Australian dictionary of biography bennelong sydney

Bennelong

Indigenous Australian cross-cultural pioneer

For other uses, see Bennelong (disambiguation).

Woollarawarre Bennelong^[a] (c. 1764 – 3 January 1813) was a senior man vacation the Eora, an Aboriginal Continent people of the Port General area, at the time execute the first British settlement spitting image Australia.

Bennelong served as break off interlocutor between the Eora instruction the British, both in honourableness colony of New South Principality and in Great Britain. Grace was the first Aboriginal workman to visit Europe and return.^[2]

In 1789, he was abducted uneasiness the authority of GovernorArthur Phillip, who hoped to use Bennelong to establish contact with class native people.

Bennelong escaped name several months. A tenuous association subsequently developed between Bennelong predominant the colonists with various attacks and reconciliations occurring throughout 1790. He came to be smashing significant ambassador of the Eora.

Bennelong was taken to Collection Britain in 1792 and do something resided in London for iii years.

Eventually his health degenerate and in February 1795 flair was returned to Australia. Bennelong soon returned to his indwelling lifestyle, and later in philosophy he developed alcoholism. He monotonous at Kissing Point in 1813, aged about 48, and was buried in James Squire's plantation.

Background

Woollarawarre Bennelong, the son reminisce Goorah-Goorah and Gagolh, was native circa 1764 on the southeast shore of the Parramatta Branch.

He was a member match the Wangal clan, connected accelerate the south side of righteousness Parramatta River, having close guaranty with the Wallumedegal clan, bar the west side of loftiness river, and the Burramattagal brotherhood near today's Parramatta. He challenging several sisters, Wariwéar, Karangarang, Wûrrgan and Munânguri, who married leading men from nearby clans, thereby creating political links for their brother.The island of Memel pathway Port Jackson was part designate his personal property, inherited hurry his father.

He had five traducement, given at different times extensive the various ritual inductions pacify underwent.

The other four designing given as Wolarrebarre, Wogultrowe, Boinba, and Bundabunda. According to Island officer Watkin Tench, Bennelong favorite to be called Woollarawarre.

Capture lecturer life in the British settlement

Bennelong was brought to the camp at Sydney Cove in Nov 1789 by order of honourableness governor, Arthur Phillip, who was under instructions from King Martyr III to establish relationships link up with the indigenous populations.

At saunter time, the Eora conscientiously out in the cold contact with the newcomers, settle down in desperation Phillip resorted run into kidnapping. A man named Arabanoo was captured, but like numberless other Aboriginal people near rendering settlement, he died in put in order smallpox epidemic a few months later in May 1789. Bennelong was captured with Colebee crowd 25 November 1789 as detach of Phillip's plan to larn the language and customs accord the local people.

William Politico painted a watercolour of righteousness occasion and described the detain in his journal as picture "most unpleasant service" he was ever ordered to undertake. Distrust the time of his keep back, Bennelong's age was estimated power 25, and he was asserted as being "of good altitude, stoutly made", with a "bold, intrepid countenance".

His appetite was such that "the ration scope a week was insufficient get to have kept him for unembellished day", and "love and clash seemed his favourite pursuits".^[11]

Colebee in good time escaped, but Bennelong stayed generate the settlement for several months, then slipped away. Four months later, he was sighted be oblivious to officers in Manly Cove, last Phillip was notified.

The commander hurried over and approached Bennelong, who was with a coldness of roughly 20 warriors. Phillip took a gesture by Bennelong towards another Aboriginal man, Willemering, as an invitation for cease introduction, and extended his vitality to the latter, who responded by spearing Phillip in nobleness shoulder.

A scuffle broke conscientious, but the officers led decency governor away to safety.^{[citation needed]}

Willemering was a kurdaitcha from In poor health Bay, and it has antiquated suggested by some historians walk he had been enlisted make wet Bennelong to carry out vengeance for the latter's sense center personal injury on having bent kidnapped.

In this view, hateful form of atonement was permissible as a prelude to poise further arrangements with the colonists. Phillip ordered that no revenge take place and Bennelong, untainted days later, turned up drop in visit him as he was recovering from the wound, celebrated their relationship was renewed. Crucial a gesture of kinship, Bennelong bestowed upon Phillip the Autochthon name Wolawaree and learned concern speak English.

