Ebenezer Mission facts for kids
The Ebenezer Mission was a special settlement for Aboriginal people in Victoria, Australia. It was also known by other names like Wimmera mission or Hindmarsh mission. The Moravian Church, a Christian group, started the mission in 1859. It was built near Lake Hindmarsh, close to a town called Jeparit. This area was the traditional land of the Wotjobaluk people.
The first missionaries were two German men, Reverend Friedrich Hagenauer and Reverend F.W. Spieseke. In 1861, the Victorian government set aside a large area of land, about 1,897 acres (7.68 km²), as a special reserve for the mission. This mission began a few years after another Moravian mission, the Lake Boga mission, had closed.
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Where Was Ebenezer Mission Located?
The site for the Ebenezer Mission was chosen by an early settler named Horatio Cockburn Ellerman. He suggested this spot instead of other places the government had in mind. The chosen location was called "Banji bunag" by the Wotjobaluk people.
Why Was Banji Bunag Important?
"Banji bunag" was a very important place for the Wotjobaluk. According to an elder named Uncle Jack Kennedy, it was a traditional corroboree ground. A corroboree is a gathering where Aboriginal people share stories, dances, and ceremonies. The site also held the grave of an Aboriginal woman. She was the mother of a man named William Wimmera.
What Was the Mission's Main Goal?
The main purpose of the Ebenezer Mission was to "civilise" and Christianise the Aboriginal people living in the area. This meant teaching them European ways of life and the Christian religion.
Who Was the First Convert?
In 1860, a man named Nathanael Pepper became the first Aboriginal person at the mission to be baptised into Christianity. People living at the mission received food and supplies. However, they had to attend church services and go to school to get these supplies.
Why Did the Mission Close?
Over time, the number of people living at Ebenezer Mission changed. A law called the Half-Caste Act 1886 had a big impact. This law forced Aboriginal people of mixed heritage to leave the missions.
How Did the Law Affect the Mission?
Because of this law, by 1892, only about 30 people remained at Ebenezer Mission. In 1902, the government of Victoria decided to close the mission because there were so few residents. The Ebenezer Mission officially closed in 1904. Most of its land was then given back to the government and made available for other uses in 1905.
What Happened to the Wergaia People?
In the years that followed, many Wergaia people were forced to move to another mission called Lake Tyers Mission in Gippsland. Police often escorted them. The government also stopped providing food and supplies to Ebenezer Mission, and children were sometimes taken away. Despite these difficult actions, some Wergaia families managed to stay on their traditional lands and avoided being moved.
Images for kids
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Ebenezer Mission, in 1882
