Artist,
Planner,
Anthropologist,
Naturalist,
Aboriginal rights activist,
Date of death
1975-07-06,
Place of death
Alice Springs,
Place of burial
Alice Springs,
Description
Photographs from Library & Archives NT PH0091/0058 - Miss Olive Pink and PH0091/-0062 - Miss Olive Pink,
Biographical notes
Miss Olive Pink was a controversial figure in Central Australia. As an anthropologist she conducted research on the Warlpiri and Arrernte people. She lost her place at university and her financial sponsors when she refused to publish certain secret rituals of the Warlpiri people. She also proposed a large land reserve set aside for the Warlpiri people. This proposal upset the mining and cattle stations community who had initially helped her research. Though the proposal was set aside it did not stop Miss Pink in her campaign for indigenous rights. For example, Miss Pink tried to set up a sanctuary where missionaries, government and police would be excluded.
After many years working in the desert, Miss Pink moved back to Alice Springs and lived in a decommissioned army hut on Gregory Terrace. She made an income from selling the fruit and flowers she grew and working as a part-time cleaner at the court house. In 1955 Miss Pink now 71 years old was evicted from her home because of redevelopment. She was homeless and had been dismissed from her cleaning job. For a couple of years she lived in a tent on a quarter acre block on the outskirts of Alice Springs. In 1956 she was granted an occupation license. Miss Pink then lobbied to have the land turned into an arid flora reserve. This land is now known as the Olive Pink Botanic Garden.
Source: Northern Territory dictionary of biography. Darwin : Charles Darwin University Press, 2008.,
Subject
Women,
Northern Territory,
File type
image/tiff,
Related materials
First in their field : women and Australian anthropology. Carlton, Vic. : Melbourne University Press ; Portland, Or. : International Specialized Book Services [distributor], 1993. 306.0922 FIRS,
Marcus, Julie. The indomitable Miss Pink : a life in anthropology. Sydney : UNSW Press, 2001. NTC B301.092 (PINK) MARC,
Harris, Reg. Legendary Territorians. Alice Springs, N.T. : Harris Nominees, 2007. NTC B994.291 HARR,
Northern Territory dictionary of biography. Darwin : Charles Darwin University Press, 2008. NTC 920.9429 NORT,