Bilin bilin

Bilin Bilin (* 1820 , † 1901 ) was an Elder (Mature) of Yugambeh - Aborigines in southeastern Queensland . He received a so-called King plate from the British colonialists , a national emblem or regalie for a king.

Life

Bilin Bilin was born in southeast Queensland around 1820. He learned to read and write from Pastor Haussmann of the Bethesda Mission. Bilin Bilin had a brother, Mark, who was a good singer. In 1864 the Yugambeh invited the Waterford settlers to Corroboree at Broomhill, the Yugambeh's original camp. On the occasion, Mark sang an English song.

Bilin spent the last years of his life on a reservation to which he was referred by Chief Protector Archibald Meston . Bilin Bilin then came near the Deebing Creek Mission , where he later died.

colonization

The Yugambeh land was colonized by British explorers, woodworkers and missionaries in the 1820s . At first there was a chance for an adequate coexistence, but since the European settlers needed more land in the 19th century, the habitat of the Aborigines was further restricted: they were pushed back by the Queensland Native Police Corps , whose weapons were more effective than spears and clubs who were Aboriginal. In 1861 the Native Police Corps shot and killed a group of Yugamebeh who stole blankets and tobacco. Part of the Aborigines wanted to use guerrilla tactics to fight the European land occupiers; Bilin Bilin opposed it and wanted them to continue working for the white settlers. He even distributed Bibles among his tribe , despite not converting to Christianity and sticking to the traditional Dreamtime ceremonies . In 1863 he became the leader of the Yugambeh. The Europeans distinguished him with a so-called King plate on which the text Jackey Jackey King of the Logan and Pimpama was applied.

Bilin Bilin and his friend Elder Minnippi , whose king plate was King of Tingalpa , traveled to Brisbane by rail. When they arrived north of Waterford, Minnippi fell ill and died a few days later, and Bilin Bilin buried him at night in an unknown place.

Bilin Bilin's legacy

Bilin Bilin understood that the Europeans' land grab was irreversible and that the armed struggle would be unsuccessful. Even so, he tried to preserve the Aboriginal identity and community and said that the Aborigines had to start a new life. With this decision he had many opponents in his tribe. Many of Bilin's descendants now live in the traditional land of their ancestors.

Web links

• Bilin with illustration at www.nma.gov.au, accessed on June 30, 2011
• Image of Bilin Bilin in the reserve with his King plate (on p. 5), accessed on June 30, 2011 (PDF file; 379 kB)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Bilin Bilin at www.logan.gov.au (PDF page 5ff, print page 12ff; 388 kB), accessed on June 30, 2011.