DESCRIPTION
Ntaria (N-THE-REE-AH) Culture Tours:
Why we call Hermannsburg (Ntaria)
In the dreamtime there once lived two brothers with their mother at a very sacred cave not far from Hermannsburg mission now known as Hermannsburg community. These two brothers decided to go hunting one day, so they left their home and travelled North towards Hermannsburg community then kept going North into the red sandhills. While they were playing and hunting, they got lonely to go back home so they had caught some small lizards to take back to their mother who was back at the sacred cave. The two brothers travelled back south past Hermannsburg and ended up at a waterhole about 1km Northwest of Hermannsburg along the Finke River where they both then panicked and started to yell out for their home like this:
Western Arrernte: Pmara Ntanai, Pmara Ntanai
Translation:
English: Where is our home, where is our home.
The two brothers eventually found their home and were very excited to see their mother and then they went deep into the sacred cave and went into eternal rest where they are today.
Missionary Carl Strehlow sat down with my ancestors who had shared the importance of the story that belonged to Hermannsburg area. So, one night Carl Strehlow wrote down the story of the two brothers and the word Ntania had become Ntaria as the reason nobody knows but What I figured out was that while Carl Strehlow was writing down the story, he forgot to drag the letter N in Ntania and it became Ntaria as everyone had seen the letter R. so to this day Hermannsburg is known as Ntaria (N-The-Ree-Ah) community.
Hermannsburg Historic Precinct
National Heritage Listing
The National Heritage List is Australia’s list of Natural, Historic and Indigenous places of outstanding significance to the nation.
The Hermannsburg Historic Precinct is included on the National Heritage list under the criterion.
a) The place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place’s importance in the course, or pattern, of Australia’s natural or cultural history.
b) The place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place’s possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Australia’s natural or Cultural history.
d) The place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the places importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of:
- A class of Australia’s natural or Cultural place’s or
- A class of Australia’s natural or Cultural environments.
h) The place has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place’s special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Australia natural or cultural history.
It was entered on the list on Thursday, 13th of April 2006 (see commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 56, Thursday 13th of April 2006). The National Heritage list is Australia’s lists of national, historic and Indigenous places of outstanding significance to the nation.
Hermannsburg Potters
Arrernte Artists of Central Australia
Western Arrernte Artist
The Hermannsburg Potters are a dedicated group of Western Arrernte artists creating vibrant handmade ceramic pots that encompasses collective and individually lived histories in their district country.
The Hermannsburg artists continue a 30-year legacy, sculpting and painting their visual histories and contemporary settings, speaking to their cultural beliefs, traditions and values.
While visiting Northern Territory, come spend a day out at Ntaria (Hermannsburg) community and be guided by a local Traditional Aboriginal tour guide, who will take you through one of the oldest missions in the Northern Territory. Enjoy a half day experience choosing between morning or afternoon tours. Starting with a welcome to country by Traditional Aboriginal Owners at the entrance of the Hermannsburg Precinct, then head over to the Hermannsburg Potters, see how these nationally recognized artist work with their hands to tell their story and make some beautifully crafted pieces of art.
After spending 1 hour at the Hermannsburg potters, it’s off to the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct, immerse yourself in the rich history that sits on the banks of the mighty Finke River, which is the world’s oldest river in the world and learn what it was like to live in 1876 and how the missionaries helped the Western Arrernte people from the community it is today. Once the tour is complete enjoy and have some cold drinks, coffee and have the world-famous Hermannsburg Strudel.
Do not miss out on this amazing once in a lifetime cultural/Historical experience.
9:00am to 9:45am:
Smoking and water ceremony to welcome our guest. Traditional Aboriginal Owners will explain more about why Aboriginal people do welcome to country and why it is important to our culture.
9:45am to 10:00am:
Walk over to The Hermannsburg Potters after doing the welcome to country smoking and water ceremony.
10:00am to 11:00am:
While visiting the Hermannsburg Potters we will, In between these hours we have morning tea as well as visiting and meeting our local artists who will share their stories of why they do their artwork and how passionate they are about it. We will spend an hour.
11:00am to 11:15am:
We will walk back to the Hermannsburg Historical Precinct.
11:15am to 12:30pm:
We will start the Hermannsburg Historical Precinct Tours and be guided by a local Aboriginal tour guide that will share some of the culture and history behind the Hermannsburg precinct. Then we will proceed to the Tea Room Cafe and have lunch.
12:30pm to 12:45:
Lunch and then finish of the morning tours.
Afternoon Tours:
1:00pm to 1:45pm:
Smoking and water ceremony to welcome our guest. Traditional Aboriginal Owners will explain more about why Aboriginal people do welcome to country and why it is important to our culture.
1:45pm to 2:00pm:
Walk over to The Hermannsburg Potters after doing the welcome to country smoking and water ceremony.
2:00pm to 3:00pm:
While visiting the Hermannsburg Potters we will, In between these hours we have morning tea as well as visiting and meeting our local artists who will share their stories of why they do their artwork and how passionate they are about it. We will spend an hour.
3:00pm to 3:30pm:
We will walk back to the Hermannsburg Historical Precinct and have afternoon Tea at the Hermannsburg Precinct Tea Room Cafe.
3:30pm to 4:30pm:
We will start the Hermannsburg Historical Precinct Tours and be guided by a local Aboriginal tour guide that will share some of the culture and history behind the Hermannsburg precinct.
4:30pm:
Finish off the tours
