These weekly “People to Commemorate” posts are a kind of calendar for the commemoration of the saints, reproduced here from a Uniting Church Assembly document which can be found in full here. They are intended for copying and pasting into congregational pew sheets on the Sunday closest to the nominated date.

Images (where provided) are of icons by Peter Blackwood; click on the image to download a high resolution copy of the image.

Dianne Ethelle Buchanan, Christian Pioneer

1945 – 1993

You may ask why should a Gympie grave in Queensland display words in an Aboriginal language of the Northern Territory that say, ‘Märr-ŋamathinyamirrnydja walal gi bala-räli’yunmirr yan” which translates as ‘Love one another’ from John’s gospel.[i] The answer lies in the life of Dianne Buchanan.

On the 18^th October 1946, Dianne was born to Nils and Grace Buchanan. She was the only daughter, in a farming family of 4 children, whose livelihood came from growing delicious sweet pineapples in the district of Gympie.

In 1955, when Dianne was 9 years of age she decided to love and follow Jesus. After completing her teaching training and a couple of years teaching at Biloela Kindergarten in Queensland, she responded to the Methodist Overseas Mission’s appeal for teachers to help at the fast expanding school on Elcho Island in the Northern Territory.

She winged her way into Galiwin’ku, Elcho Island, as a pre-school teacher, in 1969, where she was welcomed not just as a teacher but as one of the community, receiving an Aboriginal subsection name ‘Galikali’.

“Deep down I knew it was where God wanted me,” Di said. “The children were delightful to teach. So accepting and uncritical of my attempts to communicate in their language. The Aboriginal people are a very gentle people … I’ve been ministered to in many ways.”[ii]

After five happy years in the Pre-school, she was drawn into Adult Literacy, which displayed her gift with languages. This led to another career change in 1977 when she was nominated to be translator of the Bible into Djambarrpuyŋu, the largest language group represented on Elcho Island and also used in the neighbouring Yolŋu communities of North East Arnhem land.

She continued to work on translating the New Testament for her Aboriginal family right up until her final days. Rev Djiṉiyiṉi Goṉḏarra said of Dianne that she was ‘a pioneer in her linguist work, and a strength for both Church and Community.’ ‘She saw many changes. She saw self-determination’ he said,[iii] and ‘was one of the few missionaries who was able to adapt to the changing circumstances of Aboriginal community life’.[iv] It was a privilege for Di in 1988 to be the first lady to lead 30 traditional Yolŋu Christians from Galiwin’ku to the Holy Land.”[v]

Di was a major prayer support and encourager in spiritual renewal and the revival at Elcho Island in the 1970’s and 1980’s.[vi] Her diaries were a significant contribution to the writing of the book ‘Fire in the Outback’ by John Blacket.

Of her own spiritual journey she writes: “With a renewal of my own commitment to a love-relationship with Jesus, came a release from an over-developed sense of responsibility for the church at Galiwin’ku.[vii] ‘Only in union with him will you find real complete freedom, unspeakable joy, the peace that passes understanding. So now take his yoke on you again, … for he promised to carry (his) share.’[viii]

Over 20 of her Aboriginal family from Elcho Island travelled to Gympie to join with Dianne’s family and friends to mourn her death, on the 5^th March 1993. One could not help but also celebrate her rich and wonderful life, as one who loved and trusted in her Lord. She was only 47, but by God’s grace 7 months earlier she was able to stand with her translation colleagues and witness the dedication of a Mini-Bible, that included five-eighths of the New Testament, produced in Djambarrpuyŋu during Elcho Island’s Jubilee celebrations.

Di’s favourite writing of Mother Basilea of the Sister’s of Mary takes pride of place on the front page of Di’s Bible.

O none can be loved as is Jesus

None like him is found anywhere

‘Tis He whom I love, whom I long for

For no-one with Him can compare.

So all that I have I will give Him

I’ll sacrifice all I hold dear,

My whole life to Jesus belonging

My heart seeks my Lord to revere.

I’ll  follow now close in His footsteps

The path that He trod here below,

I only desire what He gives me

And only His way I will go.

My heart is at peace and so joyful

For all I desire He supplies

I look now for nothing but Jesus

Who all of my hopes satisfies.

 Margaret Miller and Dr Marilyn McLellan

 

[i]  In the writings of John these words are found in John 15:12, also John 13:34

[ii] ‘Profile. Di Buchanan: translator’ p11 in Journey, May 1992

[iii]  ‘Islanders mourn church worker’ p7 ‘Northern Sign’, a magazine of the Northern Synod, Uniting Church in Australia. Number 4. April 1993. Article also p5 of NT News 11 March 1993

[iv]  “Selfless devotion of mission worker, a newpaper article of ‘Gympie Times’ 11^th March 1993

[v] ‘Dianne Ethel Buchanan, 1945-1993, A Tribute’ p8,9 in the Queensland Uniting Church Auxiliary for World Mission Newsletter May 1993

[vi] “Two Bible Translators Die” p7 Khesed Newsletter March 1993.

[vii] Di’s newletter dated ‘end of March’ year not stated, ca 1982

[viii] ‘Genesis 3’ –writing of Di Buchanan, 1991

These weekly “People to Commemorate” posts are a kind of calendar for the commemoration of the saints, reproduced here from a Uniting Church Assembly document which can be found in full here. They are intended for copying and pasting into congregational pew sheets on the Sunday closest to the nominated date.

