Historian Felicity Jensz shared a new look at an essential part of Victoria's history chronicled in her book Ebenezer Mission Station to a small gathering at Dimboola's Imaginarium on Monday, July 24.
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She described the life at Ebenezer Mission in the late 1870s, as she discovered it in missionaries' handwritten diaries.
Ms Jensz was born in the Wimmera, but since 2008, she has been employed by the Cluster of Excellence for Religion and Politics at the University of Munster.
The Ebenezer Mission was known as the Wimmera Mission, Hindmarsh, and Dimboola MIssion. It was established near Lake Hindmarsh in Victoria near Jeparit in 1859 on Wotjobaluk Country and was established to civilise and Christianise, the Aboriginal people.
Ms Jensz said, in her presentation, she did not intend to give a complete account of the Mission in her book but had concentrated on the decade of Hartmann's work.
"it does not fill every gap and wasn't intended to," she said.
The young couple had entered into an arranged marriage before leaving Europe as missionaries, in keeping with the custom of their church. Still, she said history showed they were a loving couple and raised a family during their work.
In diary form, Ms Jensz's release chronicles the day-by-day activities of missionaries Mr and Mrs Harmann, members of the Moravian Church.
"It begins as the missionaries prepare to leave Europe in 1863 and travel to Australia. It ends almost a decade later when they work in Canada to work with the Lenni Lenape people.
The handwritten diaries of the Hartmann's described the ordinary interactions between the Aboriginal people and their colonisers, including the weather, gardening, baking, and laughing together.
She said in her book, " The diary reveals moments of laughter, shared grief, community, advocacy, and reciprocal learning alongside the mundane everyday chores of mission life."
Ms Jensz consulted with Elder Aunty Hazel and daughter Robyn Lauricella in Dimboola during her research. Both said they were pleased this part of the story had been told.
Nancy Harrison shared a story about life in Ebenezer that had been handed down to her.
"At one time, some of the Aborigines decided to attack the mission, and they gathered around the fence line of Ebenezer. They sang and chanted as they prepared to attack."
She said the missionaries and those inside "gathered in the church and began singing the Rock of Ages hymn."
"The louder the Aborigines sang, the louder the missionaries sang until the attackers gave up and went away."
"It's still my favourite hymn today," she said.
The first Aborigine to become a baptised Christian was Nathanael Pepper, who wrote many hymns, she said.
"Sadly, they have been lost to us, but I'd love to get them back.".
In 1902 the State Government of Victoria decided to close the Ebenezer Mission due to low numbers, and it was closed in 1904. Most of the land was returned to the Victorian Lands Department and made available for selection in 1905.
All that remains of Ebenezer Mission is one of the buildings and graves marked by deteriorating headstones.
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