Golden Camels (s7)

Living archive -1a 
Laverton Cemetery - Afghan Graves
WA 11th Sept  

  

The Word Afghan in Australia is actually a very Broad term: Basically I feel they meant "Muslims" but then I figured out all where not Muslims as they where Sikhs too, so may be they meant Muslims and South Asians? I don’t think they even bothered to find the layers so it was convenient general term - that’s what the colonizers did all over the world: Generalization. 

So I could say the meaning of Afghan in Australia means: “Muslims from South Asia who came with Camels in the 19^th century to early 20^th century” – 
they where also called “Camalees”
but the truth is all where not Camalees...

As The word Afghan was quite broad, the same way the word “Explorers” or “exploring inland” needs to be questioned. As these Afghans who worked hard to Establish and Explore the Region and also build the infrastructure for all the mining which happens till today – I don’t find that credit given to them. Normally ‘Camalees’ where not even considered as “Explorers”… they where just mentioned as a mean of transport and do all the legwork??

Of course “Discover and Explore” the region and let the world know is a very funny term. It feels, as thou that region never existed thanks to the Explorers they discovered it. 

At least 2000 cameleers and 20,000 camels arrived in Australia during the period from 1870 to 1920. The 1893 gold discoveries at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie greatly increased demand. A vast network of camel routes spread across the inland….

After said this the other side is when I speak to the locals in Laverton Town they recognize all the hard work done by The Camalees and they do give enough credit and also do feel bad as they are been ignored or almost forgotten. There are many Hidden stories –which is almost buried – hope I get some out. But till now unfortunately most of them want the hidden stories hidden or you could also say the hidden stories are buried so deep that this generation is not aware of it. The generation who knew about it are all gone.

Known in Australia as ‘Afghans’, the cameleers came mainly from the arid hills and plains of Baluchistan, Afghanistan and the north-west of British India (today’s Pakistan). The cameleers belonged to four main ethnic groups: Pashtun, Baluchi, Punjabi, and Sindhi....

The cameleers spoke a mix of languages in Australia , reflecting their diverse origins. It is likely that Pashto, Dari (Persian), Baluchi, Punjabi, Sindhi and Urdu were heard in the streets of Kalgoorlie, Bourke and Marree. Some cameleers were literate, while others relied upon oral tradition, reciting poems or folk-tales at evening campfires and celebrations... 

http://www.cameleers.net/?page_id=779 
 

Below Information is from The Shire Of Laverton Office: Recorded in their Registered. 

North facing 5 Afghan graves in Laverton cemetery: 

Row F # 291:

Name: Jack Mohamad 

Age: 70

Died in Laverton Hospital

Died on 27th July 1934

Buried on 28th July 1934

Undertaker - 

The person who buried him:  P E O Meagles

Row F #164 :

Name: Joe Mohamad

Buried on 10th June 1912

Undertaker - 

The person who buried him: J.Blethyns

Jack and Joe name where adopted?given? changed for convenience?   where these two brothers?

Row F #165 :

Name: Homed Oslam

Buried on 1st aug 1912

Undertaker - 

The person who buried him: J.Blethyns

Row F #163 :

Name: Baria Khan 

Age: 40

Buried on 9th march 1920

Row F #349 :

Name: Hasham Ali Khan

Age: 95

Died in Laverton Hospital

Died on 19 May 1941

Buried on 21 May 1941

(Mohamadan Graves)

Undertaker - 

The person who buried him: H B Clarke

 

Lots of Afghan Graves - the Camalees - where also found buried in deep in the desert - quite unknown most of them. I am not sure what happened to the Sikhs - according to the religion they should have been burnt, and if i can imagine the ashes taken back home or buried in the desert. conceptually it is very "ARID"