Smoke on the water marks massacre anniversary (18 May 2024)
A smoking ceremony on the shore of Galup/Lake Monger commemorated the massacre of indigenous people that occurred there on May 3, 1830.
More than 80 community members including Curtin MP Kate Chaney and Churchlands MLA Christine Tonkin were welcomed by elder Aunty Glenda Kickett.
Traditional owners Ash Garlett Penfold and Ian Wilkes guided people through the smoking ceremony, which aimed to bring people together for connection and healing.
The event culminated with a Noongar song that Ian wrote to honour the people killed that day.
"Galup is an important site for Whadjuk Noongar people and an area where our people camped," Ms Kickett said at the ceremony.
"Few people know about the massacre that took place there.
"We are at a point as a nation to really start to acknowledge First Nations peoples and the histories of colonisation and dispossession. That acknowledgement is an important part of healing."
Cambridge mayor Gary Mack and councillors Xavier Carr and Jane Cutler attended the ceremony, along with Cambridge CEO Gary Tuffin.
The event was supported by local not-for-profit groups Same Drum, Friends of Galup / Lake Monger, West Leederville Flower District and Reconciliation WA.
Speakers at the ceremony called for the area's traditional Noongar name Galup, meaning "place of home fires", to be restored, and a memorial built on the site as a permanent reminder of the massacre.
They also requested more information be displayed at the lake about the cultural significance of the area, which is a registered Aboriginal heritage site.
The Town of Cambridge recognises the significance of Galup / Lake Monger to the Whadjuk Noongar people and is finalising the Lake Monger (Galup) management plan 202434 in consultation with Whadjuk traditional owners.
The plan includes honouring the area's Whadjuk Noongar heritage and acknowledging the 1830 massacre. "We anticipate public consultation on the plan's recommendations soon, ensuring Galup / Lake Monger is acknowledged as a place of cultural significance and reconciliation," Mr Mack said.
For more information visit galuptruth.com or book in to watch the Galup VR Experience at the State Library of WA on May 31-June 1 at slwa.wa.gov. au/whatson/galup-vr-experience.
Related article: Calls for Lake Monger rename grow (11 May 2024)
