The Destruction of Heritage: Rock Art in the Burrup Peninsula

Authors

  • José Antonio González Zarandona Universidad de Melbourne

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37467/gka-revhuman.v1.677

Keywords:

Destruction, Heritage, Colonialism, Identity, Land

Abstract

The destruction of rock art in the Burrup Peninsula, performed by several mammoth industries strategically located in the Peninsula since the 1960s, allows me to analyse the concept of heritage within a global history of art and find meaning in the difficult task of interpreting rock art. The Burrup Peninsula not only hosts the largest rock art site in the world, but also one of the largest deposits of natural gas, iron ore and salt. As a consequence, the land (sacred to the Indigenous people), becomes extremely important in order to sustain the booming economy of Australia. In this difficult negotiation between heritage and progress the rock art is embedded with new meanings and the heritage becomes ephemeral. Failing to include the site in the World Heritage Site list created by UNESCO, the roles of identity and memory are contested by the two groups represented on each side of the debate: on one hand, the Aboriginal Traditional owners and the archaeologists; on the other, the Australian government and the cultural establishment that denies the rock art an aesthetic significance by considering it "primitive" and "archaic". The debate becomes even more pertinent after realizing that the Australian government has flagged other buildings and natural parks as World Heritage Sites, while the rock art in the Burrup Peninsula is catalogued as national, but not World, Heritage. As a result, the concept of heritage can be defined on several levels: local, regional, national and international.

Author Biography

José Antonio González Zarandona, Universidad de Melbourne

Nací en México en 1980, donde realicé mis estudios universitarios en Ciencias de la Comunicación. Durante el periodo 2002-2003 estudié literatura en la Universidad de Salamanca, España, como parte de un programa de intercambio universitario. De regreso a México, me titulé en el año 2005 con una tesis sobre la historia del cine experimental, lo cual me llevó a aplicar a una Maestría en Estudios Cinematográficos en la Universidad de Melbourne. En el año 2008 me gradué y luego fui aceptado para continuar mis estudios de posgrado en el programa de Historia de Arte en la misma Universidad, supervisado por la Profesora Jaynie Anderson FAHA CIHA y la Profesora Asociada Louise Hitchcock. Mi tópico de investigación es la destrucción del patrimonio y se enfoca en el arte rupestre de Australia Occidental. Entre el año 2007 y 2009, trabajé como diseñador multimedia en la Galería Nacional de Victoria, un trabajo que desempeñé con anterioridad en varias casas productoras en México.

References

Bednarik, R. G. (1977). “A survey of prehistoric sites in the Tom Price region, North Western Australia.” Archaeology & Physical Anthropology in Oceania. Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 51-76.

Bednarik, R. G. (2002a). “The survival of the Murujuga (Burrup) petroglyphs.” Rock Art Research. Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 29-40.

Bednarik, R. G. (2006). “Australian Apocalypse. The story of Australia’s greatest cultural monument”. Occasional AURA Publication 14, Australian Rock Art Research Association, Inc.: Melbourne.

Bednarik, R. G. (2011). “The Dampier Campaign”. Rock Art Research. Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 27-34.

Blevins, J. (2001). “Nhanda: an aboriginal language of Western Australia”. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication No. 3. University of Hawai’i Press: Honolulu.

BNPL (Burrup Nitrates Pty Ltd) (2010a). “Technical Ammonium Nitrate Production Facility Public Environmental Review (PER) for Burrup Nitrates Pty Ltd.” January 2010. Consultada 20 enero 2011. http://burrupnitrates.com/updates.html

BNPL (Burrup Nitrates Pty Ltd) (2010b) “Technical Ammonium Nitrate Production Facility – Response to Public Submissions (PER). PER Supplement.” August 2010. Environmental Resources Management Australia: Perth. Consultada 21 enero 2011. http://www.epa.wa.gov.au/

CALM (Conservation and Land Management) (2003). “Management Plan for the Burrup Peninsula Conservation Reserve”. Department of Environment and Conservation. Consultada 19 enero 2011. http://www.ont.dotag.wa.gov.au/B/burrup_and_maitland_industrial_estates.aspx.

Caygill, H. (2008). “The Destruction of Art.” In Costello, D. and Willsdon, D. (ed.) 2008. The Life and Death of Images. Ethics and Aesthetics. Cornell University Press: Ithaca, New York; pp. 162-173.

Clottes, J. (2008). “Rock Art. An Endangered Heritage Worldwide”. Journal of Anthropological Research. Vol. 64, No. 1, Spring, pp. 1-18.

CSIRO (2007). Field Studies of Rock Art Appearance - Final Report: Fumigation & Dust Deposition-Progress Report: Colour Change & Spectral Mineralogy. March 2007.

