Jump to content

Meriam people

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Meriam people
Map of Torres Strait Islands
A map of the Torres Strait Islands showing Mer in the north-eastern waters of Torres Strait (Kelisi, 2006)
Total population
875(ABS, 2016)
450(Mer Island)
85(Ugar Island)
328(Erub Island)
Regions with significant populations
Mer (Murray) Island·Ugar (Stephen) Island·Erub (Darnley Island)
Languages
MeriamMirLanguage·Language family(Trans-Fly)
Religion
Christianity(predominantly Pentecostal and Anglican (ABS, 2016)

MelanesianMeriam peopleare anIndigenous Australian groupofTorres Strait Islanderpeople who are united by a common language, strong ties of kinship and live as skilled hunter–fisher–gatherers in family groups or clans on a number of inner easternTorres Strait IslandsincludingMerorMurray Island,UgarorStephen IslandandEruborDarnley Island.[1]The Meriam people are perhaps best known for their involvement in theHigh Court of Australia'sMabo decisionwhich fundamentally changedland lawinAustralia- recognisingnative title.[2]

Althoughgardeningtakes priority, each Meriam family has sea rights, and on thereefsin front of their houses, which are mainly built above the beach, they maintain stonefish-weirsandcrayfishholes.[3]

Demographics

[edit]

Melanesian Meriam people primarily reside in a small island of volcanic origin situated at the eastern end of theTorres Strait,known as Mer (Murray) Island.[1][4]The Murray group also comprises two other islands, Erub (Darnely) and Ugar (Stephens) Islands in which traditional laws of boundary and ownership organise them.[1][4]The three islands are considered as the Meriam cluster.[1]While these Islands predominantly containAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderswho associate as Meriam people, each Island differs in their population anddemographics.Mer homes eight tribes of the Meriam people, which have been around for thousands of years. These include:

  • Komet
  • Zagareb
  • Meauram
  • Magaram
  • Geuram
  • Peibre
  • Meriam-samsep
  • Piadram
  • Dauer Meriam[5]
Mer Island Erub Island
People
Male 227 (50.8%) 173 (52.7%)
Female 220 (49.2%) 155 (47.3%)
Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander people 432 (96.4%) 310 (95.7%)
Ancestry
Torres Strait Islander 356 (72.1%) 243 (62.1%)
Australian 21 (4.3%) 24 (6.1%)
Australian Aboriginal 16 (3.2%) 28 (7.2%)
English 12 (2.4%) 0 (0%)
Irish 7 (1.4%) 0 (0%)
Religion
Anglican 210 (45.7%) 79 (23.4%)
Christian 74 (16.1%) 53 (15.7%)
Pentecostal 46 (10%) 80 (23.7%)
Otherspiritual beliefs 12 (2.6%) 40 (11.8%)
Not stated 77 (16.7%) 39 (11.5%)
Languages
Yumplatok (Torres Strait Creole) 236 (52.6%) 243 (73.9%)
Meriam Mir 106 (23.6%) 0 (0%)
Englishonly 16 (3.6%) 13 (4.0%)
Households where a non-English language is spoken 83 (69.7%) 62 (75.6%)

Table 1. Data collected from ABS (2016)[6]

Mer and Erub Island both have a large population henceABSdata regarding demographics is available on the two islands,Ugar Islandonly comprises a small population of 85 people.[6]Hence not much ABS data is available. All that is known as of the 2016 ABScensusis that there are 60.7% males and 39.3% females with the median age of 19 comprising theUgar Island.[6]

Culture

[edit]

Meriam people have a distinct culture from otherTorres Strait Islandergroups.[7]Indigenous cultural groups[broken anchor]rituals and practices are characterised by their beliefs in theDreamtimeandmythologies.[8]Meriam people differ from other Indigenous groups as many of their rituals are surrounded by their engagement inagricultureand farming.[7]Hence Meriam people place great focus on enhancing individual garden productivity.[7]Therefore, common with all Indigenous groups, the younger generation learn from theirelders,hence Meriam fathers pass down their techniques ofgardeningcultivation to their sons which would be carried on throughout future generations.[7]During certainceremoniessuch as deaths, marriages and adoption ceremonies excess produce would be made available for exchange to sustain those engaged in the cultural rituals.[7]

Totems

[edit]