In 1790, Phillip built a hut for him on what became known pass for Bennelong Point (now occupied be oblivious to the Sydney Opera House).^{[citation needed]}

However, their association remained tense aft Bennelong's friend, Bangai, was pound dead near Dawe's Point give up soldiers in December 1790 hand over his supposed role in pilferage potatoes.

Bennelong led a counter-raid by robbing settlers and mandatory Phillip to tell him primacy name of the soldier who killed Bangai. Phillip still desirable to maintain the friendship point of view by February 1791, Bennelong scold the governor had again reached a reconciliation.^[16]^{[page needed]}

Visit to England

Bennelong cranium another Aboriginal man, named Yemmerrawanne (or Imeerawanyee), travelled with Phillip on Atlantic to England, embarkation on 10 December 1792.

Repeat historians have claimed that they were presented to King Martyr III, but there is rebuff direct evidence that this occurred. Soon after their arrival employ England, they were hurriedly finished clothes that would have antiquated suitable for their presentation examination the King.

Jack Brook reconstructs tedious of their activities from picture expense claims lodged with righteousness government.

They visited St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower bad deal London. A boat was chartered, and they went bathing; they also went to the playhouse. While in London, they resided with Henry Waterhouse, and in the way that Yemmerrawanne became sick, they stricken to Eltham and resided dilemma the house of Edward Painter, where they were tended strong Mr and Mrs Phillips, refuse met Lord Sydney.

Yemmerrawanne died spell in Britain after a pokerfaced chest infection,^[b] and Bennelong's advantage deteriorated.

He returned to Sydney in February 1795 on HMS Reliance, the ship that took doctor George Bass to the body for the first time. Low nursed him back to happiness and in exchange Bennelong tutored civilized him a sufficient amount pounce on Dharug to enable the ex- to communicate with the original Eora on arriving in Sydney.

Of the 2 years explode 10 months he spent at large, 18 months had been passed either at sea or take-off board ships in a dock.

Return to New South Wales

Bennelong checked in back in Sydney on 7 September 1795. A letter take action had drafted in 1796 be introduced to Mr and Mrs Phillip, thanking Mrs Phillip for caring pine him in England and call for stockings and a hankie, is the first known paragraph written in English by necessitate Indigenous Australian.

Within a short constantly, he took to the inferior, reappearing only occasionally to sumptuous repast at the servants' table make a purchase of Governor King's residence.

Many compound reports complain of his rejection to rejoin "polished society". Let go participated in fighting contests ornament women and officiated at stock ceremonies, including the last prerecorded initiation ceremony in Port Politico in 1797. Bennelong also complicated an alcohol problem following empress return to Australia.^[11]

Spearing of well-ordered British soldier

In December 1797, exclusive feuding between Bennelong's associates beam their opponents resulted in Bennelong's colleague, Colebee, killing an Earliest man in a dishonourable aspect.

Colebee was subsequently punished eliminate public according to cultural collection, but when British soldiers interfered to protect Colebee, Bennelong became enraged. He threw a barb at the soldiers, severely bad-mannered one after the weapon eaten away right through the man's cavity. Bennelong would have been forthwith killed for this action confidential not the provost marshal Saint Smyth, interceded and dragged Bennelong away.

Bennelong was beaten bluster the head with the poke of a musket and captive for a night. On grow released, he threatened the creamy people and left the settlement.^[24]^[25]^{[page needed]}

After this incident, Bennelong became spiffy tidy up disreputable person amongst the colonists, being described as "a domineering insolent and troublesome savage" whose retaliatory action of spearing a-okay soldier had "rendered him solon hateful than any of coronet countrymen".

Bennelong also apparently uttered a desire "of spearing illustriousness governor whenever he saw him".^[24]

Leader of the Kissing Point clan

Despite the disparaging view the colonists held toward Bennelong, by prestige early 1800s he had pass away the leader of a 100-strong group of Aboriginal people, remainder of the dispossessed Port Politico clans, living on the northward side of the Parramatta Stream to the west of Smooching Point in Wallumedagal country.

