It was the inaugural meeting of the South Australian Mission Studies Network (a state chapter of AAMS), held from 12.30 to 2 pm on Wednesday, 15 April at Tabor College.

Rev Dr Bill Edwards, Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research at the University of South Australia reflected on fifty years of working alongside indigenous people.

Bill's reflections ranged across a substantial part of the history of the Ernabella Mission. "In 1937, in an effort to help these people cope with the unwanted intrusions of European pastoralism into their country and lives, the Presbyterian Board of Missions, chivvied by the redoubtable ex-patriate Scottish surgeon Charles Duguid, acquired the recently granted Ernabella pastoral lease. The people themselves still lived a completely nomadic, traditional hunter-gatherer life. The mission offered medical attention and education; it was very unusual as a mission, in that traditional Indigenous culture was respected and valued. Gradually people chose to stay permanently at Ernabella, or leave their children there for schooling while they went back to the bush"¹.

Bill's reflections covered the later years of the Ernabella Mission, the development of thinking with regard to missions and illustrated how far sighted were the policies that were implemented. Aboriginal people were not forced to give up their culture or language. Indeed education started with developing literacy skills in reading and writing Pitjantjatjara and the mother tongue was a key feature of reaching out to local people. All the missionaries had to learn the Pitjantjatjara language. Bill gave an insight into how important this was.... It was not just a simple matter of translating. He said,

“Of the 51 parables in the gospels, 5 had some relevance to Aboriginal life but not very close relevance; although unrelated to everyday happenings, 30 referred to aspects of life introduced through culture contact, including shepherding and gardening of the mission’s program; 16 had little or no relevance. So the parables as presented didn’t have much relevance to Pitjantjatjara life. …. I sought to find analogies from familiar features such as hunting, tracking, dingoes, ant lions and eagles…. In addition to the selection of culturally relevant elements of the scriptures, one must find cultural parallels which will make possible apprehension of biblical truths within the context of contemporary life. The Pitjantjatjara preachers were able to take these suggestions to a deeper level and use them really effectively.”

After spending some years on the APY Lands myself I can reflect on how well the older generation valued their Pitjantjatjara Hymn Books and scriptures and how fervently they sang. A secondary age student in my school reflected with some concern and sadness her inability to read and write in her own language. How quickly the lessons were forgotten by the government agents who replaced the mission. At first all the teachers had to learn the language. By the time I arrived in 1996 Pitjantjatjara was no longer either a requirement nor taught in all but one school, Fregon. However, I believe it is now taught in most of the schools on the Lands.

Bill's reflections acknowledged the knowledge and skills of the Aboriginal people and he encouraged and worked with them in culturally sensitive ways. He talked about the models of ministry that were appropriate in the Aboriginal context.

Pastor Paul Albrecht of the Lutheran Church in Alice Springs commented:

In retrospect it is fairly clear what we have done, was superimpose on the Aboriginal Christians our forms of ministry....  we assumed a fulltime minstry of preaching, teaching, counselling, etc., financially supported by the congregations the pastor served, with a small vehicle subsidy from the Finke River Mission. Of course we received from them what appeared to be their agreement. What we understand more clearly now, is that if you put to Aboriginal people a plan which to them indicates you do not understand how things are done in their society, it means you do not agree with how they do things. The idea is then seen as your idea, and in their terms, you are quite welcome to your idea. However, because it is your idea, it is also your responsibility to make it work.²

Bill's challenge was that in any form of ministry, whether to Aboriginal people, or even our own youth, it is imperative that we understand and work within that culture, understanding its structures and speaking its language.

- report by Peter Russell

1.  http://www.australiadreamingart.com.au/itjanu_ernabella_art.htm
2.  Paul Albrecht quoted in Helen Yubu, Ministry in Aboriginal Churches, 40 Spring 1989, page 8