CSIRO (2008). Burrup Peninsula Air Pollution Study: Report for 2004/2005 and 2007/2008. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research. 10 September 2008.

Dampier, W. (1729). A Collection of Voyages. In Four Volumes. James and John Knapton at the Crown in St. Paul’s Church-Yard: London.

Daniel, D. (1990). Thalu sites of the West Pilbara. Department of Aboriginal Sites. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1974). Dampier Archipelago Aboriginal Sites. Unpubl. report for incorporation into the Pilbara Study Report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1979a) (B. J. Wright). Dampier Archipelago Liquefied Natural Gas Project: A Survey for Aboriginal Sites. Unpubl. report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1979b) (V. Novak). Dampier Archipelago Liquefied Natural Gas Project: A Survey for Aboriginal Sites, King Bay Area. Unpubl. report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1979c) (J. Clarke). Dampier Archaeological Liquefied Natural Gas Project: A Survey for Aboriginal sites: quarry, communications station and access roads. Unpubl. report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1980a) (B. J. Wright). A proposal for the archaeological investigation of and preservation of Aboriginal sites in the Dampier Archipelago. Unpubl. report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1980b) (J. Clarke). Dampier Archipelago Liquefied Natural Gas Project. Survey for Aboriginal sites in the vicinity of proposed access road Dampier to King Bay. Unpubl. report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1980c (J. Clarke). Dampier Archipelago Liquefied Natural Gas Project. Supplementary Report II. Survey for Aboriginal sites in the vicinity of proposed borrow pits, granite quarry and lay down areas, Burrup Peninsula, WA. Unpubl. report. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1981) (B. J. Wright). The recording and protection of Aboriginal prehistoric places on the Dampier Archipelago. Press release, June. Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DAS (1982) (B. J. Wright). A proposal for the archaeological investigation of and preservation of Aboriginal sites in the Dampier Archipelago. Unpubl. report, Western Australian Museum: Perth.

DEC (Department of Environment and Conservation) (2006). Proposed Burrup Peninsula Conservation Reserve. Draft Management Plan 2006-2016. Western Australia Department of Environment and Conservation: Perth.

Donaldson, M. (2009). Burrup Rock Art. Ancient Aboriginal rock art of Burrup Peninsula and Dampier Archipelago. Wildrocks Publications: Western Australia.

EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) Western Australia (2011). “Technical Ammonium Nitrate Production Facility, Burrup Peninsula Burrup Nitrates Pty Ltd. Report and recommendations of the Environmental Protection Authority. Report 1379. Consultada 18 enero 2011. http://edit.epa.wa.gov.au/EPADocLib/Final%20EPA%20Report%20050111-web.pdf.

Federal Court of Australia (2003). In the matter of Daniel v State of Western Australia [2003] FCA 666. Consultada 2 febrero 2009. http://judgments.fedcourt.gov.au/2003/J030666.yes.htm. Consultada 6 octubre 2009.

Flanagan, F. nda. (2007) “The Burrup Agreement: a case study in future act negotiation.” Agreements, treaties, and negotiated settlements project (atns). Indigenous Studies Program. University of Melbourne. Consultada 20 enero 2011. http://www.atns.net.au/papers.asp.

Gara, T. J. (1984). “The Aborigines of the Dampier Archipelago: an ethnohistory of the Yaburarra”. Unpublished paper. Western Australia Museum: Perth.

Gregory, A. C. & Gregory, F. T. (1884). Journals of Australian explorations. Government Printer, James C. Beale: Brisbane.

Grey, G. (1841). Journals of two expeditions of discovery in North-West and Western Australia, during the years 1837, 38, and 39, under the authority of her Majesty’s Government. Describing many newly discovered, important, and fertile districts, with observations on the moral and physical condition of the Aboriginal inhabitants, &c. &c. T. and W. Boone: London.

Hall, H. A. (1971). A partial vocabulary of the Ngalooma Aboriginal tribe. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies: Canberra.

Horton, D. R. (1996). Aboriginal Australia [Map]. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies: Canberra.

Lorblanchet, M. (1992). “The rock engravings of Gum Tree Valley and Skew Valley, Dampier, Western: chronology and functions of the sites.” In McDonald, J. and Haskovec, I. (ed.) State of the art. Regional rock art studies in Australia and Melanesia. Proceedings of Symposium C, “Rock art studies in Australia and Ocenia”, and Symposium D, “The rock art of Northern Australia” of the First AURA Congress, Darwin, 1988. Occasional AURA Publication No. 6. AURA, pp. 39-59: Melbourne.

