The story of the Meeting at Bark Hut is particularly poignant. Despite its disregard by other researchers, the encounter between Robinson's and Mannalargenna's group on Nov 1, 1830 at a bark hut on Ansons Plain represents a moment of deep significance in both colonial and Aboriginal history. It was at this location that Robinson persuaded the Aboriginal group to relinquish their freedom and leave their homeland under his protection. Mannalargenna is an important figure, as one of a few bungunnas (leaders) who, in 1830, still remained in their country. Furthermore, Mannalargenna's standing as primary male progenitor of present day Aboriginal Tasmanians is a conviction firmly held and wide spread. The ancestral connections, in concert with the gravity of the circumstances and the consequences, make this a meeting of profound cultural and historical significance.
Background to Meeting at Bark Hut
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