Hermannsburg, Northern Territory
Encyclopedia
Hermannsburg is an Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory
of Australia, 131 km southwest of Alice Springs
. It is known in the local Western Arrernte language as Ntaria.
Hermannsburg lies within Ljirapinta Ward of MacDonnell Shire
in the Southern Region of the Northern Territory.
At the 2006 census
, Hermannsburg had a population of 559. It was established as an Aboriginal mission in 1877 by two Lutheran missionaries from Germany who had travelled overland from Bethany
in the Barossa Valley
in South Australia
. They named their new mission after Hermannsburg
in Germany where they had trained.
In 1891, the missionaries left, but the settlement was continued by lay workers until, in 1894, Pastor Carl Strehlow
arrived. His son T.G.H. Strehlow became a noted anthropologist and was initiated into Arrernte customs.
Pastor Strehlow learnt the local Western Arrernte language and is credited with translating the Bible into the language. As Strehlow was of German descent, the Western Arrernte written form followed his German pronunciation - which is why the letter/sound relationships make the language easy to read and pronounce for English speakers/readers.
Albert Namatjira
was born at Hermannsburg in 1902. He developed the ability to use his acute observation of the land to paint Western-style watercolours. Painting in this style came to be known as the Hermannsburg School
of painting.
The mission land was handed over to traditional ownership in 1982. The Hermannsburg Historic Precinct was included on the Australian National Heritage List
in April 2006. Much of the historic township is now protected by the National Trust
.
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
of Australia, 131 km southwest of Alice Springs
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
. It is known in the local Western Arrernte language as Ntaria.
Hermannsburg lies within Ljirapinta Ward of MacDonnell Shire
MacDonnell Shire
The MacDonnell Shire is a Local Government Area of the Northern Territory, Australia. The shire covers an area of 268,784.20 km² and has a estimated population of 7,142 people.-Geography:...
in the Southern Region of the Northern Territory.
At the 2006 census
Census in Australia
The Australian census is administered once every five years by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The most recent census was conducted on 9 August 2011; the next will be conducted in 2016. Prior to the introduction of regular censuses in 1961, they had also been run in 1901, 1911, 1921, 1933,...
, Hermannsburg had a population of 559. It was established as an Aboriginal mission in 1877 by two Lutheran missionaries from Germany who had travelled overland from Bethany
Bethany, South Australia
Bethany is a small village located about 2 km south east of Tanunda in the Barossa Valley. It was originally named Bethanien, but was changed during World War I in an attempt to remove all German place names from Australia....
in the Barossa Valley
Barossa Valley
The Barossa Valley is a major wine-producing region and tourist destination of South Australia, located 60 km northeast of Adelaide. It is the valley formed by the North Para River, and the Barossa Valley Way is the main road through the valley, connecting the main towns on the valley floor of...
in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. They named their new mission after Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
in Germany where they had trained.
In 1891, the missionaries left, but the settlement was continued by lay workers until, in 1894, Pastor Carl Strehlow
Carl Strehlow
Carl Friedrich Strehlow was a German Lutheran missionary in outback Australia who headed the Finke River Mission in Hermannsburg, Northern Territory from 1894-1922. He learnt and documented the languages of the Arrernte and Luritja people, and published together with Moritz von Leonhardi a...
arrived. His son T.G.H. Strehlow became a noted anthropologist and was initiated into Arrernte customs.
Pastor Strehlow learnt the local Western Arrernte language and is credited with translating the Bible into the language. As Strehlow was of German descent, the Western Arrernte written form followed his German pronunciation - which is why the letter/sound relationships make the language easy to read and pronounce for English speakers/readers.
Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira , born Elea Namatjira, was an Australian artist. He was a Western Arrernte man, an Indigenous Australian of the Western MacDonnell Ranges area...
was born at Hermannsburg in 1902. He developed the ability to use his acute observation of the land to paint Western-style watercolours. Painting in this style came to be known as the Hermannsburg School
Hermannsburg School
The Hermannsburg School is an art movement, or art style, which began at the Hermannsburg Mission in the 1930s. The most well known artist of the style is Albert Namatjira...
of painting.
The mission land was handed over to traditional ownership in 1982. The Hermannsburg Historic Precinct was included on the Australian National Heritage List
Australian National Heritage List
The Australian National Heritage List is a list of places deemed to be of outstanding heritage significance to Australia. The list includes natural, historic and indigenous places...
in April 2006. Much of the historic township is now protected by the National Trust
National Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
.