Totemsare important inAboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderculture, as they are commonly adopted as a family or clanemblemused to maintain and continue connections withIndigenous land,theDreamtimeand theirancestors.[9][10]These totems play great significance from the moment anIndigenouschild is born, as at the time of birth a child is given a totem in order to connect them to their physical andkinrelatedness.[9]Each Indigenous clan has different totems which are unique to them in their own ways.[9]

A shared totem among all eight Meriam tribes is ashark.[10]This totem arises from a story in which a father and son got lost while hunting and waited for sharks to rescue them.[10]Therefore, sharks are seen as a totem animal who would protect the Meriam people and not attack them.[10]It is forbidden for men (who usually would hunt prior toEuropean colonisation) tohuntsharks as they are seen as animals who would not harm the Meriam people.[10]

While individual clan'stotemsarise fromstories,over time these stories have been lost aseldershave been unable to communicate them to younger generations due topast policiesthat separatedAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.[11]However, the following totems are known for the following tribes of the Mer people:

Mythology/ Cosmogony

[edit]

The stories told by elders to the younger generations allow for the transgenerational learning of the Meriam culture.[7]Some of the stories explain why certain rituals or practices are important in Indigenous clans.[13]

Torres Strait Islandersin particular the Mer people areseafarers,sea country was used as a place forgardening,hunting,fishing,ceremonies,art, music, dance andstorytelling.[13]The story of Nageg (pronounced Nar-gegg) and Geigi (pronounced Gay-gee) explains the importance of sea country.[13]It explains how Nageg and Geigi, a mother and son became known astriggerfishandtrevally,through acreation storyof the Tig Dowareb Clan ofMurray Island.[10]The story begins with Geigi, the son disguising himself as akingfishamong manysardinesto fool an old man who would hunt for sardines.[14]When the old man notices he is being fooled he takes Geigi disguised as the kingfish home one night for dinner and eats him, falling asleep soon after under a tree.[14]Nageg, the mother cuts open the old man and takes Geigi out demanding him to live in the ocean to break the spears of those who try to spear him eventually becoming trevally.[14]Whereas Geigi demands Nageg to live on the rock cave on the reef piercing anyone with her fin if they try to catch her, becomingtriggerfish.[14]

The Gelam story explains the creations of the three islands – Mer, Waier and Dauar of the Murray group, which resulted due to Gelam's mother's trickery and Gelam's lies.[15]Gelam was a boy who lived inMoa Islandin theTorres Strait,he was known for his skilful hunting.[15]The story begins by Gelam purposely keeping the fat birds he would hunt for himself and giving his mother the lean birds.[15]After his mother noticed this, she decided to scare him one day while he was hunting by dressing up as a dogai by covering herself in mud, this worked and successfully scared Gelam as he ran home frightened.[15]However, Gelam realised his mother played a trick on him as he noticed the residue of mud under her eyes when he reached home, this caused Gelam to leave his home, he gathered fruits, seeds and soils and set off in the canoe he carved himself.[15]Gelam reached theGreat Barrier Reef,where it is said today if you fly to theTorres StraitoverCentral Islandssome of the reefs look like Gelam's tears from when he was leaving his home crying.[15]This journey eventually led to the creation of three islands – Mer, Waier and Dauar.[15]

Religion

[edit]

Christianityis the most common religion preached on the Murray, Ugar and Erub Islands, withAnglicanismandPentecostalismbeing the most populated sectors.[1][6]Christianity has influenced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanderspirituality,as a result of past policies such assegregationandassimilationpolicies which separated Indigenous people from their families restricting them from practicing their spiritual beliefs, and instead raising them with Christian values.[11]As a result, manyIndigenous Australiansare Christian today.[1]However Indigenous spirituality and Christian spirituality can peacefully coexist in Indigenous people's lives, particularly for the Meriam people.[1]

As quoted by an elder ofMurray Island,"culture is very important…culture is identity" and "religion is very important…God taught spirit and wisdom".[1]Meriam people both express theircultural identitythrough their dreamtime stories and rituals, while still valuing their religion.[1]Christianity was also easily accepted by the Meriam people because before religion the Mer people would follow the rule of Malo, which has principles and structure similar to Christianity.[1]

Traditions

[edit]

A significant tradition of the Meriam people that still remains significant today despite the influence ofEuropean colonisationis Meriam people's death rites.[16]In the death rituals and customs of Meriam people of the Murray Island, brightmeteorsplay an important role which relate to spiritual elements of death rites.[16]

