Mullawirraburka
Mullawirraburka , also called Kertamero , King John and Onkaparinga Jack (* probably 1811 at Willunga ; † January 2, 1845 in Adelaide , South Australia ), was a leader of the Kaurna Aboriginal tribe .
Name and dream time story
His name is translated as Dry Forest Old Man (German: old man of the dry forest ). In the language of the Aborigines it is composed of Mullawirra , a forest in the east of the Aldinga Plain , and of Burka , an old man. His name suggests that he was important as a ritual leader.
The Port Noarlunga Reef was created in the minds of the Aborigines as a dream time story . Mullawirraburka is said to have thrown a spear into the water from a cliff between Christies Beach and Port Noarlunga to bring the fish closer to the shore. The spearhead is said to have broken off and a habitat for fish is said to have emerged from it, which provided enough fish this summer.
Life
The 1.73 m tall Mullawirraburka had four wives. He was recognized by the European settlers as a spokesman for the native Aborigines because of his intelligence and articulation skills.
The colonial administration established an Aboriginal reservation on the banks of the River Torrens in 1838 , in which Mullawirraburka lived permanently. There he developed friendly relationships with the Lutheran missionaries Christian Gottlieb Teichelmann and Clamor Wilhelm Schürmann from Saxony . Mullawirraburka learned English and taught the missionaries in his language.
He defended his traditional land against other Aboriginal tribes, for example against the Moorundie from the Murray River . In 1839 he was appointed honorary police constable by the governor and mediated in conflicts between the Kaurna and the settlers.
Mullawirraburka probably died of tuberculosis and was buried in Noarlunga.
Afterlife
There is a wax portrait of him that is in the Art Gallery of South Australia .
A park in Adelaide bears his name.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c adb.anu.edu.au : Tom Gara: Mullawirraburka (1811–1845) , in English, accessed on October 26, 2012
- ↑ pir.sa.gov.au ( Memento of the original from March 31, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 527 kB): Port Noarlunga Reef Underwater Trail , in English, accessed on October 25, 2012
- ↑ adelaidecitycouncil.com ( Memento of the original from March 27, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 7.7 MB): Adelaide Park Lands , in English, accessed on October 25, 2012
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mullawirraburka |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Kertamero, King John; Onkaparinga Jack |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Kaurna Aboriginal leader |
| DATE OF BIRTH | uncertain: 1811 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Willunga , South Australia |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 2, 1845 |
| Place of death | Adelaide , South Australia |