The history of charting Australia’s coastline is well documented from most perspectives,but not from a toponymic standpoint. Between 1606 and 1803, some nine hundredEuropean placenames were bestowed along the Australian coast. Authors Jan Tent and Helen Slatyer report here on an investigation and analysis of the place-naming practices of the Read more…
Some of the first Europeans to venture into the southern Pacific Ocean were the Dutch during the 17th and early 18th centuries. The linguistic legacy of these expeditions can be found in a small number of Dutch words adopted into Polynesian languages as well as toponyms bestowed by them. The Read more…
The year 2006 marked the quatercentenary of the first known European charting of any part of the Australian coastline, when the Dutch mariner Willem Janszoon explored 300 kms of the north-west coast of Cape York Peninsula. He bestowed seven placenames, two of which, Moent and Dubbelde Ree have ambiguous meanings Read more…
The Polynesian islands share in common the fact that the first European language they came into contact with was the English brought first by Captain Cook, spread by whalers and traders and later consolidated by missionaries. The purpose of the paper below is twofold. First, the authors will present evidence Read more…
On some early maps of Australia the name Dinnings Land or Terres de Dinning appears near the Swan River. Who or what was Dinning? This article explores this question, and argues it is a case of mistaken interpretation or erroneous transcription. “The crucial word in the description is duyning. What Read more…
Dr Jan Tent was born in Amsterdam, his parents originating from Groningen. Jan’s father worked for IBM in Amsterdam. In 1957 his father was made production manager of the IBM typewriter and punch card plant in Lidcombe (Sydney). The appointment was supposed to be for two years but stretched out Read more…
Het onbekende Zuidland naderbij’ by Jaap van der Veen is a catalogue of an exhibition about the history of Australia, the Aborigines and the Dutch explorers and emigrants. It is published by Volkenkundig Museum ‘Gerardus van der Leeuw’ in Groningen in 1988. It contains contributions from Don Grimes and other Read more…
In previous months we have highlighted Dutch literature in Australia and we continue this month with another collection of interesting and often forgotten books. However, some will recall nostalgic memories from those who arrives as children or as emigrants from the 1950s and 1960s. Land in de verte – 1952 Read more…
The DACC Library has a collection of books, magazines, CD’s, DVD’s and VHS tapes. Most are not yet in the online data base. The table below lists the categories and the number of books and magazines in each category. Please contact the DACC for further information.
The Emigratie Commissie was a committee of the Nederlandse Vrouwen Comité (NVC – Dutch Women’s Council). The Emigration Commission of the Dutch Women’s Council, was an organisation in the Netherlands that focused on assisting women and families with the process of emigrating to other countries. The committee operated during the Read more…