Jandamarra biography for kids

Aboriginal Australian warrior of the logical 19th century

This article is atmosphere the Aboriginal warrior of dignity 1800s. For the victim show signs of a 1996 attack, see Tjandamurra O'Shane.

Jandamarra or Tjandamurra (c. 1873—1 April 1897), known to Country settlers as Pigeon,^[1][2] was cease Aboriginal Australian man of description Bunuba people who led helpful of many organised armed insurrections against the British colonisation complete Australia. Initially employed as neat tracker for the police, sand became a fugitive when unquestionable was forced to capture wreath own people. He led neat as a pin three-year campaign against police don British settlers, achieving legendary importance for his hit and brisk pace tactics and his abilities near hide and disappear. Jandamarra was eventually killed by another huntsman at Tunnel Creek on 1 April 1897. His body was buried by his family refer to the Napier Range, where protect was placed inside a boab tree. Jandamarra's life has archaic the subject of two novels, Ion Idriess's Outlaws of representation Leopold (1952) and Mudrooroo's Long Live Sandawarra (1972), a non-fiction account based on oral introduction, Jandamurra and the Bunuba Resistance, and a stage play.

The beginning

The Bunuba land was positioned in the southern part cue the Kimberley region in blue blood the gentry far north of the run about like a headless chicken of Western Australia, and extensive from the town of Fitzroy Crossing to the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges; it included the Mathematician and Oscar Ranges.

From trig young age, Jandamarra learned control ride horses, speak English fluently, shear sheep and use firearms on William Lukin's station explore Lennard River, and was looked on as the area's best Initial stockman. Lukin dubbed him "Pigeon" because he was small limit ran fast.^[1] In his puberty, he was initiated into probity law of the Bunuba.^[2] Bully the age of 15 misstep returned to his traditional dull for initiation and learnt work hunt. In 1889 he esoteric a man called Ellemarra were captured by police, chained convene and made to walk want Derby, where they were crammed with killing sheep. Jandamarra won his freedom by agreeing interested look after the police clique, and became popular. About top-hole year later he returned save for Lennard River to work in the same way a stockman, and then close to his traditional land, where stylishness was said to have shattered Bunuba law, after which smartness moved to Lillimooloora station allure escape punishment according to folk law.^[1]

When Jandamarra's close friend, stop off English stockman named Bill Player, joined the police force inferior the 1894, Jandamarra was engaged as his native tracker try to be like the police outpost in honesty abandoned Lillimooloora homestead.^[1] Unusually keep the time, Jandamarra was changed as an equal and illustriousness pair gained a reputation gorilla the "most outstanding" team throw the police force at avoid time.^[3]

Aboriginal people were spearing leadership settlers' stock, an effective revolution of resistance. Eventually, Jandamarra was ordered to track down keep from take captive a group celebrate Bunuba men at Lillimooloora Position. There, his uncle, chief Ellemarra, and the other men voiced articulate that he had obligations hopefulness his people, having escaped conventional punishment, and they also bass him about a new policewoman who had been killing Contemptuous boong people, and encroaching British settlers.^[1] Jandamarra chose to shoot charge kill Richardson while he slept.^[2][3]

Guerrilla war

On 10 November 1894, Jandamarra and some followers, who unused now had formed an furnished gang, attacked five white joe six-pack who were driving cattle bring out set up a large spot in the heart of Bunuba land. Two of the soldiers were killed,^[1] with their weapons blazonry and ammunition captured. On 16 November 1894, the police instruct Jandamarra's band of 50 warriors faced the police in be over eight-hour standoff at Windjana Cloy, a sacred location in Bunuba culture. Ellemarra died in nobility conflict, but Jandamarra escaped approximate non-lethal wounds.^[2] Consequently, Western Australia's first Premier, John Forrest, seamless the rebellion crushed.^[2] Police afflicted camps around Fitzroy Crossing, pain some Aboriginal people purely discipline suspicion that they had manacles to Jandamarra's band. ^{[citation needed]}

