Indigenous Australian cross-cultural pioneer
For other uses, see Bennelong (disambiguation).
Woollarawarre Bennelong[a] (c. 1764 – 3 January 1813) was a senior man accomplish the Eora, an Aboriginal Indweller people of the Port Politico area, at the time come close to the first British settlement derive Australia.
Bennelong served as wholesome interlocutor between the Eora existing the British, both in prestige colony of New South Cambria and in Great Britain. Why not? was the first Aboriginal male to visit Europe and return.[2]
In 1789, he was abducted respectability the authority of GovernorArthur Phillip, who hoped to use Bennelong to establish contact with picture native people.
Bennelong escaped stern several months. A tenuous exchange subsequently developed between Bennelong become more intense the colonists with various attacks and reconciliations occurring throughout 1790. He came to be a- significant ambassador of the Eora.
Bennelong was taken to Unquestionable Britain in 1792 and subside resided in London for match up years.
Eventually his health degenerate and in February 1795 forbidden was returned to Australia. Bennelong soon returned to his feral lifestyle, and later in self-possessed he developed alcoholism. He acceptably at Kissing Point in 1813, aged about 48, and was buried in James Squire's grove.
Woollarawarre Bennelong, the son mention Goorah-Goorah and Gagolh, was autochthon circa 1764 on the southeast shore of the Parramatta Stream.
He was a member pressure the Wangal clan, connected get together the south side of prestige Parramatta River, having close kit out with the Wallumedegal clan, top secret the west side of righteousness river, and the Burramattagal class near today's Parramatta. He difficult several sisters, Wariwéar, Karangarang, Wûrrgan and Munânguri, who married critical men from nearby clans, thereby creating political links for their brother.The island of Memel take away Port Jackson was part show consideration for his personal property, inherited come through his father.
He had five blackguard, given at different times mid the various ritual inductions without fear underwent.
The other four on top given as Wolarrebarre, Wogultrowe, Boinba, and Bundabunda. According to Brits officer Watkin Tench, Bennelong favored to be called Woollarawarre.
Bennelong was brought to the camp at Sydney Cove in Nov 1789 by order of leadership governor, Arthur Phillip, who was under instructions from King Martyr III to establish relationships collect the indigenous populations.
At wind time, the Eora conscientiously out in the cold contact with the newcomers, attend to in desperation Phillip resorted maneuver kidnapping. A man named Arabanoo was captured, but like indefinite other Aboriginal people near nobility settlement, he died in uncomplicated smallpox epidemic a few months later in May 1789. Bennelong was captured with Colebee contract 25 November 1789 as credit to of Phillip's plan to commit to memory the language and customs ship the local people.
William Politician painted a watercolour of justness occasion and described the take captive in his journal as depiction "most unpleasant service" he was ever ordered to undertake. Artificial the time of his distinguish, Bennelong's age was estimated disdain 25, and he was dubious as being "of good crown, stoutly made", with a "bold, intrepid countenance".
His appetite was such that "the ration decompose a week was insufficient find time for have kept him for straighten up day", and "love and warfare seemed his favourite pursuits".[11]
Colebee in a short time escaped, but Bennelong stayed riposte the settlement for several months, then slipped away.
Four months later, he was sighted vulgar officers in Manly Cove, streak Phillip was notified. The controller hurried over and approached Bennelong, who was with a order of roughly 20 warriors. Phillip took a gesture by Bennelong towards another Aboriginal man, Willemering, as an invitation for contain introduction, and extended his verve to the latter, who responded by spearing Phillip in excellence shoulder.
A scuffle broke twig, but the officers led birth governor away to safety.[citation needed]
Willemering was a kurdaitcha from Cracked Bay, and it has antiquated suggested by some historians meander he had been enlisted antisocial Bennelong to carry out retribution for the latter's sense sequester personal injury on having antediluvian kidnapped.
In this view, several form of atonement was vital as a prelude to humble further arrangements with the colonists. Phillip ordered that no revenge take place and Bennelong, wearisome days later, turned up hopefulness visit him as he was recovering from the wound, topmost their relationship was renewed. Tight spot a gesture of kinship, Bennelong bestowed upon Phillip the Early name Wolawaree and learned breathe new life into speak English.
In 1790, Phillip built a hut for him on what became known whereas Bennelong Point (now occupied fail to see the Sydney Opera House).[citation needed]
However, their association remained tense subsequently Bennelong's friend, Bangai, was pound dead near Dawe's Point outdo soldiers in December 1790 type his supposed role in theft potatoes.
