From 1860-2018
it was a great Pleasure to be with great Volunteers of ARA (Australia Refugee Association) for the screening of our beloved Afghan cameleers documentary.
Hope to see other organization taking a step as such to prompt one of the most untold Australian histories
Afghan Cameleers documentary screened for more than 90 people attended. All the attendee were greeted warmly by Christine Loveday and other staff of the centre and Afghan Kebab, tea and coffee provided.
We also want to thank hugely Carol Martin Councillor for Enfield Ward who was the pioneers of this screening and hopefully screening as such will continue in future.
Between the mid 1800s and the turn of the nineteenth century more than 3000 men from Afghanistan made the long and harrowing voyage out to Australia to take up work managing the camels shipped along with them. These men and their camel trains were the essential means of transport allowing for the earliest colonial exploration, pastoral and mining developments throughout Outback Australia..
Prohibited by Australian Immigration regulations from bringing wives or children, most of these hardy pioneers put in a few years of hard work then returned to their homelands. A significant number, however, married Aboriginal or European wives, had large numbers of children and formed small settlements referred to as ‘Ghan towns’ in proximity to the routes of their camels trains.
Although largely unappreciated by Australian historians with a focus on UK heritage, the cultural richness and critical nation-building contributions of these families is recently becoming recognized.
Since their formation in the 1980s, the Society of Afghan descendants have enriched Australia’s cultural tapestry through holding public events, writing articles, participating in film, radio program and film.