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WIRADJURI elders mixed with descendants of surveyor George Evans at a civic event held yesterday to mark the 200th anniversary since their ancestors first met.
The event, held on the grounds of Abercrombie House, also marked the 200th anniversary since Evans named the Bathurst Plains and Mount Pleasant on December 10, 1813.
It acknowledged the first contact between the Wiradjuri people and the European explorers, which took place near the site on December 21, 1813, and the last Wiradjuri corroboree which took place in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant in 1849.
Wiradjuri elder Bill Allen junior said it was good to see members of the Bathurst community come together for the event.
“This may not be an occasion for us to celebrate, but it is a way of moving forward, while still acknowledging the past,” he said.
Mr Allen said he was very happy with the gathering, which featured a smoking ceremony, a series of traditional dances performed by Wiradjuri Waganha and a didgeridoo performance.
He said it was a chance for the Wiradjuri people to share their culture and noted that it was wonderful to see the local school children who attended the event getting involved in the dances.
“It gave us the chance to show our culture, tell our side of the story,” he said. “It was good to see the kids taking part; years ago that wouldn’t have happened.”
Mr Allen said it was nice that a tree would be planted on the grounds of Abercrombie House to remember the original meeting.
“It is a really good symbol, that we can work together and acknowledge what happened in the past.”
Descendant of George Evans, Gwen Hammond, said she was delighted to be part of the gathering.
“I can’t believe we are here today, 200 years after it all. I didn’t know that meeting happened,” she said.
“Hearing about how Evans met the Wiradjuri women for the first time and now here we are his descendants meeting the Wiradjuri men for the first time, it was very emotional.”