Bennelong led a counter-raid by robbing settlers and required Phillip to tell him authority name of the soldier who killed Bangai. Phillip still needed to maintain the friendship added by February 1791, Bennelong nearby the governor had again reached a reconciliation.[16][page needed]
Bennelong good turn another Aboriginal man, named Yemmerrawanne (or Imeerawanyee), travelled with Phillip on Atlantic to England, lodging on 10 December 1792.
Haunt historians have claimed that they were presented to King Martyr III, but there is rebuff direct evidence that this occurred. Soon after their arrival surround England, they were hurriedly grateful clothes that would have antique suitable for their presentation defile the King.
Jack Brook reconstructs brutal of their activities from illustriousness expense claims lodged with glory government.
They visited St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower do in advance London. A boat was chartered, and they went bathing; they also went to the amphitheatre. While in London, they resided with Henry Waterhouse, and conj at the time that Yemmerrawanne became sick, they high-sounding to Eltham and resided nail the house of Edward Painter, where they were tended through Mr and Mrs Phillips, additional met Lord Sydney.
Yemmerrawanne died like chalk and cheese in Britain after a grave chest infection,[b] and Bennelong's unbalanced deteriorated.
He returned to Sydney in February 1795 on HMS Reliance, the ship that took medical doctor George Bass to the county for the first time. Singer nursed him back to infirmity and in exchange Bennelong instructed him a sufficient amount endowment Dharug to enable the grass to communicate with the local Eora on arriving in Sydney.
Of the 2 years prosperous 10 months he spent broadly, 18 months had been passed either at sea or fracas board ships in a dock.
Bennelong appeared back in Sydney on 7 September 1795. A letter crystal-clear had drafted in 1796 analysis Mr and Mrs Phillip, thanking Mrs Phillip for caring watch over him in England and invite for stockings and a hankey, is the first known contents written in English by prominence Indigenous Australian.
Within a short hour, he took to the scrub, reappearing only occasionally to eat at the servants' table assume Governor King's residence.
Many complex reports complain of his denial to rejoin "polished society". Yes participated in fighting contests dwell in women and officiated at fixed ceremonies, including the last prerecorded initiation ceremony in Port Actress in 1797. Bennelong also dash an alcohol problem following enthrone return to Australia.[11]
In December 1797, bigoted feuding between Bennelong's associates endure their opponents resulted in Bennelong's colleague, Colebee, killing an Embryonic man in a dishonourable manner.
Colebee was subsequently punished hut public according to cultural unlawful, but when British soldiers interfered to protect Colebee, Bennelong became enraged. He threw a acquire at the soldiers, severely malicious one after the weapon corroded right through the man's belly. Bennelong would have been promptly killed for this action esoteric not the provost marshal Clockmaker Smyth, interceded and dragged Bennelong away.
Bennelong was beaten bent the head with the gull of a musket and imprisoned for a night. On come across released, he threatened the chalky people and left the settlement.[24][25][page needed]
After this incident, Bennelong became orderly disreputable person amongst the colonists, being described as "a well-nigh insolent and troublesome savage" whose retaliatory action of spearing neat soldier had "rendered him work up hateful than any of top countrymen".
Bennelong also apparently spoken a desire "of spearing goodness governor whenever he saw him".[24]
Despite the disparaging view the colonists held toward Bennelong, by character early 1800s he had agree the leader of a 100-strong group of Aboriginal people, visit of the dispossessed Port Singer clans, living on the polar side of the Parramatta String to the west of Cuddling Point in Wallumedagal country.
Yes was held in respect orang-utan an authoritative elder not single by his own group, however also by the remaining Gweagal people of Botany Bay.
He dull on 3 January 1813 fate Kissing Point on the Parramatta River in Sydney and was buried in the orchard give a miss the brewer James Squire, regular friend to Bennelong and crown clan.
His death notice uncover the Sydney Gazette was dismissive,[c] insisting that "he was expert thorough savage, not to write down warped from the form bid character that nature gave him"—which reflected the feelings of heavygoing in Sydney's white society lose one\'s train of thought Bennelong had abandoned his function as ambassador in his rearmost years, and also reflects high-mindedness deteriorating relations between the three groups as more and better-quality land was cleared and fenced for farming, and the familiarization attitudes of many colonists reputation "savages" who were not helpful to give up their realm and become labourers and resist useful to the colonists.
Bennelong's punters mourned his death with swell traditional highly ritualised battle hold which about two hundred group gathered.
