Last Chapter saw Dr Geoff Ford redefine ‘polite correctness,’ and Tracey-Lee Howie, Trudy Smith, Laurie Bimson attempt a land title claim of seemingly half of NSW. ‘Auntie Tracey-Lee went to a Zoo, and ‘Uncle Laurie’ had a moment of clarity caught on camera.
2015
February saw the Aboriginal Heritage Office release of:
Filling a Void: ’ A review of the historical context for the use of the word ‘Guringai’
The report concludes with the following:
It is unfortunate that the term Guringai has become widely known in northern Sydney and it is understandable that people wish to use it as it is convenient to have a single word to cover the language, tribe/nation, identity and culture of a region. However, it is based on a nineteenth century fiction and the AHO would argue that the use of the term Guringai or any of its various spellings such as Kuringgai is not warranted given its origin and previous use. It is not authentic to the area, it was coined by a non-Aboriginal person and it gives a misleading impression of the connectivity of some original clan boundaries. It is part of the story of this place that there is no certainty over tribal names, language groups or dreaming stories …” (p.40-41).
Soon after, journalist John Morcombe wrote Misunderstanding: The historical fiction of the word Guringai that has filled a void in our knowledge of the original inhabitants. This article in mainstream Australian newspapers presented a summarized account of some of the findings of the Filling a Void Report, but aimed at a mainstream audience.
Welcome to Country & Ceremony with Neil Evers & Jannawi Dance Clan #guringaifestival #guringai
In the months following a court case was being heard in the NSW Land and Environment Court. The applicants were Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council, and Australian Walkabout Wildlife Park Pty Limited, against the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, and Rocla Materials Pty Ltd.
Giving evidence as an expert, with area of expertise listed as Indigenous, is Guringai Tribal Link Director Tracey Howie.
At par 150 of the judgement reads:
Howie is the senior female Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Officer for the Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation. She is a Wanangine/Guringai person who has lived on the Central Coast for 33 years and has been involved in the Aboriginal community since 1991. She has learned the stories of the area through knowledge gathered over the years and by listening, as a child, to stories being told by family members and elders and looking at and listening to the natural landscape (Exhibit B13 Witness Statement of Tracy Lee Howie p 4 – 20).
Par 161 reads:
the representatives of the Guringai tribal group spoke of the contemporary importance to them of totemic animals and how they form the main marriage moieties of the area, and are still assigned to people today and dictate marriage relationships (Exhibit R3 Vol 3 Tab 18 p 1979).
When the court looked at the the adequacy of the investigation and assessment of Aboriginal heritage, generally, within the site Historic and ethnographic enquiry there the following appears:
Curiously significant portions of Tracy Howie’s evidence contradicts the recorded statements of from 2001 by Warren Whitfield, and Tracey-Lee Howie herself in 2009.
08/07/2015
2015 also saw the registration of another corporate entity, this time named AWABAKAL AND GURINGAI PTY LTD
Rather than an Aboriginal Corporation as is the case with Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation, this entity is an Australian Private Company, operating simultaneously with Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation, and offering the same services, but now with a range of financial accounting options.
I find it interesting that this model of starting a business and keeping it registered as one type of entity, before creating multiple entities that all seemingly perform the same public function started back in 2003 with Warren Whitfield registering and maintaining multiple Guringai Tribal Links‘. He is an influential figure!
The registered office of Suite 1 239 King Street Newcastle NSW 2300 is actually the premises of Toyne Accountants, which may not be an indication the two firms have any relationship.
The Directors of this company are:
Laurie Bimson, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
- In addition to being a Director of Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation, Director and Secretary of Guringai Tours Pty Ltd, while at the same time owning and operating Guringai Tours (advertising as Guringai Aboriginal Tours), how does Mr Bimson keep all these businesses with not quite but similar names, performing ostensibly the same role and function, going! Mr Bimson is certainly motivated!
Peter Leven, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
Trevor Powell, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
Trudy Smith, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
Robyn Anne Johnston, Director since 20-03-2020 (3 years and 3 months)
Maxwell Walker, Director since 20-03-2020 (3 years and 3 months)
Kerrie Brauer, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
,Wayne Maurice Hawken, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
- Mr Hawken is also a Director of Fruition Hub Pty Ltd, seemingly a lifestyle coaching company.
Tracey Howie, Director since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
Kerrie Brauer, Secretary since 25-11-2015 (7 years and 6 months)
So now Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation Directors also control Guringai Tribal Link, Awabakal and Guringai Pty Ltd, Guringai Tours, Guringai Tours Pty Ltd, and Wannangini Pty Ltd, at least.
Wyong Coal sign mutual agreement with Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation.
Excerpt from
ANTHROPOLOGICAL CONNECTION REPORT
Family history and contemporary connection evidence
AWABAKAL AND GURlNGAI PEOPLE NC20131002
NATALIE KWOK
CONSULTANT ANTHROPOLOGIST
OCTOBER 2015
10/10/2015
10 October 2015 we see the creation of a WikiTree Genealogy page for a Sophy (Bungaree) Walkeloa (1810 – 1877). This listing is simply a repetition of Warren Whitfield’s initial 2001 claim; presented as if factual, despite there being no new evidence offered, as no new evidence could exist for a falsehood.
GuriNgai associate Sharlene Leroy-Dyer runs in an election campaign as a candidate for the Socialist Alliance. At this point in time claims to be “a descendant of the Guringai, Gadigal, Wiradjuri and Dharug peoples of NSW,” although this will prove as nebulous as the genealogy of ‘Sophy Bungaree’ as time moves on.
In exactly the same way that Traditional Culture does not.
For example, here Sharlene has changed her own Cultural History, with Gadigal being replaced by Garigal, and Dharug changed to darug. Also rather than claiming to be a descendant, Sharlene now prefers ‘family ties.’
It seems that once ensconced in the Academy, shifting from claims of decent, to claims of family ties became a viable, and somehow accepted alternative.
Before settling on just one group out the original 4 contenders; Darug.
‘Aboriginal Elder’ Neil Evers speaks at Mosman Gallery
Truth-telling from a neurodiverse perspective. 
Leave a comment