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UMBAKUMBA

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Little Lagoon - Groote Eylandt - Umbakumba Community at 3 o'clock
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Umbakumba Community on Little Lagoon Groote Eylandt

Fred & Marjorie Gray

Wedding present to Fred & marjorie - given to Mike Hermes shortly before Fred's death at Little Umbakumba
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Smithsonian Expedition 1948 Milingimbi unloading stores F. Seltzer
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NLA PIC-12323-3 Smithsonian Expedition arriving at Gove 1948 F. Setzler image
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PIC123234 Smithsonian Expedition at Umbakumba 1948 F. Setzler image
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PIC P840-204 LOC P59 NLA - Korpita Groote Eylandt 1948 Frank Setzler image
​Frank Setzler's photo shows "Korpitja in the stern of typical dug-out canoe being towed behind Fred Gray's motor launch on our way to take-off in Catalina", July 1948 [picture] / Frank M. Setzler ​PIC P840/204 LOC P59 NLA

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NAA    Miscellaneous Reports 1949
CRS F315/0 Item 1949/393A Part 2 Patrol Officers Reports

 
9) Patrol per P.V. 'Kuru' to Groote Eylandt
 
Left on 29. 9.1949 on P.V. 'Kuru' to apprehend and bring to Darwin aborigine Mick Noanoa from Groote Eylandt. Native assistant was Albert Oolah-boog-goo.
 
Reached Gray's Settlement at Umbacumba. His H/C employee Jerry Blitner had volunteered to assist in capturing Mick Noanoa.
 
On 8th October, 1949, at about 1930 hours Mick, with his four wives and sixteen children, was caught about 18 miles south of the Groote Eylandt Church Missionary Society Settlement.
 
I recommend that Mick be retained in Darwin for at least two years and that at least one of his wives be brought to him.
 
Mr Short, Acting Superintendent of the Groote Eylandt Mission, informed me that the young half-caste girl Hazel is ready to go to a half-caste institution. He suggests that if there is no vacancy at St Mary's Hostel, Alice Springs, perhaps it would be in the child's interests if she went to Croker Island. I agree with him that the girl should be removed from the Groote Eylandt Mission as soon as possible.
 
Report on Gray's Native Settlement, Umbacumba, Groote Eylandt mentions the following :-
 
The part-aborigine Jerry Blitner is a competent all-round handy man and is satisfied with his employment. He is a good influence and has firm control over the natives. His wife Jessie is in charge of the girl's dormitory.
 
One of Gray's natives, Nangurama, was committed to Darwin this year and was brought in by P.V. 'Kuru'. He thinks Nangurama is to stay away from Groote Eylandt for twelve months but he suggests that the committal should be for three years as a warning to the other natives not to break tribal laws. Aborigines have in the past been sent to Darwin from Groote Eylandt as a punishment but their removal has been more in the nature of a holiday. I
refer in particular to those Groote Eylandt Islanders who were employed by QANTAS at Berrimah in 1946 and who later returned to their country with over three tons of supplied and presents.
 
Nandjirrpia is another of Gray's natives who this year came to Darwin as a leper suspect. Information about him is desired.
 
Jessie Blitner desires to obtain the addresses of her brother Wilfred and sisters Cecily and Ida Huddleston.
 
J R Ryan, Patrol Officer, 31.10.1949
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1948 Smithsonian Expedition

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Marjorie Gray 1948 UMB Howell Walker
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Gerry, Jessie & Donald Blitner Umbakumba 1948 Robert Miller - NLA PIC/12323/37
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Fred Gray UMB 1948 Howell Walker

Little Umbakumba

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