Murdering gully massacre

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The Murdering Gully massacre was committed against the Djargurd-Wurrung -Aborigines in 1839. 35 to 40 Aborigines of the Tarnbeere Gundidj clan of the Djargurd Wurrung tribe were murdered at Camperdown in Victoria , Australia . The massacre, known by the Djargurd Wurrung Puuroyup , happened on Mount Emu Creek near Merida Station. The massacre has been passed down by oral tradition, written reports in the settlers' diaries, reports from Weslayan missionaries and state protectors of the Aborigines. The massacre destroyed the Tarnbeere Gundij clan in its entirety.

massacre

The Aborigine clans were driven from their land in the course of European colonization, their traditional food, which consisted of kangaroos and emus , was scared away and the Aborigines were forced to kill sheep in order not to starve.

The massacre was led by the main perpetrator, Frederick Taylor , in which other of his employees and shepherds were involved, after unknown Aborigines allegedly slaughtered two of his sheep. Frederick Taylor was the administrator of Glenormiston Station and carried out the attack on the Aboriginal camp with James Hamilton and Bloomfield and a group of shepherds after the alleged theft, with men, women and children being shot. The black bodies were thrown into a watering hole and cremated two days later. Some Aborigines were able to flee and told Charles Sievwright and the missionaries Benjamin Hurst and Francis Tuckfield about this massacre.

Testimony

In an affidavit, Edward Williamson, the overseer of the Weslayan-Buntingdale Mission from Birregurra , reported that Wore-gu-i-moni explained the course of the massacre to him:

... The Party advanced in an extended line upon the natives, Mr Taylor was in the center of the line, the shepherds were on each side of him, they advanced shouting and immediately fired upon the natives who were asleep. They succeeded in killing all they could see, amounting to thirty five (35). I was particular in ascertaining the exact number and they (the natives) gave me the same number over and over again. The slaughtered consisted of men, women and children. The abovenamed native was one of the party attacked and succeeded in hiding himself among the long grass and thus escaped. The whites immediately threw the bodies into a waterhole, and left the spot leaving the bodies there.
(English: The group was advancing in an extended line, Taylor was in the center of this line, the shepherds were by his side. They walked ahead roaring and immediately fired at the sleeping Aborigines. They killed everyone they could see, it was 35. I was especially careful in finding out the exact number of Aborigines killed, and the Aborigines recited that number over and over again. Those killed included men, women and children. The above Aboriginal was one of those attacked by the group but was able to hide successfully in the long grass and therefore flee. The whites immediately threw the bodies into water holes and left the place with the bodies there.)

Sievwright collected and reproduced testimony: Wan-Geg-a-mon reports on the murder of his wife and child in this massacre:

... about six moons ago, I with my lubra and child (male) were encamped with thirty others Aboriginal natives, men, women and children, upon the Bor-rang-yallock, when Mr Taylor and many poor men (shepherds) came towards our miam-miams with guns, Mr Taylor was on horseback, they came up in an extended line Mr Taylor in the center they advanced quick and immediately fired upon the natives, I ran to the other side of the river and lay down behind a tree among the grass, they killed more than thirty men, women and children, my lubra and child were among the dead, the white people threw them into the water and soon left the place, the water was much stained with blood, I saw the dead body of my lubra but did not see my child. I remained for two days near the spot. Two days after the murder Yi-yi-ran (Mr Andreson) and Mr Watson came and saw the bodies and seemed sorry and said to Mr Taylor why did you kill so many lubras and children. Yi-yi-ran, Charles Courtney, James Ramslie and James Hamilton, burned the bodies, and made fires. Mr Taylor, Mr Andreson and Mr Watson came on horseback two days after with a sack and took away part of the bones not consumed.
(German: About six months ago I was expelled to Bor-rang-Yallock with my wife and daughter with 30 other Aborigines, men, women and children, when Taylor and some poor people (shepherds) came to miam-miams with guns. Taylor was on a horse and they came in a long line with Taylor in the center and they suddenly started firing at the Aborigines and I ran across the river and lay down in the grass behind a tree and they killed more than 30 men, women and men Children, my wife and my child were among those killed, the whites threw them into the water and soon left the place, the water was full of blood. I saw my wife's dead body, but I could not see my child. I stayed for two days near the place, two days after that the killers Yi-yi-ran (Mr. Andreson) and Mr. Watson came and saw the bodies and they seemed sorry and they said to Taylor why did you kill so many Women and children, Yi-yi-ran, Charles Courtney, James Ramslie, and James Hilton burned the bodies and started the fires.)

Orally passed down through James Dawson from 1881 that Bareetch Chuurneen, a woman of the clan, attempted an escape with her child to Wuurna Weewheetch on the west side of Lake Bullen Merri . With her child on her back, she swam across the lake to escape her pursuers.

