Hermannsburg, Northern Territory facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ntaria (Hermannsburg)Northern Territory |
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Hermannsburg Lutheran church
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 Ntaria (Hermannsburg)
Location in Northern Territory
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| Population | 551 (2021 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 0872 |
| Location | 131 km (81 mi) from Alice Springs |
| Territory electorate(s) | Namatjira |
| Federal Division(s) | Lingiari |
Hermannsburg, also known as Ntaria, is an Aboriginal community in Australia's Northern Territory. It is about 125 km (78 mi) west of Alice Springs. The community is located on the Finke River. It is on the traditional lands of the Western Arrarnta people.
Hermannsburg began as a Lutheran Aboriginal mission in 1877. It was also called the Finke River Mission. A linguist named Carl Strehlow studied the local Western Arrernte language there. In 1982, the land was given back to its traditional owners. Today, the area is a heritage-listed site.
Contents
About the Area
Hermannsburg is located on the Finke River. It is surrounded by the rolling hills of the MacDonnell Ranges. This area is in the southern part of Central Australia.
Population of Ntaria
In 2021, the population of Ntaria was 551 people. Most of the people living there, about 89%, identified as Aboriginal.
History of Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg was started in 1877. Two Lutheran missionaries from Germany founded it. They traveled from Bethany in South Australia. They named the mission after their home town, Hermannsburg, in Germany. This new mission was for the Aranda people.
In 1891, the first missionaries left. Other workers continued the settlement. In 1894, Pastor Carl Strehlow arrived. He learned the Aranda language. He helped local people translate the Bible and write hymns.
The Aranda language became known as Arrarnta in 1980. It is often called Western Arrarnta. People know there are other language groups nearby. These include Eastern Arrernte and Anmatjirra.
People in the community have a long history of reading and writing. This started soon after 1877. A recent book, the 'Western Arrarnta Picture Dictionary', was published in 2006. It is part of a rich tradition of writing in the local Aboriginal language.
Pastor F W Albrecht took over the mission in 1926. Around this time, there were severe droughts. Many people became sick and died. Despite these hard times, Albrecht and community leaders worked hard. They developed a water supply from nearby springs. They also created a large vegetable garden and orchard. They started beef cattle ranching and a tannery. They also supported a group of watercolour landscape artists. This art became a special part of Hermannsburg's history.
The mission land was returned to its traditional owners in 1982. The historic part of Hermannsburg is now protected. It was added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2006.
Missionary Legacy
The Lutheran missionaries helped keep local languages alive. The Strehlow family greatly increased knowledge of Aranda culture. Much of this knowledge is kept at the Strehlow Research Centre in Alice Springs.
Musician Warren H Williams was born in Hermannsburg. He said that the missionaries helped the Aboriginal people in Central Australia survive. This was because of the difficult attitudes of other settlers.
Heritage Protection
The Hermannsburg Historic Precinct is very important. It was listed on the Northern Territory Heritage Register in 2001. It was also added to the Australian National Heritage List in 2006.
The old mission buildings are now empty. The local Western Arrarnta people own the heritage area. The Finke River Mission helps manage it.
Community Services
The Finke River Mission runs the general store in Hermannsburg. They do this at the community's request.
Art and Creativity
Albert Namatjira (1902–1959) was a famous artist. He painted beautiful watercolour landscapes. He started a painting style called the Hermannsburg School of painting.
The Hermannsburg Potters are also well known. They create amazing ceramic art. Many successful artists live in the town today.
The Ntaria Choir
In 1891, pastors created a Western Arrernte language hymn book. It had 53 hymns. The community learned to sing them, and a choir was formed. Singing was a big part of church life. Over the years, the choir changed. Today, it is called the Ntaria Choir.
The choir sings in Western Arrernte and Pitjantjatjara. It was first a mixed choir. In the 1970s, it became women-only. Men joined the choir again in the late 2010s. The Ntaria Choir is now famous worldwide. It has released several albums. In 2020, it had six women and two men.
"Finke River Mission" Explained
"Finke River Mission" was first another name for the Hermannsburg Mission. Later, this name included other settlements. These were places like Haasts Bluff and Papunya. Since 2014, the Lutheran Church of Australia uses the term more broadly. It now covers all Lutheran missionary work in Central Australia. This includes work in Alice Springs. The name is still used today.
Yirara College is a school in Alice Springs. It is run by Finke River Mission. It is a boarding school for about 200 Aboriginal students. It also has a smaller campus in Kintore. This campus serves about 30 students.
As of 2015, the Finke River Mission employed many Aboriginal pastors. They also had many other church workers. They served over 30 communities. They worked in five different Aboriginal languages.
Notable People from Ntaria
The Radkes
Reverend Doug Radke and his wife Olga Radke moved to Hermannsburg in 1965. They worked with the Aboriginal community until 1969. Both loved music and worked with the choir. They took the singers on a tour in 1967. Olga played the piano and organ for the choir. Olga later moved to Alice Springs. She volunteered at the Strehlow Research Centre. In 2015, Olga received the Medal of the Order of Australia. This was for her service to the Alice Springs community. In 2021, she wrote a book about the 1967 choir tour.
Other People
- Yvette Holt, a poet, has lived in Hermannsburg since 2009.
- Peter Latz, a botanist, grew up there.
- Shane Nicholson, a singer, wrote a song called "Hermannsburg" after visiting.
- Otto Pareroultja, an artist, was one of the first to paint in an impressionist style in the region.
- Ted Strehlow, son of Carl, was a famous anthropologist. He learned about Aranda customs.
- Gus Williams, an Aboriginal country music singer.
- Warren H Williams, son of Gus, is also a singer. He is a traditional owner of Ntaria.
See also
In Spanish: Hermannsburg (Australia) para niños
