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First Missionaries & First Aboriginal ChristiansPrint Page Print this page

30-June-2016
30-June-2016

Photographs supplied by Chris McLaughlin

The cross commemorates the sacrifice of the first missionaries and the first Aboriginal Christians. It also marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Hermannsburg Mission on the 8th of June, 1877.

Hermannsburg was established as an Aboriginal mission in 1877 by two Lutheran missionaries of the Hermannsburg Mission from Germany, who had travelled overland from Bethany in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. They named their new mission among the Aranda people 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. Pastor Strehlow learnt and documented the Aranda language, and was involved with local people in Bible translation and hymn writing. The language became known as Arrarnta in 1980. 

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. 

 

Location

Address:Raberaba Circuit, Hill overlooking sports ground, Hermannsburg, 0872
State:NT
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -23.943983
Long: 132.779524
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Cross
Monument Theme:Culture
Sub-Theme:Religion
Actual Event Start Date:08-June-1877
Actual Event End Date:08-June-1967

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:1967
Front Inscription

This memorial to the sacrifice of the first Missionaries and the first Aboriginal Christians marks the 90th anniversary of the  Mission`s founding on June 8, 1877.

"Your sins are forgiven."  Matthew, 9.2.

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au