2011 - Theses - Flinders University

The wedding between Bessie and Fred was a milestone in the United Aborigines Missionat Nepabunna., in the heart of the Flinders Ranges. It was the first Christian weddingbetween people of the mission, and the first ever held at the Eaton Memorial Church. Thepretty bride was Miss Bessie Wilton and the proud groom was Mr Fred McKenzie, the sonof the late Mr F. McKenzie and Mrs McKenzie. Fred’s father was the last king atNepabunna.The wedding was conducted on Saturday, June 29th by the missionary, Mr W. Hathaway,whose fair haired daughter Eileen was trainbearer.The bride wore a gown of figured ivory and a two-tiered white veil, held in place by acoronet of orange blossom. She carried a bouquet of white artificial roses. Her cousin,Miss Elva Wilton, who was bridesmaid, wore a lavender net over satin and three roses inher hair. She carried a bouquet of Talisman roses.The groom was attended by Mr Bob Coulthard.Mr Dan Coulthard sang ‘Take my life’ while the register was being signed……The people at Nepabunna all seemed very impressed by the solemn sacraments ofChristian marriage. 242Mrs Forbes watches young Fred beside his bride, holding himself like his father, but sheknows, and so do all the rest, that he is vadnapa. Her own Ray is still unmarried, and theother vadnapas had gone away from the mission to be married. But not this time. Shesearches for the faces of Ted Coulthard and Fred Johnson in the crowd. Fred’s jaw is workingat his new dentures, and Ted Coulthard catches her eye, but shows her nothing.Nepabunna, February 1959Dear Mr Samuels,Greetings in the Name of the Lord……GENERALHome again! Don’t really feel we have been away. It is really too far to go for such ashort time, as one week of the four was entirely taken up with travelling. We hope that bythe end of this year we will be able to have the two months break, the one we had to missand the one which will be then due.At Yongala we learned that Ted. Coulthard had passed away that morning. We called atHawker and after a couple of visits to the hospital and one to the Police we finally gotaway and reached home at 3.10AM on Wed. Bed at 4.30 and anything but fit for the bigday of store and funeral which followed. However we did get through, praise the Lord,167