Mathew, J. 1893 (1971). “The cave paintings of Australia, their authorship and significance.” The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 23, pp. 42-52.

McDonald, J. and Veth, P. M. 2005. “Desktop assessment of Scientific Values for Indigenous Cultural Heritage on the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia.” Jo McDonald Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd. Report to the Heritage Division of the Department of Environment and Heritage: Canberra.

McDonald, J. and Veth, P. M. (2006). “A study of the distribution of rock art and stone structures on the Dampier Archipelago.” Jo McDonald Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd. Report to the Department of Environment and Heritage: Canberra.

McDonald, J. and Veth, P. M. (2009). “Archaeological survey of Deep Gorge on the Burrup Peninsula (Murujuga) Dampier Archipelago WA.” Jo McDonald Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd. Report to the Department of Indigenous Affairs: W. A.

Mitchell, W. J. T. 2008. “Cloning Terror: The War of Images 2001-04.” In Costello, D. and Willsdon, D. (ed.) 2008. The Life and Death of Images. Ethics and Aesthetics . Cornell University Press: Ithaca, New York; pp. 180-207.

Mulvaney, K. 2009. “Dating the Dreaming: extinct fauna in the petroglyphs of the Pilbara region, Western Australia.” Archaeology in Oceania. 44.1. S40(9)

Mulvaney, K. (2011). “Dampier Archipelago: Decades of development and destruction.” Rock Art Research. Vol. 28, No. 1, pp. 17-25.

NTN (Native Title Newsletter) (2006). Native Title Research Unit. Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. July/August. No. 4/200: Canberra.

Palmer, K. (1975). “Petroglyphs and associated Aboriginal sites in the North West of Western Australia.” Archaeology & Physical Anthropology in Oceania. Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 152-160.

Palmer, K. (1977). “Myth, ritual and rock art.” Archaeology & Physical Anthropology in Oceania. Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 38-50.

Radcliffe-Brown, A. R. (1913). “Three tribes of Western Australia”. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 43, pp. 143-194.

Smith, T. (2002). “The Political Economy of Iconotypes and the Architecture of destination: Uluru, The Sydney Opera House and the World Trade Center”. Architectural Theory Review, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp. 1-44.

Stow, J. P. (1981). The voyage of the Forlorn Hope from Escape Cliffs to Champion Bay 1865. Sullivan’s Cove: Adelaide.

Tindale, N. B. (1974). Aboriginal tribes of Australia. Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits and Proper Names . University of California Press: USA.

Veth, P. et al. (1993). Burrup Peninsula. Aboriginal Heritage Project. A report to the Department of Conservation and Land Management.

Vinnicombe, P. (1987). Dampier Archaeological Project. Resource document, survey and salvage of Aboriginal sites, Burrup Peninsula, Western Australia. Department of Aboriginal Sites, Western Australian Museum: Perth.

Vinnicombe, P. (2002). “Petroglyphs of the Dampier Archipelago: background to development and descriptive analysis.” Rock Art Research 19: pp. 3–27.

Virili, F. L. (1974). “A preliminary report on the Aboriginal sites and the rock art of the Dampier Archipelago, W.A.” In Form in indigenous art: schematisation in the art of Aboriginal Australia and prehistoric Europe. Canberra: Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies: London: Gerald Duckworth: Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, Humanities Press, 1977 and associated Biennial Conference, 1974 - programmes, contributions and illustrations either unpublished or published in part. AIATSIS: Canberra.

Virili, F. L. (1977). “Aboriginal sites and rock art of the Dampier Archipelago.” In P. J Ucko (ed), Form in indigenous art: schematisation in the art of Aboriginal and prehistoric Europe. Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies: Canberra, pp. 439–451.

Von Brandenstein, C.G. 1967. “The language situation in the Pilbara – past and present.” Papers in Australian Linguistics, No. 2, Occasional Papers, No. 11. AIAS: Canberra.

Von Brandenstein, C.G. (1970). Narratives from the North-west of Western Australia in the Ngaluma and Jindjpandi languages. 3 Vols. AIAS: Canberra.

Wright, B. J. (1965). “Some Aboriginal Rock Engravings in the Roebourne-Hamersley Range Area.” The Western Australian Naturalist. Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 97-118.

Wright, B. J. (1968). “Rock art of the Pilbara region, North-West Australia”. Occasional Papers in Aboriginal Studies 11, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies: Canberra.

Published

2012-03-05

How to Cite

González Zarandona, J. A. (2012). The Destruction of Heritage: Rock Art in the Burrup Peninsula. HUMAN REVIEW. International Humanities Review Revista Internacional De Humanidades, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.37467/gka-revhuman.v1.677

Issue

Section

Research articles