Maier, the name given to bright meteors is symbolic as it not only informs observers about the passing of a person in their community it also enables spirits of the dead to communicate with those alive.[16]Maier therefore informs people about their life, social status and follows as a warning to followtraditional customs,while representing the dead or dying person's spirit.[16]The brightness, colour and trajectory of the Maier further informs the observer about characteristics of the person and their life.[16]The knowledge and meaning behind Maier's are passed down through oral tradition, such asstorytellingand material culture as it is significant in serving as a means of culture[16]

Mabo case

[edit]
Main article:Mabo v Queensland (No 2)

The Meriam people are most commonly known for their contribution toNative Title,which recognised theirrightsto their land and overturned the expanded doctrine ofterra nulliusas applicable to domestic law.[2]The five Meriam people who contributed to this wereEddie Koiki Mabo,Reverend David Passi, Sam Passi, James Rice and Celuia Mapo Sale.[2]

TheMabo casebegan on 20 May 1982 primarily led by Eddie Mabo and the four other mentioned Meriam people. On 3 June 1992terra nulliuswas overturned and native title was recognised by the High Court, recognising the Meriam people were entitled to all rights and use of the Murray Islands.[2]

The Murray Island returning to thetraditional owners(Meriam people) is significant for Meriam people, as prior to European contact they had a strong sense of connection to theirislands,seasandreefssurrounding them.[17][7]Hence being stripped of this not only resulted in loss of traditions but also a loss ofkinshipties.[1]

Mabo and the four other Meriam people's contribution were significant to rekindling their connection to the land, and as a result Meriam people celebrate theHigh Court'sruling of the Native Title every June third, paying tribute to Mabo.[18]The Mer people gather together performing dances, prayers and feast to acknowledge the achievements of the applicants.[18]

Notable Meriam people

[edit]

Arts

[edit]

Wasie Tardent and Clinton Naina are one of the few Meriam artists that narrate theirstorytellingtraditions throughartwork.[19]

Politicians

[edit]
  • The five Meriam people who contributed to theMabo Case
    • Eddie Koiki Mabo,land rights campaigner
    • Reverend David Passi, Anglican priest, traditional landowner and land rights campaigner
    • Sam Passi, school teacher and linguist
    • James Rice
    • Celuia Mapo Sale[2]

Professionals/ Academics

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  • Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2016).2016 census quickstats.https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/SSC31822
  • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. (n.d.).The Mabo Case.https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/mabo-case
  • Bliege, B. R., Smith, A. E., & Bird, W. D. (2001). The hunting handicap: Costly signaling in human foraging strategies.Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 50(1), 9–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002650100338
  • Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. (2012).Growing up in the Torres Strait region.https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/05_2012/op17.pdf
  • Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. (30 October 2017).Murray Island Group, national heritage assessment.Murray Island Group proposed National Heritage Listing. https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/consultations/c3560a05-dc45-4deb-b723-63eeea204552/files/murray-island-group-assessment-history.pdf
  • Gardiner-Garden, J. (1999).From dispossession to reconciliation(Research paper 27 1998–99). Parliament of Australia. https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp9899/99Rp27
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (2021).Language, totems and stories.https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-partners/traditional-owners/traditional-owners-of-the-great-barrier-reef/language-totems-and-stories
  • Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (n.d.).Sea country connections.https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/4802/gbrmpa_ReefBeat_2010SCC_6.pdf
  • Guedes, C. B., Hamacher, D. W., Barsa, J., Day, E., Day, R., Passi, S. & Tapim, A. (2018). Death and maier: meteors and mortuary rites in the eastern Torres Strait.Australian Journal of Indigenous Issues, 21(3), 39–59.
  • Kelisi. (2006). Map of Torres Strait Island. [Image]. Inwikimedia commons.TorresStraitIslandsMap.png
  • Meriam land returns to traditional owners. (7 January 2013).Torres News.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/255245890?searchTerm=meriam%20people
  • Meriam people pay tribute to Mabo. (7 June 2002).Torres News.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/255442648/28341215
  • National Gallery of Australia. (2021).Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art.https://nga.gov.au/collections/atsi/gallery.cfm?displaygal=17b&mnuid=
  • Queensland Government. (2018).Mer (Murray Island).https://www.qld.gov.au/atsi/cultural-awareness-heritage-arts/community-histories/community-histories-m/community-histories-mer
  • Reconciliation Australia. (n.d.).Our culture.http://www.shareourpride.org.au/sections/our-culture/index.html
  • Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care. (2021).What are the values and beliefs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?https://www.supportingcarers.snaicc.org.au/connecting-to-culture/connections-to-value-and-belief/#:~:text=Totems%20connect%20people%20through%20their,is%20given%20totem(s).
  • Sharp, N. (1993). 'Stars of Tagai: The Torres Strait Islanders', Aboriginal Studies Press. Drawing partly on the work of H. Kitaoji, Miriam Perception of Themselves unpub. paper 1980, pp. 56–57; Cambridge Reports VI, 1908, p 174
  • Tapim, E. (n.d.).Gelam.[Video]. State Library of Queensland. https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/discover/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-cultures-and-stories/contemporary-stories/retold#
  • Torres Strait Island Regional Council. (2016).Mer.http://www.tsirc.qld.gov.au/communities/mer
  • TSIMA Films. (24 December 2020).The story of Geigi & Nageg – Torres Strait animation.[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMxweYkqI28
  • University of Sydney. (n.d.)Dr Vanessa Lee.https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/vanessa-lee.html
  • Zhuang, Y. (6 July 2019). Legendary actor David Gulpilil wins top NAIDOC honour.Sydney Morning Herald.https://www.smh.com.au/national/legendary-actor-david-gulpilil-wins-top-naidoc-honour-20190706-p524sd.html

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijk"Growing up in the Torres Strait region"(PDF).Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.2012.
  2. ^abcdeStudies, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (24 February 2021)."The Mabo Case".aiatsis.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.
  3. ^Bliege Bird, Rebecca; Smith, Eric; Bird, Douglas W. (1 June 2001)."The hunting handicap: costly signaling in human foraging strategies".Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.50(1): 9–19.doi:10.1007/s002650100338.ISSN1432-0762.S2CID14940511.
  4. ^ab"Mer".www.tsirc.qld.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.
  5. ^Queensland, c=AU; o=The State of."Mer (Murray Island) | Communities M".www.qld.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^abcd"2016 Census QuickStats: Mer Island".quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.
  7. ^abcdefg"Murray Island Group, national heritage assessment"(PDF).Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.2017.
  8. ^"Our culture | Sections | Share Our Pride".Retrieved16 June2021.
  9. ^abc"Connections to Value and Belief".Supporting Carers (SNAICC).Retrieved16 June2021.
  10. ^abcdef"Language, Totems and Stories".www.gbrmpa.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.
  11. ^abcorporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House, Canberra."From Dispossession to Reconciliation".www.aph.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^Sharp, N. (1993). 'Stars of Tagai: The Torres Strait Islanders', Aboriginal Studies Press. Drawing partly on the work of H. Kitaoji, Miriam Perception of Themselves unpub. paper 1980, pp.56-57; Cambridge Reports VI, 1908, p 174
  13. ^abcGreat Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (n.d.).Sea country connections.https://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/4802/gbrmpa_ReefBeat_2010SCC_6.pdf
  14. ^abcdThe Story of Geigi & Nageg - Torres Strait Animation,retrieved16 June2021
  15. ^abcdefg"Torres Strait Islander Language - ReTold | State Library of Queensland".www.slq.qld.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.
  16. ^abcdefGuedes, C. B., Hamacher, D. W., Barsa, J., Day, E., Day, R., Passi, S. & Tapim, A. (2018). Death and maier: meteors and mortuary rites in the eastern Torres Strait.Australian Journal of Indigenous Issues, 21(3), 39-59.
  17. ^"Meriam land returns to traditional owners".Torres News (Thursday Island, Qld.: 1957-2015).7 January 2013. p. 4.Retrieved16 June2021.
  18. ^ab"Meriam people pay tribute to Mabo".Torres News (Thursday Island, Qld.: 1957-2015).7 June 2002. p. 1.Retrieved16 June2021.
  19. ^"Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander art".nga.gov.au.Retrieved16 June2021.
  20. ^"Staff Profile".The University of Sydney.Retrieved16 June2021.
  21. ^Zhuang, Yan (6 July 2019)."Legendary actor David Gulpilil wins top NAIDOC honour".The Sydney Morning Herald.Retrieved16 June2021.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Meriam_people&oldid=1239232078"