Recognising one of the most notorious incidents in Aboriginal history, hundreds people from across the Peel region attended Back to Pinjarra Day on Sunday.
Organised annually by the Shire of Murray and the local Bindjareb Reference Group, the event commemorates the Aboriginal men, women, and children who died during the Pinjarra Massacre in 1834.
Among those paying their respects was West Australian Police Commissioner Chris Dawson.
WA’s top cop apologised to the direct decedents of the Pinjarra Massacre, which claimed the lives of dozens of Aboriginal men, women, and children in 1834.
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The event saw the community unite on the banks of the Murray River to pay respects to the ancestors who have fallen and to honour local Aboriginal culture.
The ceremony started with a joint Welcome to Country performed by Harry Nannup and Richard Walley.
Through song, poems and stories Dr Walley captured and enlightened the crowd.
In an ancient custom to ward off bad spirits, the site was cleansed with a traditional smoking ceremony before the laying of wreaths commenced.
A single rose from each Aboriginal elder was laid at the Pinjarra Massacre Site, serving as a delicate yet powerful reminder of a dark past in the Peel region.
Murray-Wellington MP Robyn Clarke joined representatives from the Bindjareb Reference Group, Winjan Aboriginal Corporation, and the Balga Group to lay bunches of flowers.
Shire of Murray president David Bolt and his deputy president Steve Lee also laid wreaths before the wider community lined up to lay flowers at the memorial site.
Mr Dawson’s announcement came off the back of his apology in July, for the mistreatment of the state's Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders at the hands of police.
At the time, he said the force had played a significant role in contributing to a traumatic history, a message he reiterated on Sunday.
His speech was followed by an open-mic session, which provided an opportunity for elders, direct decedents and community to tell their story and talk about the massacre.
Following formal proceedings, spectators enjoyed kangaroo stew, dancing by Bibbulman Koorda and live music by the Stirling Rangers Band.
Cultural children’s activities including face-painting, cultural artworks and historical information by the Murray Districts Historical Society were also available after the commemoration.
The location of the Pinjarra Massacre was registered as a heritage site in 1985 and the first ‘Back to Pinjarra Day’ remembrance ceremony was held in 1991, initiated by the late Theo Kearing and his wife, Gloria.
Bindjareb people now refer to the massacre as the Anzac Day for their ancestors.
No one knows for sure how many Aboriginal men, women and children died on October 28, 1834, but it’s said that a group of up to 80 Bindjareb people were rode down on the banks of the Murray River by a military force that fateful day.
The event was made possible through the Alliance Against Depression trial site, and was supported by the WA Primary Health Alliance and Noongar Radio 100.9FM
Follow Caitlyn Rintoul on Twitter via @caitlynrintoul.
