Jandamarra

Jandamarra or Tjandamurra (c. 1873–1 April 1897), also known as "Pigeon", was an Indigenous Australian of the Bunuba tribe who led one of the few armed insurrections against White settlement in Australia.

The Bunuba land is in the southern part of the Kimberley region in the far north of the state of Western Australia, and stretches from the town of Fitzroy Crossing to the King Leopold Ranges. Bunuba lands include the Napier and Oscar Ranges.During the 1890s, Jandamarra was a bounty hunter, a skilled horseman and marksman. During a patrol of the Napier Ranges in the West Kimberley, Jandamarra helped to capture a large group of his people, men and women. They were held at Lillimilura Police Post. Belatedly, Jandamarra's tribal loyalties came to the fore. He gunned down a policeman named Richardson, stole a number of guns and set the prisoners free.

On November 10, 1894, Jandamarra and some followers attacked five white men who were driving cattle to set up a large station in the heart of Bunuba land. Two of these men, Burke and Gibbs, were killed. This was the first time that guns were used against European settlers in an organised fashion and began what became known as "The Bunuba War". There was outrage in Derby and Broome when news of Jandamarra's action became known. In late 1894 a posse of 30 or so heavily armed police and settlers attacked Jandamarra and his followers in Windjana Gorge. Jandamarra was wounded but escaped. Police attacked Aboriginal camps around Fitzroy Crossing. Many Aboriginal people were killed, some purely on suspicion that they had ties to Jandamarra's band. At the time, this was regarded as a normal police action.

For three years, Jandamarra led a guerrilla war against police and European settlers in defence of his lands and his people. His hit and run tactics and his vanishing tricks became almost mythical. In one famous incident a police patrol followed him to his hideout at the entrance to Tunnel Creek in the Napier Range, but Jandamarra disappeared mysteriously. It was many years later that it was discovered that Tunnel Creek has a collapsed section that allows entry and egress from the top of the Range.

Jandamarra was held in awe by other Aboriginal people who believed he was immortal, his body simply a physical manifestation of a spirit that resided in a water soak near Tunnel Creek. It was believed that only an Aborigine with similar mystical powers could kill him. Police chasing Jandamarra were also in awe at his ability to cross the rugged ranges with no effect on his bare feet, despite their boots being cut to shreds by the sharp rocks.

Jandamarra's war was relatively short-lived and ended when police recruited a remarkable Aboriginal tracker, Micki. Micki, reputed to possess magical powers was neither a Bunuba tribesman, nor did he fear Jandamarra. Micki tracked Jandamarra down and shot him to death at Tunnel Creek on April 1, 1897. The white troopers cut off Jandamarra's head as proof that he was dead and it was sent to England as a trophy. His body was buried by his family at the Napier Range where it was placed inside a boab tree.

References

*" [http://www.magabala.com/books/jandamar2.htm Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance] " (Pedersen, Howard and Woorunmurra, Banjo, 2004, ISBN 1-875641-60-2)