‘Education & Empowerment under the
Leadership of Granpa James
Maloga-Cummeragunja: 1881-1922
Dr Wayne Atkinson-Yorta Yorta, Elder,
Senior Fellow, University of Melbourne
http://waynera.wordpress.com/family-history-connections
Format of Talk

Profile on Thomas Shadrach James

From Mauritius to Uni Melb, Maloga &
Cummeragunja.

The ‘Scholars Hut’ at Maloga-the ‘Power of the
Voice and the Spear of the Pen’

Granpa’s inspiration continues in Education and
leadership today : Oncountry Learning program
Uni Melb, 2013-tenth anniversary awards.
Profile: Grandpa James,1859-1946
Born
in Mauritius, 1859. Father was James Peer sahib and
Mother Miriam Thomas from India who had son Shadrach
James Peer sahib. Takes name of his mother Thomas as his
first name and Fathers first name as his Surname-James.
Shadrach
lived with parents in Port Louis capital of
Mauritius where he attended a private school . His Father
was an interpreter in the Justice System representing
Indentured labourers.
Left
Mauritius when he was 17, (1866) and some of family
went to (Ceylon ) Sri Lanka whom he used to write to from
Australia.
His
Aunty Pricilla who grew up in Sri Lanka comments that
‘poor Shadrach had a tough time being a coloured Muslim lad
in a strange land ‘ (Mauritius).
Studied
Medicine at the University of Melbourne and then
turned to Education- descendents followed in his footsteps
at Uni Melb.
Volunteered
his services to help Yorta Yorta achieve,
equality in Education and fundamental rights at MalogaCummera.
Married
Ada Cooper, Yorta Yorta of whom some 1200
descendants.
Created
the Scholars Hut at old Maloga where he mentored
and educated the first generation of Indigenous political
activists of the calibre of William Cooper, who was his
brother in law.
See
Bibliography: http://waynera.wordpress.com/
Ada Cooper
Location of Maloga & Cummeragunja
1874-2009
Story: Scholars Hut &
Coopers aptitude
For learning see p.2
Mathews Diaries
Grandpa's Education

Grandpa James, as he is affectionately known,
was an outstanding scholar in medicine, history,
politics and linguistics as well as a qualified
teacher in education.

He was also knowledgeable in dispensing
medicines and dentistry and was often called
upon to administer medical and dental treatment
in the region.

Grandpa brought these skills with him to Maloga
and to Cummeragunja, where he became an
admired leader, mentor and headmaster of the
school.
Barriers to Education at MalogaCummera
Proscribed level of education allowed
to be taught on reserves was to 3rd
grade (equal to an 8 year old white
student)
 Higher level of education was denied
by the oppressive policies of the
Aborigines Protection Board that
overlorded the administration of
reserves in NSW 1880s to 1940s-see 1938

NSW: Public Service Board Inquiry.
Quality of Education Achieved

Being able to provide the quality of
education against the barriers that were
imposed by the APB is a remarkable
achievement

Lets look at some examples of this
Quality of Teaching

Encouraged students to be confident in their own abilities
and taught them to be proud of their Yorta Yorta identity
and to recognise the empowerment that comes from being
able to articulate their grievances through the power of the
voice and the spear of the pen.

Being influenced by the passion for human dignity and
respect for one’s fellow people, regardless of race or creed,
Grandpa was a strong believer in the political strategy of
passive resistance- was a process that required patience,
leadership and collective organisation-pre Ghandi times.

It was largely Granpa James’s style of teaching and
William’s desire to gain justice for his people that combined
to lay the foundation stones of what became the genesis of
Yorta Yorta political philosophy and activism in 19-20th
Century Indigenous rights based issues.
Scholars Hut: Place where Granpa mentored the
first generation of Yorta Yorta activists

The image of the Scholars Hut, a candle burning into the
night, and the intellectual stimulus that T. S. James was
imparting to his students, is a powerful metaphor.

It is something that has had a profound effect on my
generation’s desires to carry on from where Grandpa left off
and to achieve in higher education- Individual
empowerment which in turn creates community
empowerment.

To understand the quality of education that was happening
in the Scholars Hut we need to try and recreate the world
of the first graduates and the pedagogy that Granpa brings.
Aptitude For Learning at Maloga
 ‘The
boy, Billy Cooper, shows great
aptitude for learning. He has acquired
a knowledge of the Alphabet, capital
and small letters, in three days and
then taught Bobby (his brother)
capitals in –only one day’ (Nancy
Cato, Mr Maloga,1993:51).
Writings of James Peersahib,
1850’s and his son Shadrach
Writings of Shadrach James Jnr &
William Cooper: Spear of the Pen
Quality of Education
unsurpassed

Quality of Edution being taught at Maloga and Cummera bought
home by the many non-Indigenous students whom Grandpa
taught at Maloga and later at the Cummeragunja reserve,
including Matthews’ eldest son John, who went on to enjoy a
privileged education in Melbourne, Adelaide, London and Canada.

On returning to Cummeragunja many years later and with a sense
of gratitude he pays great ‘tribute’ to Grandpa, whom he said ‘laid
the truest and finest foundation of his education’ and was a
‘teacher unsurpassed anywhere’. In comparing the quality of
education being taught at Maloga and in mainstream schools,
Maloga was equal to or above that of the average school, which
John Kerr Matthews attributes to ‘the character and ability of Mr
James’.[i]

[i]
Riverine Herald, 16 August 1946.
Indigenous Political
Movement 1930’s

Indigenous leaders of
the 1930’s led by
William Cooper, Doug
Nichols, Jack Patten,
Perl Gibbs, challenged
the Governments control
and asserted rights to
justice & equality before
the law & to full
citizenship entitlements
Australian Aborigines League,1932
William Cooper marched to German
Consulate in Melbourne and spoke out about
the persecution of Jewish People, after the
Kristallnacht: The night of the Broken Glass.
Jewish people attacked by Nazis who
smashed shop windows burnt houses killing
people and forcefully removing 30000 to
prison camps. Uncle Williams work honoured
by Israel planted red gum trees near Yad
Vashem Holocaust Museum, Israel, 2009
with water from the Murray Dhungulla.
Summary of Education Pathway

Following the footsteps of Granpa, education became the tool of
individual and community empowerment tracing its genesis to
Maloga and Cummera and beyond- still an important living legacy
in Yorta Yorta community today-example are graduates photos in
Murrup Barak many of whom are descendants of Granpa James
Including two scholars Andrea James Kimberley Maulton who are
heading to UK on study programs .

Scholars hut has turned a full circle and continues to be a key
metaphor in the teaching of Oncountry and the knowledge
transfer that takes place between the local and academic world
which in turn contributes to the Yorta Yorta political struggle

‘Power of the Voice and the Spear of the Pen’ and Collective
Organisation” are the key strategies used to achieve fair and just
outcomes in Yorta Yorta Struggle, Land Justice, National Parks,
Joint Management, 2010.

Will leave it there and open for discussion.

Thank You : Wayne
Oncountry Learning: Indigenous Studies,
University of Melbourne