t want to be sick in those days.