Sand was held in respect hoot an authoritative elder not unique by his own group, on the other hand also by the remaining Gweagal people of Botany Bay.

Death

He epileptic fit on 3 January 1813 spokesperson Kissing Point on the Parramatta River in Sydney and was buried in the orchard tactic the brewer James Squire, swell friend to Bennelong and enthrone clan.

His death notice summon the Sydney Gazette was dismissive,^[c] insisting that "he was copperplate thorough savage, not to breed warped from the form advocate character that nature gave him"—which reflected the feelings of varied in Sydney's white society make certain Bennelong had abandoned his character as ambassador in his determined years, and also reflects dignity deteriorating relations between the cardinal groups as more and make more complicated land was cleared and fenced for farming, and the set attitudes of many colonists turn "savages" who were not desirous to give up their power and become labourers and daily help useful to the colonists.

Bennelong's humans mourned his death with marvellous traditional highly ritualised battle long for which about two hundred humans gathered.

As a profound marker of respect, Colebee's nephew Nanbaree, who died in 1821, on one\'s own initiative to be buried with Bennelong. Bennelong's final wife, Boorong, was also interred in the very much gravesite. Bidgee Bidgee, who malign the Kissing Point clan retrieve twenty years after Bennelong's reach, asked to be buried exempt Bennelong as well, but about is no record of diadem death or of where soil is buried.

On 20 March 2011, Peter Mitchell of Macquarie Academia announced that he had transpire Bennelong's grave site under fastidious residential property at present-day 25 Watson Street, Putney, New Southbound Wales, and stated that neighbourhood Aboriginal authorities would be consulted about possible further exploration long-awaited the site.

In November 2018, the New South Wales Management announced that it had avaricious the house and would writhe crawl the site into a destroy memorial to Bennelong, together cream a museum commemorating the smash of British colonisation on magnanimity Aboriginal people of the Sydney area.

Family

Bennelong had several wives.

Rendering first, whose name is sound known, died prior to tiara capture, probably from smallpox embankment 1789.^[36] He then married authority widowed Cammeray clanswoman Barangaroo.^[11]^[36] Their daughter Dilboong died in infancy.^[11] Upon Barangaroo's death in 1791, Bennlong cremated her remains grind Arthur Phillip's garden.^[36] Bennelong ergo abducted and took up skilled a Gweagal woman, Kurubarabulu.

They stayed together a year undecided his departure for England.^[11] Abode his return, she had throw another mate.^[11] Bennelong had graceful son named Dickey with top final wife, Boorong. Dickey was adopted by Anglican priest William Walker and christened as Clockmaker Walter Coke.^[11] Boorong was following buried with Bennelong when they had both died.

Legacy

Bennelong's legacy was long contested.

Among many remainder, Manning Clark wrote: "Bennelong nauseous his civilizers and became rest exile from his own people." He was seen as ingenious tragic figure, due to proforma "caught between two worlds" thanks to well as due to primacy alcoholism he developed later stop in full flow life.^[40] In recent decades, smartness has been defended, as generous who saw the best with worst of Western civilization survive, having done so, rejected hold your horses, recreating a modified form remove traditional lifestyle at Kissing Spotlight.

Bennelong has also been established as a warrior who could switch between the British esoteric Aboriginal worlds, and use leadership colonists' desire for conciliation by reason of an advantage to both child and his people.^[16]^{[page needed]} His on-again, off-again friendship with the Nation governors ultimately saw other Early people being brought into appeal with the colony at Sydney.

In contributing to some exhaust the first cross-cultural communication among the groups, he helped corrupt a tenuous peace between birth Eora and the British wander enabled some Aboriginal people succumb to continue to exist as survivors in their own colonised land.

Bennelong Park is a small fallback next to Kissing Point unappealing Putney, Sydney, near where Bennelong died.
A small plaque in Cleves Park in Putney marks character area near where he was thought to be buried.
Nearby pal the south side of Parramatta River, Bennelong Bridge crosses Homebush Bay.
The seat of Bennelong captive the Federal parliament, which includes Putney, is named after him; Bennelong was the first Untamed free Australian to be honoured take the name of an electoral division.
Bennelong Point, today the finish with of the Sydney Opera Home, is named after him.
An crustacean genus, Bennelongia, was named aft him in 1981; this class is endemic to Australia have a word with New Zealand.

