Yorkrakine Rock Birthing Site

In 2011 Rose Davis worked with Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management to develop a project at Yorkrakine rock, near Tammin, to celebrate the history of the area as an Aboriginal Birthing Site. As part of the project Rose developed a plaque that was placed at Yorkrakine to commemorate the women that gave birth there, the children that were born there and the women and children who didn’t survive the births.

This project initiated an annual celebratory camp at Yorkrakine, which is held each winter and attended by women and older girls from throughout the Wheatbelt. During the celebration Rose Davis teaches the women and girls about the history and importance of the site.

Up until the early 20th century Aboriginal women from the Wheatbelt were still giving birth in the bush and many Aboriginal women were not allowed to give birth at hospital. Aboriginal midwives were essential in supporting and guiding the women giving birth. These midwives were highly skilled, however there was always the possibility of complications that meant some children and women didn’t survive. Birthing sites are of significant spiritual importance to Aboriginal people as they help determine the traditional lands of those born there. The graves of the children (and possibly the women) who didn’t survive are also located near birthing sites.