Images (where provided) are of icons by Peter Blackwood; click on the image to download a high resolution copy of the image.

James Robert Beattie (J.R.B.) Love, Christian pioneer

Presbyterian missionary to the Aborigines.

The fifth of 10 children born to the Rev George Clarke Love and his wife, Margaret Georgina, née Beattie, Bob Love’s Christian faith was nurtured in the Presbyterian manse at Strathalbyn, where his father ministered from 1892 to 1923. The family migrated to Australia when he was 5 months old and spent a short period in Vic before moving to SA. Experience gained in the bush around Strathalbyn as he grew helped prepare him for his future work in remote areas of Australia. Interest in a group of Aborigines who camped near their home for a short period kindled his missionary commitment. He taught as a student teacher at Strathalbyn in 1906-7 and was a student at the Pupil Teacher School in Adelaide and commenced study for a BA at University of Adelaide in 1908-9.

He was appointed head teacher of the Leigh Creek School, 500 km north of Adelaide. This environment stimulated his enquiring mind and his interest in exploring the bush. He sent specimens of rare birds to Edwin Ashby for showing at meetings of the Royal Society of SA. One identified as a new genus and species was named Ashbyia lovensis. He visited a nearby mission to learn more about the Aborigines.

In 1912 at the age of 23 he was asked by the Presbyterian Church to undertake an expedition ‘for the purpose of inquiring into the conditions of life among the Aborigines of the Interior’. He left Leigh Creek on 28 Dec 1912 with horses, a mule and two dogs. Accompanied for a short part of the journey by a brother, John, and a friend he travelled extensively in SA, the NT and Qld. He kept a diary and wrote a detailed report of the expedition and formed the habit of meticulous recording of observations, a feature of his later work.

Port George Mission had been established in the north-west of WA in 1912 by the Rev Robert Wilson and his wife Frances. Bob Love was asked to relieve the Wilsons to enable them to take leave. Following his arrival in Dec 1914 he undertook exploratory journeys to seek a new site for the mission. He embarked on a study of the Worora language. He left Port George on 14 July 1915. He enlisted in the AIF on 9 Nov 1915, joined a Light Horse Regiment in April 1916, and transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps in May. In August 1917 he was commissioned 2Lt and promoted Lt in Nov. He transferred to the 14th Light Horse in July 1918 and in Sept was one of the first of the allied troops to enter Damascus. He was wounded in the chest and hand and awarded the DCM and the MC ‘for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’.

On his return to Australia he entered Ormond College, University of Melbourne to complete his BA and undertake theological studies. He was ordained in Adelaide in 1922 and appointed to Mapoon Mission in north Qld. He married Margaret Holinger, a teacher at Mapoon, on 5 Sept 1923. They had four children.

After five years of involvement in the evangelistic, administrative, pastoral, agricultural and training work at Mapoon, he heard of financial problems which threatened the closure of Kunmunya, the new site of the former Port George Mission where he had served briefly before the war. He applied to serve as superintendent at Kunmunya and arrived there on 24 Aug 1927.

His early Christian upbringing, knowledge of bushcraft,  academic training, studies in Aboriginal culture and language and experience in leadership contributed to his 13 years of effective service at Kunmunya, a remote community dependent on the mission’s lugger for communication and supplies. He repudiated paternalism and earlier mission policies of opposing traditional customs. He respected the authority of the older men and held regular camp meetings, encouraging the people to discuss problems and make decisions. He was actively involved in the varied tasks of the mission, medical work, education, gardening servicing and running of the lugger, and the cattle industry. He recognised that there were aspects of traditional culture which could be used in explaining the Christian faith. He saw the need of communicating the gospel in the language of the people and engaged in further study of Worora language and translated the Gospels of Mark and Luke. His thesis on Worora grammar earned him an MA from the University of Adelaide. He insisted that when English was spoken by the people they spoke it well. His ministry led to the first baptisms at Easter, 1929 and the further growth of the church at Kunmunya.

While on leave in 1937 he spent 3 months visiting the Pitjantjatjara region of the northwest of SA to advise and assist in the establishment of Ernabella Mission. After 3 more years at Kunmunya he was asked to take up the role as superintendent of Ernabella. Leaving Kunmunya in 1940 he arrived at Ernabella on 2 March 1941 and during the difficult war years administered the development of the sheep industry and assisted in the study of the language. Underlying his involvement in all aspects of the mission’s work was the conviction, as he wrote in 1944, that ‘Our Scriptural commission is to heal the sick and preach the Gospel’.

The Loves left Ernabella on 2 March 1946, to serve as moderator of the Presbyterian Church of South Australia. He was called to the Adelaide Hills charge of Mt Barker-Lobethal-Woodside but ill-health limited his time in ministry. He was described as a model of manly Christianity. The policies he advocated and implemented in the period between the two World Wars, respect for Aboriginal cultures and languages, encouragement of Aboriginal decision making and holistic mission, were forerunners of policies accepted more widely in recent decades.

J R B Love, Stone-Age Bushmen of To-day (London, 1936); M McKenzie, The Road to Mowanjum, (Sydney, 1969)

BILL EDWARDS
Content © Evangelical History Association of Australia and the author, 2004