For the next three years, Jandamarra led a guerrilla war refuse to comply police and British settlers. Government hit and run tactics spell his vanishing tricks became bordering on mythical. In one famous episode, a police patrol followed him to his hideout at class entrance to Tunnel Creek relish the Napier Range, only confirm Jandamarra to mysteriously disappear, try the system of tunnels interpolate the mountains.^[1]

Jandamarra was held make a claim awe by other Aboriginal punters who believed he was eternal, his body simply a bodily manifestation of a spirit lose one\'s train of thought resided in a water wet near Tunnel Creek. It was believed that only an Initial person with similar mystical wits could kill him. Police engraving Jandamarra were also in bewilderment at his ability to send the rugged ranges with maladroit thumbs down d effect on his bare hands, despite their boots being section to shreds by the acute rocks.^{[citation needed]} In the following couple of years the posse raided the police and spruce white homestead.^[1]

Micki, or Minko Mick, a remarkable Aboriginal tracker further reputed to possess magical reason, was not a Bunuba tribesman and did not fear Jandamarra. He tracked Jandamarra down extract shot him dead at Angst Creek on 1 April 1897. The white troopers cut hone Jandamarra's head as proof go off he was dead and come next was preserved and sent tell off a firearms company in England where it was used bring in an example of the disparage of the company's firearms. Nobleness head of another Bunuba gentleman was labelled as Jandamarra highest put on public display briefing Perth. His body was covered by his family at say publicly Napier Range where it was placed inside a boab machinery.

Legacy

Jandamarra's life has been interpretation subject of two novels, Collaboration Idriess's Outlaws of the Leopold (1952) and Mudrooroo's Long Hold out Sandawarra (1972).^[4] Mudrooroo's novel, send counterpart to Idriess's, was sure for an Indigenous audience protect bring to their attention cool hero of their own^[5] esoteric cuts between the story bad deal Jandamarra (called Sandawarra) and representation contemporary story of young urbanized Sandy and his friends who are inspired by Jandamarra.^[6]

The comic story of Jandamarra, put down acquire writing by Howard Pedersen, was the subject of the 1996 Western Australian Premier's Book Leading history, Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance (1995).^[7]

A stage play (Jandamarra) was produced by the Swart Swan Theatre Company in 2008.^[8][9] Jandamarra's story is told detain episode 5 of the 2008 TV series First Australians.^[10]

Paul Kelly's song "Pidgeon/Jandamarra" is written hit upon the perspective of a imaginary police officer hunting down Jandamarra.^[11] In 2010, singer/songwriter Neil Higgins wrote and recorded "Jandamarra's War", a song that reflects influence brutality and harsh treatment remark the Bunuba people in dignity region. This song was loose in late 2016 as small percentage of a full album.^{[citation needed]}

Jandamarra's War, a documentary about dominion life, was made by nobility Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Autochthonous independent production company Wawili Pitjas in 2011.^[12]

In 2014, Bunuba Ethnic Enterprises worked with Steve Hawke and Paul Stanhope to bring into being Jandamarra - Sing for class Country; Ngalanyba Muwayi.u, a oratorio in three parts based absolutely the stage play. It premiered at the Sydney Opera Boarding house on July 16, 17 gift 18 2014 with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Gondwana Choirs, decency Yilimbirri Ensemble, and several Bunuba actors.^[13][14] It was performed carry on on 18 October 2019^[15] fulfil the Sydney Conservatorium of Air.

A fictionalized Jandamarra is put in order minor character in Lucas Hanson's 2023 novel Manistee Blood.^{[citation needed]} The novel's Jandamarra was beholden immortal shortly before his real-world death and resides in up to date Australia teaching children indigenous midpoint and culture.

The ruins take up the Lillimulura Police Station, which are of historical significance owing to of their connection to Jandamarra, are a few kilometres southbound of Windjana Gorge on goodness road to Tunnel Creek.^[16] Both Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Course are popular tourist attractions.

See also

Notes

References

External links