Jandamarra

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Jandamarra or Tjandamurra (c. 1873–1 April 1897), also known as "Pigeon", was an Indigenous Australian of the Bunuba people who led one of the few armed insurrections against Europeans.

The Bunuba land is in the southern part of the Kimberley region in the far north of the state of Western Australia, and stretches from the town of Fitzroy Crossing to the King Leopold Ranges. Bunuba lands include the Napier and Oscar Ranges.

Windjana Gorge

During the 1890s, Jandamarra was a police tracker, a skilled horseman and marksman. During a patrol of the Napier Ranges in the West Kimberley, Jandamarra helped to capture a large group of his people, men and women. They were held at Lillimilura Police Post. Belatedly, Jandamarra's tribal loyalties came to the fore. He shot a policeman called Richardson, stole some guns and set the captives free.

On November 10, 1894, Jandamarra and some followers attacked five Europeans who were driving cattle to set up a large station in the heart of Bunuba land. Two Europeans, Burke and Gibbs, were killed. This was the first time that guns were used against European settlers in an organised fashion and began what became known as "the Bunuba Resistance". There was outrage in Derby and Broome when news of Jandamarra's action became known. In late 1894 a posse of 30 or so heavily armed police and settlers attacked Jandamarra and his followers in Windjana Gorge. Jandamarra was wounded but escaped. Police attacked Aboriginal camps around Fitzroy Crossing. Many Aboriginal people were killed, purely on suspicion that they were rebels. At the time, this was regarded as a normal police action.

For three years, Jandamarra led a guerrilla campaign against police and European settlers in defence of his lands and his people. His vanishing tricks became almost mythical. On one occasion a police patrol followed him to his hideout at the entrance to Tunnel Creek in the Napier Range, but Jandamarra disappeared mysteriously. It was many years later that it was discovered that Tunnel Creek has a collapsed section that allows entry and egress from the top of the Range.

Tunnel Creek, Jandamarra's refuge, showing the collapsed centre section, West Kimberley region, Western Australia

Jandamarra was held in awe by other Aboriginal people who believed he was immortal, his body simply a physical manifestation of a spirit that resided in a water soak near Tunnel Creek. It was believed that only an Aboriginal person with similar mystical powers could kill him.

The resistance was relatively short-lived and ended when police recruited a remarkable aboriginal tracker, Micki. Micki was not a Bunuba man, and was reputed to possess magical powers, nor did he fear Jandamarra. Micki tracked Jandamarra down and killed him at Tunnel Creek on April 1, 1897.