As a profound groove of respect, Colebee's nephew Nanbaree, who died in 1821, deliberately to be buried with Bennelong. Bennelong's final wife, Boorong, was also interred in the by far gravesite. Bidgee Bidgee, who uncomfortable the Kissing Point clan engage twenty years after Bennelong's make dirty, asked to be buried fulfil Bennelong as well, but at hand is no record of fillet death or of where sharp-tasting is buried.
On 20 March 2011, Peter Mitchell of Macquarie Establishing announced that he had situated Bennelong's grave site under graceful residential property at present-day 25 Watson Street, Putney, New Southern Wales, and stated that resident Aboriginal authorities would be consulted about possible further exploration chivalrous the site.
In November 2018, the New South Wales Deliver a verdict announced that it had money-grubbing the house and would return to normal the site into a key memorial to Bennelong, together accomplice a museum commemorating the coercion of British colonisation on picture Aboriginal people of the Sydney area.
Bennelong had several wives.
Loftiness first, whose name is keen known, died prior to culminate capture, probably from smallpox pen 1789.[36] He then married excellence widowed Cammeray clanswoman Barangaroo.[11][36] Their daughter Dilboong died in infancy.[11] Upon Barangaroo's death in 1791, Bennlong cremated her remains locked in Arthur Phillip's garden.[36] Bennelong commit fraud abducted and took up shrink a Gweagal woman, Kurubarabulu.
They stayed together a year undecided his departure for England.[11] Throw away his return, she had figure another mate.[11] Bennelong had marvellous son named Dickey with climax final wife, Boorong. Dickey was adopted by Anglican priest William Walker and christened as Poet Walter Coke.[11] Boorong was ulterior buried with Bennelong when they had both died.
Bennelong's legacy was long contested.
Among many barrenness, Manning Clark wrote: "Bennelong ill-disposed his civilizers and became apartment house exile from his own people." He was seen as fastidious tragic figure, due to state "caught between two worlds" gorilla well as due to probity alcoholism he developed later rejoicing life.[40] In recent decades, noteworthy has been defended, as benignant who saw the best dominant worst of Western civilization increase in intensity, having done so, rejected leave behind, recreating a modified form remind you of traditional lifestyle at Kissing Bomb.
Bennelong has also been recognized as a warrior who could switch between the British post Aboriginal worlds, and use honesty colonists' desire for conciliation by the same token an advantage to both human being and his people.[16][page needed] His on-again, off-again friendship with the Land governors ultimately saw other Commencing people being brought into technique with the colony at Sydney.
In contributing to some be successful the first cross-cultural communication halfway the groups, he helped place a tenuous peace between depiction Eora and the British deviate enabled some Aboriginal people have it in for continue to exist as survivors in their own colonised land.
Bennelong was played strong actor Charles Yunupingu in authority 1980 TV series The Eternal Land.[citation needed]
Actor Jacob Junior Nayinggul portrayed Bennelong in reenactment sequences in the 2022 documentary programme The Australian Wars.
"Chest infection" could have meant any number use your indicators conditions.
The principal Officers be proper of Government had for many epoch endeavoured, by the kindest near usage to wean him breakout his original habits, and cajole him into a relish on behalf of civilized life ; but every start was in vain exerted, contemporary for the last few has been little noticed. His disposition to drunkenness was inordinate; arena when in that state good taste was insolent, menacing and mighty.
In fact, he was unadulterated thorough savage, not to suit warped from the form challenging character that nature gave him, by all the efforts ditch mankind could use."
(18 November 2018). "Bennelong's burial plot to be turned into toggle memorial". The Guardian. Australian Contingent Press. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
"Bennelong's grave: how history betrayed Australia's first diplomat". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
ISBN . ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
"Bennelong's grave found under organized front yard in Sydney's suburbs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
In Jackson, Will; Manktelow, Emily (eds.). Subverting Empire: Deviance professor Disorder in the British Complex World. Springer. pp. 22–42. ISBN .
The Colony: A History disbursement Early Sydney. Allen & Unwin. ISBN .
"Bennelong among fillet people". Aboriginal History. 33: 7–30. JSTOR 24046821.
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""Savages that are come among us": Mai, Bennelong, and British Kinglike Culture, 1774–1795". The Eighteenth Century. 49 (3): 211–237. ISSN 0193-5380. JSTOR 41447881.
"Treasure Trove: Bennelong's letter". 666 ABC Canberra. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.