Indigenous Resistance Fighters Remembered : Melbourne Indymedia

Thirty people, gubbahs and kouris, gathered at the corner of Franklin and Bowen Street, Melbourne, opposite the City Baths to remember Tasmanian Aborigines Tunnerminnerwait and Peevay, the 165th anniversary of the judicial murder of these two indigenous freedom fighters. They were the first public executions in Melbourne on January 21, 1842, before a crowd of 5,000.

As the current furore over the death in custody of Domadgee Mulrunji continues, it is important to reflect on the aboriginal resistance to the European invasion. European justice remains a means to justify the invasion, dispossession, and continued repression of indigenous resistance up to the present day.

Tunnerminnerwait and Peevay were amoung 5 Tasmanian Aborigines who conducted a campaign of resistance to European settlement in 1841. They had been brought to Melbourne by the officially appointed Protector of Aborigines, George Augustus Robinson.

They raided station after station from Dandenong to Cape Paterson. They stole firearms and burnt down stations, trying to avoid unnecessary deaths and gunfights. They killed 2 whalers, Cook and Yankee, wounded 5 settlers, burnt down numerous farmhouses and evaded capture for 8 weeks. Three military expeditions were launched against them. Although they set out to drive the settlers from the bush, they didn´t harm women or children and only fired at those that fired at them. Considering the outrages that had been perpetrated on them and their families in Tasmania, it´s extraordinary that they didn´t kill many more settlers when they had the opportunity to even up the score.

Their capture was effected by an overwhelming party of soldiers, police, settlers and black trackers near Anderson´s Inlet, not far from Cape Patterson. During the 8 weeks of their roaming, reports of their feats sent a shiver down the spine of the Europeans who were living in Melbourne and its surrounds.

They arrived in chains under military escort in Melbourne on 21st November 1841. All 5 were charged with murder and appeared in court before Judge Willis on the 20th December 1841. The jury delivered a verdict after half an hour finding the men guilty of murder, and the women not guilty. The jury made a very strong plea for clemency for the men ´on account of general good character and the peculiar circumstances under which they are placed´.

The next day Judge Willis sentenced the 2 men to death and the 3 women were discharged into Robinson´s care. The jury´s plea for mercy was rejected by the Executive Council of New South Wales. On the 21st January 1842 Tunnerminnerwait and Peevay were led to the scaffold, where the current RMIT building is located. Here they were hanged watched by a crowd of about 5,000. The first public judicial execution in Melbourne.
Tunnerminnerwait and Peevay were buried outside the Melbourne cemetery (under the current Victoria Market).

SOURCES:
1. Jack of Cape Grim by Jan Roberts, Greenhouse Publications 1986, ISBN 086436007X
2. MIM 27 Jan 2006 - Culture Wars Counter Attack: Remembering Aboriginal Resistance to the Invasion
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2006/01/104827.php
3. MIM 20 Jan 2007 - Indigenous Resistance in the Hidden Frontier War in Victoria
http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2007/01/137046.php

Jack of Cape Grim and other books on the Aboriginal struggle
by Jan Roberts Friday July 14, 2006 at 01:49 AM
Janine Roberts in UK 44 117 925 6818

I have just discovered your comments about my book about the early days of Melbourne and Aboriginal Resistance. It is fantastic to find my book has not totally died but is still making ripplies.
I am still very active, wrote a book on the international diamond trade and human rights called "Glitter and Greed" that the Independent called "truly brilliant, enthralling and the product of hair raising research " - this started with me being smuggled into the Argyle diamond mine by aboriginal people...!

BUT - I want to get Jack of Cape Grim back into print - and now have ways to do so. I was horrified when the previous publisher let it die.

I have a publisher willing to scan it and republish - but I need a good copy and am in the UK... My only copy is water damaged. Does anyone have a copy of my book they could send me - I would replace it with the new...

I am also seeking good copies of my other books on the Aboriginal struggle - namely -
Massacres to Mining: the colonisation of Aboriginal Australia
The Mapoon Books (3 volumnes - especially vol 2 of which I have no copy at all)

I also made a film about the international diamond trade, De Beers and human rights, called The Diamond Empire. The ABC withdrew the film 3 days before it was due to be transmitted following legal threats from De Beers - but this was highly cowardly. It was not withdrawn by the BBC in the UK where it went out on BBC2 at prime time.
It was shown across North America as a Frontline Special as well - and as you will see this is a film I now sell from my website - http://www.sparkle.plus.com - for I am determined not to be silenced. I have also road-showed it inside De Beers mines in South Africa - and up in the diamond fields of the Canadian Arctic - and at the local Indimedia cinema in Bristol , UK, where I am now living... it got a great audience response...

I also co-produced Munda Nyuringu with Robert Bropho - on the Aboriginal struggle - this won an unanimous best documentary nomination back in 1984 and rave reviews.... but again is now not being used....

Any help you can give me to getting my work back into circulation, would be wonderful
Jan (Janine) Roberts

AND if you have or can get hold of good copies of my books - I would love you for it and pay all costs...!!
with every good wish , Jan Roberts

http://www.sparkle.plus.com