Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section

Author

Shire of Broome

Place Number

00301

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Location

Port Dr Broome

Location Details

street frontage to Port Dr

Local Government

Broome

Region

Kimberley

Construction Date

Constructed from 1906

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
Heritage List	Adopted	28 Aug 2014
State Register	Registered	18 Nov 2008	Register Entry Assessment Documentation	Heritage Council

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
(no listings)

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	28 Aug 2014	Grading A	Grading A A place of exceptional cultural heritage significance to Shire of Broome and the state of Western Australia, that is either in the Heritage Council of Western Australia’s Register of Heritage Places, or worthy of consideration for entry into the Register. A place worthy of recognition and protection through provisions of the Shire of Broome’s Town Planning Scheme. Recommend: Maximum encouragement to owners to retain and conserve the place. Full consultation with property owner prior to making the recommendation.
Classified by the National Trust	Classified	07 Jun 1983			Heritage Council
Register of the National Estate	Permanent	18 Apr 1989			Heritage Council
Other Legal Agreement	Adopted	02 Oct 2007			Heritage Council

Parent Place or Precinct

08781 Broome Cemetery

Statement of Significance

Broome Cemetery: Japanese, Chinese, Muslim sections are significant as a record of the non European pioneers and associations with Broome from c.1906 to present day, providing a unique record and history. The cemetery records the lives lost in the pearling industry and by other means. Many of the headstones are of aesthetic importance for their design characteristics that typify the specific nationalities. The Japanese cemetery is an integral part of the annual Japanese festivals of Lanterns for the dead (Bon Matsuri)

Physical Description

Three distinct sections at the rear of the main cemetery, each accessed separately. Low chain link perimeter fence. Entry statement in Chinese style signifies the Chinese Cemetery. The Japanese section has extensive headstone restorations in black stone, distinctive from the original headstones.

History

The Broome Cemetery was gazetted on 20 April 1890, as Reserve 1647, but Japanese, Chinese and Muslim burials were carried out on adjoining land, later designated as sections of the cemetery for each group. Japanese burials are marked by stone obelisks. Many of those buried in the Japanese cemetery came from Wakayama, in the southeast corner of the Island of Honshu. People from this region are famous for their abilities as fishermen and divers. Because most of the pearl divers in Broome were Japanese, their cemetery in particular bears testimony to the number of divers lost to the bends each year prior to the donation of a decompression chamber in 1913. On 15 August each year, the Japanese hold the Shinto festival ‘Obom’, to release the spirits of the departed on their journey. The Chinese hold the feast of Hung Ting, when food is offered to the spirits at an altar, Tai Puk Koong. Muslim Malays held joyful processions of remembrance headed by a decorated dragon, a tradition that has continued into the Shinju Matsuri Festival. Many of the obelisks in the Japanese cemetery have been renewed in recent years. The damaged headstones in the Japanese cemetery were replaced with new black granite headstones in the early 1980s. Restoration was made possible by funds donated by Ryoichi Sasakawa, chairman of the Japan Shipbuilding Industry Foundation, with the encouragement of Senator Kazuo Tamaki. The Chinese Cemetery has had a new entrance erected.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree
Moderate degree

Condition

Mostly good. Japanese cemetery: Very good.

References

Ref ID No	Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
	Burton, Val General History of Broome	Broome Historical Society
	HCWA Register documentation

Other Reference Numbers

Ref Number	Description
No.24	MI Place No.

State Heritage Office library entries

Library Id	Title	Medium	Year Of Publication
9600	Broome: maps and places of heritage interest.	Heritage Study {Other}	0

Place Type

Other Built Type

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	MONUMENT\CEMETERY	Cemetery
Present Use	MONUMENT\CEMETERY	Cemetery

Architectural Styles

Style
Other Style

Construction Materials

Type	General	Specific
Other	OTHER	Other Material

Historic Themes

General	Specific
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES	Cultural activities
SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES	Religion
OCCUPATIONS	Fishing & other maritime industry
OUTSIDE INFLUENCES	Natural disasters
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Workers {incl. Aboriginal, convict}
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Immigration, emigration & refugees

Creation Date

30 May 1989

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

13 Oct 2020

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.