Rupert Gerritsen
Encyclopedia
Rupert Gerritsen is a noted authority on Indigenous Australian prehistory. Coupled with his work on early Australian cartography he has played an influential part in re-charting Australian history prior to its settlement by the British in 1788.
in 1953, of Dutch
parents. Growing up in Geraldton he experienced first hand the excitement of the discovery of the wreck of the Batavia
in 1963 and came to know some of those involved in its discovery and the discovery of other 17th and 18th century shipwrecks on the coast of Western Australia
.
From 1960s through to the 1980s he was involved in radical politics and social activism and continues to promote social justice and empowerment.
Professionally he has been engaged for many years in Western Australia
and the ACT
in youth work, community work and mental health, and specialise in developmental work.
mariners castaway on the Western Australian coast in the 1600s and early 1700s.
Gerritsen was involved in establishing that possibly some 16% of Nhanda, an Aboriginal language of the central west coast of Western Australia
, was derived from Dutch
as a result of interaction with marooned sailors. This groundbreaking discovery has led to major reevaluation in the perceptions of the early prehistory in that Aboriginal Australians were not mute witnesses to the unfolding events history but active participants who embraced parts of European culture long before the British
settlement of the continent.
On a more specific level, Gerritsen has also researched the location two mutineers from the Batavia
mutiny, possibly Australia’s first European settlers, who were marooned on 16 November 1629. As a consequence of his research Gerritsen established that Hutt River
, 500 kilometres north of Perth
, was the site where Wouter Loos and Jan Pelgrom de Bye first set foot on mainland Australia
. These discoveries wrought a complete change in the methodology of recording early Western Australian pre-history. Many subsequent scholars have embraced this new historical paradigm in their works. The result is the ending of triumphal history which described the inevitability of growth of wealth and prosperity of Western Australia
under the shroud of British colonialism. Such a view suppressed the inclusiveness of other voices which, through the march of time, proved to be an anathema to a multicultural society. Gerritsen's prophesy has come to fruition ... their ghosts are being heard.
Since the appearance of Ghosts, Gerritsen has published a range of papers and monographs in diverse fields, from archaeology
to historical linguistics
, and another book, Australia and the Origins of Agriculture. This work put forward evidence that some Indigenous
groups in Australia
in traditional circumstances were engaged in food production, including agriculture
, and lived in large permanent settlements.
In recognition of his work on Australian pre-history and its Dutch
influence, in 2007, Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands
conferred upon Gerritsen the honour of Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Gerritsen is currently a Petherick Researcher at the National Library of Australia
.
: 1606–2006, and was that organisation’s National Secretary. At present he is Chair its successor organisation, the Australia on the Map
Division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society which aims to make Australians more aware of Australia's early history and heritage, beginning in 1606.
Early Years
Rupert Gerritsen was born in Geraldton, Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
in 1953, of Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
parents. Growing up in Geraldton he experienced first hand the excitement of the discovery of the wreck of the Batavia
Batavia (ship)
Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company . It was built in Amsterdam in 1628, and armed with 24 cast iron cannons and a number of bronze guns. Batavia was shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, and was made famous by the subsequent mutiny and massacre that took place among the survivors...
in 1963 and came to know some of those involved in its discovery and the discovery of other 17th and 18th century shipwrecks on the coast of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
From 1960s through to the 1980s he was involved in radical politics and social activism and continues to promote social justice and empowerment.
Professionally he has been engaged for many years in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and the ACT
ACT
ACT may refer to:* Australian Capital Territory, the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia* ACT , a college placement exam in the United StatesIn aviation:...
in youth work, community work and mental health, and specialise in developmental work.
Indigenous Australian Prehistory Research
Although not his first work published, And Their Ghosts May Be Heard, (1994, 2nd edition in 2002), is perhaps the best known. It is a detailed exploration of the fate of the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
mariners castaway on the Western Australian coast in the 1600s and early 1700s.
