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Aboriginal artifacts found at the city hospital have been returned to the local Griffith Aboriginal Council. Artifacts found in 2020 during excavations when the reconstruction of Griffith Base Hospital began. About 3,000 artifacts from the Virajruy community were returned to the hospital on Monday. Griffith Local Council aborigine chairwoman Vicki Simpson said there was an opportunity to talk to the Wiradjuri community and the wider community. “This confirms once again that we have been here for thousands of years,” Ms. Simpson said. She said the artifacts would be used not only to tell stories about the ancestors of the Vijayura Aboriginal community of the city, but also the wider Griffith community. RELATED | Aboriginal Artifacts Reveal the Life of the Virajura People For the Griffith Aborigines, the artefacts could tell the story of how the Vijajura people camped and prepared for important ceremonies where the base hospital is located before going to the Stage Mountain for these ceremonies. “Our story is not written in books, it is told through stories, through our songs and our dances,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to learn more and find more.” Chairman Wiradjuri Uncle James Williams presided over a smoking ceremony to clean the artifacts of any evil spirits from the artifacts. “It’s a reminder that the aborigines have really occupied this country for thousands and thousands of years,” Mr Williams said. Archaeologist Gillian Comber said two types of artifacts have been identified: stone flakes for making tools made at the site, and other stone flakes that were delivered to the site made elsewhere when the material was brought to the site for landscaping. Different types were made by two different methods. “It shows us the ingenuity of the Virages who lived here, in the ability to change production technology depending on what is required,” she said. “These artifacts are extremely important to the Aboriginal community because they provide information about the past, about culture and about the connection to the land.” READ MORE Ms. Comber said that oral history revealed that the hill on which the hospital is now located was a camp where aborigines stopped and prepared for ceremonies taking place on Stage Hill. She said this explains how the artifacts on the site ended up at the hospital site. How the artifacts will be presented remains to be determined by the Griffith Aboriginal Land Council. Our journalists make every effort to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. Here’s how you can access our trusted content:
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Aboriginal artifacts found at the city hospital have been returned to the local Griffith Aboriginal Council.
About 3,000 artifacts from the Virajruy community were returned to the hospital on Monday.
Griffith Local Council Chair Vicky Simpson said there was an opportunity to talk to the Wiradjuri community and the wider community
“This once again confirms that we have been here for thousands of years,” Ms. Simpson said.
She said the artifacts would be used not only to tell stories about the ancestors of the Vijayura Aboriginal community of the city, but also the wider Griffith community.
For the aborigines at Griffith, the artifacts could tell of how the people of Virage set up camp and prepared for important ceremonies where the base hospital is located before going to Scenic Hill for these ceremonies.
“Our story is not written in books, it is told through stories, through our songs and our dances,” she said.
“It’s an opportunity to learn more and find more.”
Chairman Wiradjuri Uncle James Williams presided over a smoking ceremony to clean the artifacts of any evil spirits from the artifacts.
“It’s a reminder that the aborigines have really occupied this country for thousands and thousands of years,” Mr Williams said.
PRECISION TOOLS: Some Aboriginal artifacts found at Griffith Base Hospital. PHOTO: included
Archaeologist Gillian Comber said two types of artifacts have been identified: stone flakes for making tools made at the site, and other stone flakes that were delivered to the site made elsewhere when the material was brought to the site for landscaping.
Different types were made by two different methods.
“It shows us the ingenuity of the Virages who lived here, in the ability to change production technology depending on what is required,” she said.
“These artifacts are extremely important to the Aboriginal community because they provide information about the past, about culture and about the connection to the land.”
Ms. Comber said oral history revealed that the hill on which the hospital is now located was a campsite where aborigines stopped and prepared for ceremonies taking place on Stage Hill.
She said this explains how the artifacts on the site ended up at the hospital site.
How the artifacts will be presented remains to be determined by the Griffith Aboriginal Land Council.
Our journalists make every effort to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. Here’s how you can access our trusted content:
