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Just opened at the Korean Cultural Centre ,this is a fascinating exhibition and catalogue about a relatively little known part of Australian/Korean history and inter-relations.It is presented in partnership with the Kyonggi University’s So-sung Museum and documents the rapport developed between Australia and Korea by unfolding the story of two generations of the Mackenzie family .2021 saw the 60th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between the two nations, and this exhibition chronicles the commitment of an Australian family a century ago.
In 2012, the Kyonggi University’s So-sung Museum received a total of 10,000 of the Mackenzie family’s photographs, videos and documents which had been previously kept at Ilsin Christian Hospital (formerly Ilsin Women’s Hospital) in Busan, South Korea. The museum spent a decade digitizing and compiling the materials based on their format and content, and extensive research was conducted into the lives of Australian missionaries, like the Mackenzie family and the background of the Mackenzie family’s journey in Korea, as well as the people and places depicted in the photographs.
The catalogue includes a very handy timeline, taking us from 1865 to 2019.It is in both Korean and English and features numerous photos, just a small part of some of the 10,000 pieces.
First we meet James, the missionary patriarch of the family, and his wife Mary, who moved from Australia to Busan in Korea. Busan is located on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula.
James established the Busan Leper Hospital and established a system to help the lepers learn various skills so they could support themselves when recovered. (Remember lepers were regarded as amongst the lowest of the low, ‘ unclean’ .) James and Mary also established the Ilsin Women’s School in 1895 and separately later the Myeongsin School for the education of leprous patients. Their daughters Helen and Catherine were both born in Korea .
We also learn about Mary’s involvement , and some of the problems ( discrimination , language barriers etc ) that arose. Mary was also involved with female missionaries , and looking after the children of the lepers – establishing the ‘ Healthy Children’s Home ‘.
Photos are included of the monuments erected when James retired and how he became General President of the Presbyterian Church when he and his family returned to Australia. Photos of both his and Mary’s tombstones are incorporated.
We then follow the lives of Catherine and Helen , who returned to Korea twenty one years later.They opened Islin Women’s Hospital , specialising in maternity care . We learn of the various medical qualifications both Helen and Catherine had , and there are photos of them with nursing mothers and newborn babies , the training of nurses and so on. What is also mentioned is the number of patients treated for free , and the ‘ twin parties’ held so that both babies received attention. Also covered are their 60th birthday parties (very important in Korea) and a list of the various medals, awards , citations etc that both received for their work.
The last part of the exhibition has photos of various sites and scenes of everyday life both from the 1950’s/60’s and now , showing the devastation of the Korean War , some beautiful treasured places ( pagodas ,temples , statues of Buddha etc) and how now the sprawling cities etc have expanded and there are masses of high rise buildings everywhere.
The journey is still not over.
koreanculture.org.au/australian-mackenzie-family
Dates: 8 April – 8 July 2022 (Monday – Friday, 10am – 6pm)
Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Australia (Ground floor, 255 Elizabeth St. Sydney NSW 2000)
Featured image : Mackenzies verandah clinic c1930 Courtesy Kyonggi University Museum South Korea