Gerritsen was involved in establishing that possibly some 16% of Nhanda, an Aboriginal language of the central west coast of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, was derived from Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
as a result of interaction with marooned sailors. This groundbreaking discovery has led to major reevaluation in the perceptions of the early prehistory in that Aboriginal Australians were not mute witnesses to the unfolding events history but active participants who embraced parts of European culture long before the British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
settlement of the continent.
On a more specific level, Gerritsen has also researched the location two mutineers from the Batavia
Batavia (ship)
Batavia was a ship of the Dutch East India Company . It was built in Amsterdam in 1628, and armed with 24 cast iron cannons and a number of bronze guns. Batavia was shipwrecked on her maiden voyage, and was made famous by the subsequent mutiny and massacre that took place among the survivors...
mutiny, possibly Australia’s first European settlers, who were marooned on 16 November 1629. As a consequence of his research Gerritsen established that Hutt River
Hutt River (Western Australia)
Hutt River is a river in the Mid West region of Western Australia.The river rises near the North West Coastal Highway between the towns of Northampton and Binnu and east of Hutt...
, 500 kilometres north of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, was the site where Wouter Loos and Jan Pelgrom de Bye first set foot on mainland Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. These discoveries wrought a complete change in the methodology of recording early Western Australian pre-history. Many subsequent scholars have embraced this new historical paradigm in their works. The result is the ending of triumphal history which described the inevitability of growth of wealth and prosperity of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
under the shroud of British colonialism. Such a view suppressed the inclusiveness of other voices which, through the march of time, proved to be an anathema to a multicultural society. Gerritsen's prophesy has come to fruition ... their ghosts are being heard.
Since the appearance of Ghosts, Gerritsen has published a range of papers and monographs in diverse fields, from archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
to historical linguistics
Historical linguistics
Historical linguistics is the study of language change. It has five main concerns:* to describe and account for observed changes in particular languages...
, and another book, Australia and the Origins of Agriculture. This work put forward evidence that some Indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
groups in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in traditional circumstances were engaged in food production, including agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, and lived in large permanent settlements.
In recognition of his work on Australian pre-history and its Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
influence, in 2007, Queen Beatrice of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
conferred upon Gerritsen the honour of Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Gerritsen is currently a Petherick Researcher at the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
.
Australia on the Map: 1606–2006
He was co-founder, along with Peter Reynders, of Australia on the MapAustralia on the Map
Australia on the Map is the history and heritage division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society. It seeks to enhance Australians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the nation’s early history, beginning in 1606 with the voyages of Willem Janszoon in the Duyfken and Luis Váez de Torres...
: 1606–2006, and was that organisation’s National Secretary. At present he is Chair its successor organisation, the Australia on the Map
Australia on the Map
Australia on the Map is the history and heritage division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society. It seeks to enhance Australians’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the nation’s early history, beginning in 1606 with the voyages of Willem Janszoon in the Duyfken and Luis Váez de Torres...
Division of the Australasian Hydrographic Society which aims to make Australians more aware of Australia's early history and heritage, beginning in 1606.
Selected publications
- Beyond the Frontier: Explorations in Ethnohistory, 2011
- Australia's First Criminal Prosecutions in 1629, 2011
- Australia and the Origins of Agriculture, 2008
- And Their Ghosts May Be Heard ..., 1994 and 2nd ed. 2002
- A Further Translation of Selected Chapters of Dr Erhard Eylmann's Die Eingeborenen der Kolonie Sudaustralie (The Aborigines of the Colony of South Australia), Translated and transcribed by W.C. Gerritsen and Rupert Gerritsen, 2002
- The Traditional Settlement Pattern in South West Victoria Reconsidered, 2000
- Nhanda Villages of the Victoria District, Western Australia, 2002
- An anonymous account of a journey from Augusta to the Vasse in 1833, Unpublished, 1999
- Early Records of the Wardandi language, 1998