Hostel stories

Many Lithuanians who came to Adelaide resided in hostels while they worked their contract for the government. The University of Adelaide and the Migration Museum are seeking stories on workers and residents who lived in hostels. Throughout History month in May they will be holding session so you can share your stories and to contribute to a research project.

Here are the details for the Woodside migrant talk.
Wednesday 22 May, 6 - 7.30 pm
Woodside Library, 26 Onkaparinga Valley Rd, Woodside
Contact: (08) 8313 5570
E: hostelstories@adelaide.edu.au
Hostel Stories project
http://migration.historysa.com.au/research/callouts/hostel-stories

You can find out the other hostel session times by visiting the AboutTime History month website at www.abouttime.sa.gov.au

Celebrate your place in South Australia’s history

There are many places around Australia that allow you to record in some way your descendants name in a public monument.  The Maritime Museum in Sydney has the Welcome wall, and Adelaide has Settlement Square at the Migration Museum. 

Recently my mother purchased a paver with my maternal grandparents name and year of arrival in Australia stamped on it.  My grandparents were both cremated with their ashes scattered.  There is no place to lay flowers, no place I can see their names, until now.    

Whether your family has always been here, came as early colonists or are recent arrivals, there’s a place for you in the Migration Museum’s Settlement Square. The pavers that form a striking ‘Tree of Life’ pattern in Settlement Square are engraved with the names, places of origin and dates of arrival of thousands of South Australian immigrants. Settlement Square and its companion database of information about the families thus recorded is a testament to the rich cultural diversity of South Australia.

The money that you purchase the brick with goes into the Migration Museum Foundation. A tax-exempt incorporated association which was set up in 2000. The Foundation exists as a membership-based fund to support the Museum’s programs through interest raised on the principal amount that is invested.

A great way to honour your ancestors and support a fantastic museum.

Other Lithuanians who appear in the square are;

Tadas Zurauskas  1948

Kostas Teodoras Tymukas 1948

Pulgis & Maria Andrusevicius 1949

Vaclovas Miliauskas 1948

Vaclovas & Susanna Germanas Lithuania and Germany 1950

Bronius Vitkunas (Brian Newman) 1947.

You can find out more about Settlement square at http://migration.historysa.com.au/foundation 

Baltic Women banner

The same year that the Lithuanian banner was created  another was produced by the Baltic Women's Association.   Designed by Ieva Pocius, a Lithuanian artist.

 

The fir trees represent the Baltic landscape. The faces symbolise the women of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. They are set against a combination of the national colours of the three states. This central image highlights the individuality of the Baltic States, while stressing the essential unity in the region.

The Jubilee 150 logo honours South Australia’s sesquicentenary. It symbolises the link between the old culture and the experience of Baltic women in their new land.

Lithuanian banner at the Migration Museum

The Migration Museum in Adelaide holds a Lithuanian banner in its collection.  When the Museum opened in 1985, they invited communities to community groups to make banners representing their memories, hopes and dreams as immigrants.

Members of the Adelaide Lithuanian craft group at that time collectively produced a community banner.  It was designed by Architect Eugenijus Kalibatas.  

The patterns and colours are taken from the rich idiom of Lithuanian folk art. The wayside shrine, angels ploughing, and stylised flowers evoke memories of a peaceful and religious homeland. The knight and spearman represent the turbulent periods of Lithuanian history. The central design is a folk symbol of the sun depicting Australia, the ‘sunburnt country’. The new beginning, with its hopes of peace and freedom, are signified by the planting of a seedling. These hopes are also represented by the blue cross, Lithuania’s Liberty Bell and the birds. In the words of the designer, ‘all the different elements … form the larger themes of Homeland and Australia within the overall theme of memories and dreams’.

some of the contributing creators, E. Kalibitas, third from right

Made by A. Juospaitis, R. Pocius, A. Dainius, A. Vieraitis, J. Bagdonas, B. Sinickas, V. Morkunas, J. Brazauskas, E. Mikeliunas, N. Alvikis, E. Petraitis, J. Zinkus, A. Bauze, A. Patupas, G. Straukas, F. Kazlauskas, B. Jasiutis, and R. Kurauskas, 1986.

You can find out more about the banner collection at http://migration.historysa.com.au/collections/community-banner-collection

Migration Museum Hostel stories

Can you help support this project.  Many Lithuanian's coming to Australia were first housed interstate but some were placed in the Woodside Migrant camp.  The details are below.

In SA History Week 2010 the Migration Museum launched an exciting new project called ‘Hostel Stories’. The aim of the project is to collect records of migrant hostel life, which will contribute to an exhibition in 2013.

The University of Adelaide are undertaking research into the Migrant hostels which will continue after the exhibition. Museum staff and volunteers are very excited about this partnership which will contribute to much greater resources for people wanting to find out about migrant lives in the hostels.

Thousands of migrants passed through South Australia’s migrant hostels, reception centres and camps – including Elder Park, Gepps Cross, Glenelg, Rosewater, Pennington/Finsbury, Smithfield, Willaston and Woodside – from the 1940s to the 1980s. The hostels were temporary homes to a wide range of migrants, from Displaced Persons and refugees, through to Ten Pound Poms.

The opportunity to gather first-hand accounts of day to day life in the hostels is diminishing as the years pass by. This project will help ensure that the memories are captured for future generations.

The Museum is keen to hear from people who are willing to complete our questionnaire and loan, donate or have relevant material scanned. 

Please complete the registration of interest form, or for further information please ring 08 8207 7570.

http://migration.historysa.com.au/research/callouts/hostel-stories

In remembrance

In Remembrance of the sufferings

Of fellow countrymen

Deported from their homelands

To Siberia

By the Soviet Communist Regime

On 14^th June 1941

These trees were planted by

The Estonian Latvian and Lithuania

Communities of South Australia

On 13^th June 1959

For many years the Baltic community has gathered to commemorate the June 13 & 14 deportations, in the Migration Museum courtyard.

In 1959 Juozas Lapšys, Baltic Council president organised for a memorial to be erected in the Glenunga Reserve, Connyngham street, Glenunga.  That year members from the Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian communities  planted three trees and erected the above plaque in a granite rock.

As the years passed their was concern that the plaque would be lost, stolen or forgotten, so the Migration Museum was approached to see if they would take ownership.

Janina Vabolienė, President of the Lithuanian Community said in 2003 regarding the June deportations;

‘When our parents, brothers and sisters journeyed to distant Siberia, the echo of the train wheels  resound in our ears and our hearts reiterate  our countrymen’s torment’.