Ratings

George Augustus Robinson was then the chief protector of the Aborigines and he stated in a letter to his assistant Sievwright dated July 11, 1839:

What proof is there of the Blacks having killed the sheep? The shepherd said so. Might not the shepherd have done it himself and after keeping the hindquarters for his own use have given the forequarters to the natives ... If this is the only charge Mr Taylor can allege against the aboriginal natives it certainly amounts to very little. In point of law it proved it is an opence, but who in the name of common humanity I would ask would think of injuring those already too much injured people, and for such a trifle
(Deutsch: Welchenweis giving there that the blacks die The shepherds said so. Couldn't a shepherd have done this himself and then put the blame on the Aborigines ... If this is the only charge Mr. Taylor can make in revenge against the Aborigines, it is certainly very great This is clearly a violation of the law, but who - in the name of general humanity, I ask! - would think of hurting so many of these already very injured people because of such a trifle.)

Glenormiston Station was acquired by Neil Black in 1840, who wrote in his journal:

The blacks have been very troublesome on it (Glenormiston) and I believe they have been cruelly dealt with. The late superintendent (Taylor) ran off from a fear that he would be apprehended and tried for murdering the natives. The poor creatures are terror stricken and will be easily managed. … It is the opinion of Blackie (the station overseer) that about 35-40 natives have been despatched on this establishment and that there is only two men left alive of the tribe. He is certain we will never be troubled with any of them on this run
(German: The blacks were very disturbed in Glenormiston and I believe they were treated cruelly. The later superintendent Taylor fled for fear that he would be attacked for his murders The poor creatures are filled with horror and easy to influence ... It is the view of Blackie (station overseer) that from about 35 to 40 of the Aboriginal clan were assigned to the station and that only two were left on Lives. He's sure he won't have any more trouble with any of them.)

Blacks expected expropriation and terror against them and that the eviction of the Djargurd Wurrung from their place in miam-miams (bark shelter) should be seen as a warning sign as they found gunpowder.

Prosecution

Fearing prosecution for the massacre in late 1839 or early 1840, Taylor fled to India for a few years so that the matter should be forgotten. He returned to Victoria and in June 1844 he was managing a cattle station on the Mitchell River near Lindenow. When Taylor attempted to settle in Gippsland , Crown Land Commissioner Charles Tyers refused any assistance in Taylor's land acquisition and cited his treatment of Aboriginal people in the Western District. Taylor then appealed to Governor Charles La Trobe as a petitioner: “a copy of these grave charges that are recorded against me that I may have an opportunity of showing Mr Tyers and the Government that I am innocent of any improper treatment of the aboriginal natives of this district. " (German: a copy of these grave allegations against me and that I will have the opportunity to show Mr. Tyers and the government that I am innocent of any inappropriate treatment of natives in this district.)

La Trobe reviewed the case for several months using statements from Sievwright and passed it on to Chief Protector of Aboriginal George Augustus Robinson for examination and upheld Tyer’s decision.

In March 1846, Charles La Trobe informed the Colony Secretariat that all charges against Taylor were "satisfactorily refuted" ( "ended in satisfactory disproval" ). For a further 13 years Taylor was able to operate cattle farming in Gippsland on the Mitchell River and Tambo River on Lake Victoria and Lake King on Swan Reach with the permission of the state, where they ran a campaign to dispossess the Gunai tribe.

Taylor was also involved in the murder of the Woolmudgin of the Wathaurong Aborigines on October 17, 1836 and fled to Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania) to avoid inquiries and possible prosecution on the matter.

As a result of the massacre and public disapproval and criticism of the main perpetrator, Frederick Taylor, the Taylor River was renamed Mount Emu Creek.

Taylor's crimes have not been charged or punished.

Web links

literature

  • Ian D. Clark: Scars on the Landscape. A Register of Massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859 , Aboriginal Studies Press, 1995, ISBN 0855752815

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Ian D. Clark (1995): Scars on the Landscape. A Register of Massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859 , pp. 103-118, Aboriginal Studies Press, ISBN 0855752815
  2. ^ Richard Broome: Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800 , pp. 76-79, Allen & Unwin, 2005, ISBN 1741145694 , ISBN 9781741145694
  3. ↑ Sworn statement of Edward Williamson, Weslayan mission submitted before Charles Sievwright JP December 30, 1839 quoted by Ian D. Clark: Scars on the Landscape. A Register of Massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859 , pp. 109-110, Aboriginal Studies Press, 1995, ISBN 0855752815
  4. ^ Testimony to Charles Sievwright JP on January 16, 1840, confirmed by Ben-a-dug, whose father was killed in the process, and by Born, who also escaped. Quoted from Ian D. Clark, Scars on the Landscape. A Register of Massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859 , pp. 109-110, Aboriginal Studies Press, 1995, ISBN 0855752815
  5. ^ Richard Broome: Aboriginal Victorians: A History Since 1800 , p. 82, Allen & Unwin, 2005, ISBN 1741145694 , ISBN 9781741145694
  6. ↑ Jenny Lee, Mount Emu Creek massacre site , Redreaming the Plain website. Retrieved December 14, 2008
  7. ^ Ian D. Clark (1995): Scars on the Landscape. A Register of Massacre sites in Western Victoria 1803-1859 , pp. 109-110, Aboriginal Studies Press, 1995, ISBN 0855752815