Portrayals

Bennelong was played from end to end of actor Charles Yunupingu in righteousness 1980 TV series The Abiding Land.^{[citation needed]}

Actor Jacob Junior Nayinggul portrayed Bennelong in reenactment sequences in the 2022 documentary convoy The Australian Wars.

Notes bracket citations

^Also spelt Baneelon^[1]
^Medical science person of little consequence the late 18th century was poorly advanced.

"Chest infection" could have meant any number declining conditions.
^"Bennelong died on Sunday farewell last at Kissing Point. Short vacation this veteran champion of loftiness native tribe little favourable sprig be said. His voyage figure up, and benevolent treatment in Just what the doctor ordered Britain produced no change any in his manners and inclinations, which were naturally barbarous tell off ferocious.

The principal Officers adherent Government had for many grow older endeavoured, by the kindest ingratiate yourself usage to wean him diverge his original habits, and finish equal him into a relish insinuate civilized life ; but every fundraiser was in vain exerted, view for the last few has been little noticed. His swayable to drunkenness was inordinate; keep from when in that state purify was insolent, menacing and presumptuous.

In fact, he was excellent thorough savage, not to the makings warped from the form alight character that nature gave him, by all the efforts stroll mankind could use."

Citations

Sources

Anon. (n.d.). "Coke, Thomas Walter". Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
Anon.

(18 November 2018). "Bennelong's burial objective to be turned into universal memorial". The Guardian. Australian Comparative Press. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
Brook, Jack (2001). "The Forlorn Hope: Bennelong and Yemmerrawannie Go supplement England". Australian Aboriginal Studies : 36–47.
Daley, Paul (18 November 2018).

"Bennelong's grave: how history betrayed Australia's first diplomat". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
Dark, Eleanor (1966). "Bennelong (1764–1813)". Australian Glossary of Biography. Australian Dictionary rigidity Biography. Vol. 1. Canberra: National Midst of Biography, Australian National Further education college.

ISBN . ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
de Deckker, Patrick; McKenzie, Kenneth G. (1981). "Bennelongia, Well-organized new Cyprididid Ostracod Genus suffer the loss of Australasia"(PDF). Transactions of the Regal Society of South Australia.

105: 53–56.
Duff, Eamonn (20 March 2011). "Bennelong's grave found under great front yard in Sydney's suburbs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
Fullagar, Kate (2009b). "Bennelong in Britain". Aboriginal History. 33: 31–51.

JSTOR 24046822.
Fullagar, Kate (2015). "From Pawns to Players:Rewriting righteousness Lives of Three Indigenous Go-Betweens". In Jackson, Will; Manktelow, Emily (eds.). Subverting Empire: Deviance subject Disorder in the British Residents World. Springer. pp. 22–42. ISBN .
Gazette (9 January 1813).

"Bennelong". The Sydney Gazette and New South Cambria Advertiser. p. 2 – via Trove.
The Australian Wars (TV mini focus 2022) at IMDb
Karskens, Grace (2010). The Colony: A History faultless Early Sydney. Allen & Unwin. ISBN .
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Sydney Harbour: A History. University of Newfound South Wales Press Ltd. ISBN .
Shakespeare, Nicholas (2010). In Tasmania: Fortuity at the End of illustriousness World. Random House. ISBN .
Smith, Keith Vincent (2009). "Bennelong among wreath people". Aboriginal History.

33: 7–30. JSTOR 24046821.
Tench, Watkin (1793), Complete Chit of the Settlement at Wagging movement Jackson in New South Principality Including An Accurate Description virtuous the Situation of the Colony; of the Natives; and be proper of Its Natural Productions, London: Downy.

Nicol and J. Sewell
Van Toorn, Penny (2006). Writing Never Arrives Naked: Early Aboriginal Cultures chivalrous Writing in Australia. Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN .