NOTES AND QUOTES CONCERNING INDIGENOUS WYNNUM-MANLY

NOTES AND QUOTES CONCERNING INDIGENOUS WYNNUM-MANLY Dr Ray Kerkhove June 2016 Keperra Figure 1: positioning of main camps (triangular icons); tournament ground (oval); dance ground (circle) near Wynnum (Map courtesy © Turnstone Archaeology 2015) 1 2 Figure 2: positioning of main Indigenous camps of Wynnum Manly area relative to early homesteads and current parks 3 Placenames “Manly – Narlung” “Wynnum – Winnam – breadfruit” - Meston Notebook OM 64-17/4 John Oxley Library (NB Meston in same notebook also notes “Ninghi Ninghi blacks – Winyamperra – crabeaters” which suggests ‘winnam/winyam’ may have referred to both crabs and pandanus Main Camping Grounds “In the early days of their settling (after 1896), there was still a large ‘black’s camp’ on the shore at Wynnum North, and often my grandmother would be roused at night to the demand of ‘Baccy, Missus.’…The area in fact is still known as Blacks Camp and recently a park was named on the original site and called Glenora Park, which means, in aborigine, ‘Blacks Camp.’….They integrated happily at school as children, right through to the years of my own children…” - Port Family Reminiscences, p.3 (Manly/ Wynnum Local Studies Collection mss). “several permanent camping sites, one being the vicinity of what today is the Wynnum Ex-Services Bowls Club on the Wynnum North foreshore. Until recently, the area was referred to as Blacks Camp but is now officially named Elanora Park (meaning ‘Place beside the Water’).” - Wynnum North State Primary School Centenary Committee, 1882-1982 – A Century of Progress Wynnum North State Primary School Brisbane: William Brooks and Co, p.13 “…at the bottom of Tingal Hill, near the site of the old blacks' camp” - Brisbane Courier 20 Sept 1916, p 3 “Where Wynnum is today was a favourite camping place for the blacks, as it was a good fishing ground. I have seen as many as 40 blacks camped there at once.” - Arriving Brisbane 1866 – Ernest James Barnett ‘Jottings from My Notebook’ JOL Aboriginal Excursions from Wynnum to St Helena Island 4 “A flying fox was called "gramman." St. Helena was a great camping place for flying foxes, and the blacks from Wynnum used to go across in their canoes to catch them there. They watched for calm weather both to go and to return. If the return was not delayed, they would bring back foxes cooked ready for the companions left behind, but they went prepared with fishing nets, &c., as the wind might keep them there some time.” - CC Petrie, ‘Food: Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences,’ The Queenslander, 30 Aug 1902, p 472s “Corrobborees were often arranged on St Helena Island which appears to have been a popular meeting place” - Wynnum North State Primary School Centenary Committee, 1882-1982 – A Century of Progress Wynnum North State Primary School Brisbane: William Brooks and Co, p.13 Local Foods “In the days of Brisbane's beginnings the Wynnum end of the district was known as Oyster Point and the Manly section as Wyvernleigh. It was practically all wild bush country, studded with swamps and mangroves, which were the happy hunting grounds of the aborigines, Fish, wild duck, and other native game were plentiful before the coming of the white man.” - Do You Know Your Brisbane? Wynnum and Manly – Popular Watering Places, Sunday Mail, 23 June 1929 p 24 Indigenous bush tucker available around Wynnum-Manly:        Shipworm Grey mangrove seeds NZ spinach (warrigal greens) Bungwall fern Oyster & other shellfish Pandanus Dugong - Myrtle Beitz, 2005, Mangroves to moorings revisited : the early development of the Wynnum, Manly and Lota district depicted through records of events, stories and photographs of people and places (Myrtle Beitz/ Manly-Wynnum Historical Society), pp.45 Importance of Pandanus “Wynnum is an aboriginal word. Like so many other native names, it has been corrupted. Properly the word is "winam"—the name of the native breadfruit tree or pandanus, which formerly grew in abundance along the foreshores. It formed a seed cone similar to the Bunya pine, and the blacks used to suck a sweet juice from the yellow seed capsules.” 5 - William Clarke, Sketcher: Wynnum Past and Present The Queenslander, 4 Aug 1917, p 40 “The pandanus flourished particularly on tiny King Island which the Aborigines also called ‘Winnam’ (sometimes called Winnam-pa – Place of the Pandanus)” - Wynnum North State Primary School, 1982, A Century of Progress 1882-1982 Brisbane: William Brooks & Co, p.12. (NB this originates in C. C. Petrie’s Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences 1904 – pp 307-319). “…. on the (Cleveland) Point, (are) several breadfruit trees, which form pretty objects in the landscape. …The black fellows suck the acid juice of the ripe fruit with great gusto. Formerly there were several other plants of tropical origin growing there, the seeds having evidently been wafted by winds and currents from the South Sea Islands to the spot where they took root.” - Cleveland, The Courier, 12 October 1863 p 2 Aboriginal Enterprise: Aboriginal Guides run Boat Piloting, Turtle Hunts and Shooting Excursions (1850s-1880s) “Twelve miles from Brisbane, Queensland, on the shores of Moreton Boy, is the village of Wynnum… 'Why not go out with the blacks and try a turtle hunt.'? …. In reply to the suggestion made to me, I asked how we were going to catch turtle without nets, and was told that the aboriginals, when they saw a turtle afar off; gave chase in their boats, and, on overtaking it, a couple of them jumped into the water after it and caught it. This seemed incredible…. I knew; that he aboriginals were clever hunters and expert swimmers and divers. … . My credulity was smiled at, and King Fred, the headman …was sent for: He so readily fell in with the proposal that we should go turtle-hunting, and took the business so seriously, that my scepticism quickly vanished. Away went Fred to inform his companions of the projected enterprise, arnd very soon … four aboriginals (including his sable majesty Fred) appeared in the creek. … King Fred carefully explaining to me that the turtle, when chased, would not dive deeply, and that by careful observation I could note his course, and so steer that it would be only a question of speed between the pursuers and the pursued. Away we went, the crew bending with a will to their work, and in 20 minutes we had reached the happy huntingground, a spot where the ' turtle grass ' grew abundantly…. For some little time we let the boat drift, King Fred standingup in the bows, a foot on each thwart, like another and a bronze Colossus, and eagerly scanning the locality. The others of the party remained perfectly still. All were ready to give way. Then the King whistled as one whistles for the wind when becalmed, but the charm did not work. No turtle appeared, and my hopes fell. Then the four began a strange low chant in that subdued rhythmic strain which the aboriginal mother adopts as she drones her infant to sleep. It was a weird, musical song enough to listen to, and, as King Fred subsequently assured me, it never failed to bring a turtle round. His translation of it was — ' White turtle, white turtle, here is sand for your eggs, and grass grows for you. You swim like a blue shark, and your meat is sweeter than sugar bag (wild honey).' … 'Fred,' I asked, 'does the turtle believe you? ' ' My word,' was the ready response, 6 'that feller believe anything. He - — fool.' Whether attracted by the chant, or whether it had wandered by chance into our neighbourhood, I know not; but King Fred got a sign of a turtle. …' Wahr, wa-hr?' whispered the look-out. ' Wa-hr, wa-hr ?' replied the other three in excited undertones. All kept a keen watch in the direction the king indicated. It was an interesting moment. There were those four blacks… suddenly transformed into a strange activity; their breath came rapidly, they quivered with suppressed excitement, and every muscle of the now thoroughly aroused hunter in the bows stood out as he tremblingly waited the moment when the chase was to begin. - Quietly the three laid to their oars. On came the turtle, 'Lookout, sir!' commanded the king to me. Half an hour before he had been a servile, sponging disgrace to his kind; now he was a man, his instincts aroused, his skill as a turtle hunter about to be fully displayed. He quietly slipped down to his seat, arid all took the water together with the oars, as the turtle, seeing its danger, sheered off. Then began the wild yells one always hears when the Australian aboriginal means 'gone away.' Along the course the turtle took I could notice the water disturbed. I steered a good line, cutting off turns when a chance occurred. As the blacks yelled, so they pulled, and the old boat shot along at a rattling pace, It was an exciting chase. The excitement was infectious. Presently I yelled as loudly as the best of the natives. We are running close up to our friend the turtle, and are within twenty yards, when, with a splash, he doubles. .. A few minutes and we are close in his wake again. Round he comes again, and as we shoot up close in his wake overboard with a yell the King goes, and after him a hardy-looking son of the soil named Billy. The latter carries with him a rope with a running noose on one end of it; but King Fred has missed the turtle, and there is a scramble back into the boat. Yells, and, I suppose, aboriginal curses … but we are soon again in hot pursuit. We get close up, and- Fred, shipping his oar, stands up in the bows again, signalling me and giving me the course. The turtle turns, over goes the King, and after him Billy, and this time the plunge is satisfactory. The King catches the prey, and clings (underwater of course, all the time) to the edges of the shell. There is a violent struggle. The turtle uses his flippers with vigour ...and vainly tries to bite his sable captor; but presently the running noose goes-round the flipper, and in much less time than it takes to write it we have turtle No. 1 safe.. It was a splendid chase, and a most exciting finish, and my scepticism of the morning had been completely dissipated. The turtle was a fine fellow, weighing, very nearly 3cwt. We managed, after a lot of trouble, to get him into the boat, and were soon ashore, I full of admiration for the skill and pluck of the aboriginals…. For many days after I went turtle-hunting with the same crew. Luck was not always with us, but we averaged a turtle a day for six days. The sport not only paid the boys well for their trouble, but it was to me, after I was able to take Billy's place and assist in the water, about as exciting as any I had been able to get, up to that time, in Queensland. A visitor to Queensland can always arrange a day with the turtles, at a cost of not more than 10s. With a good crew, it would be difficult to find anything more jolly.…” - Turtle Hunting in Queensland, The Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil (Melbourne) 17 May 1888 p 71 “(A visitor) may vary his pastime by catching turtle with the blacks, or gathering oysters, which are in good condition from September to February; crabs, also, "as large as cheese-plates," may be captured easily, and they are in season from October to March or April. If he take his relaxation in winter, he can go out in a punt on the mudflats, at high tide, and fish for whiting, which abound and bite freely. The sportsman who is dexterous in the use of a fowling-piece will find no scarcity of wild fowl. Along the shore and on the flats may be found curlews, seasnipe, divers, and gulls; on the salt marshes, an occasional wisp of the common snipe (from about the end of September to February), or a flock of plover; in the tea-tree swamps, snipe, water-hens or red bills, and cranes; in the forests, kangaroos; and on the grassy bottoms and in the short scrubs, quail—which are most numerous 7 about the snipe season. An odd duck may be found here and there, where water and cover abound, at any time; but the early part of the year is, we think, the best season for them. Black swan shooting is to be had, if you can afford time to command access to the haunts of those birds. It is almost needless to say that an aboriginal companion is invaluable on any excursion from Cleveland; and it should be borne in mind that when the services of one is engaged, he should be paid faithfully for them. For more than a month past the tribe that usually frequents the neighborhood has been absent, owing to the death of one of its members. We have reason to believe that there has been some fighting with hostile tribes very recently; but this is one of the luxuries of blackfellow life.” - Cleveland, The Courier, 12 October 1863 p 2 “At Cleveland Point … the most important importation from Cleveland, was "Monkey," an aboriginal, but a first-class pilot, and who, during the labyrinthian voyage among the islands, proved himself of very great service. With his keen native judgment, he guided the little steamer through many a tortuous channel, and a few hours' experience of his knowledge was sufficient to prove that he was, to the party, a very valuable acquisition. …” - Queensland Acclimatisation Society, The Brisbane Courier, 17 November 1864 p 2 “Our only companions in our daily boating excursions were two of the blacks, who are expert boatmen … very amusing fellows in their way. Their mode of catching turtle is as follows: - They either sail or pull gently across the bays and around the islands which the turtle frequent, and endeavour to keep in about eight or ten feet of water. One native stands in the bow of the boat, stark naked, and peering down into the beautiful clear water in every direction. If a turtle rises, and, basking in the sun, commits himself to sleep, or if the black can get near enough to one in deep water, he darts headlong upon it, seizes it by the fin, turns it over on its back, and thereby disables it, so that with assistance he is able to lift it into the boat. We saw them darting about on all sides, popping up and down again with an activity very little corresponding with one’s ordinary conceptions of turtle- movement; but were not fortunate enough to catch one. The first afternoon we were delighted to see a fine turtle floating quietly on the surface, and, with a happy combination of speed and silence, we bore down triumphantly upon him ; but alas, when " Tommy" seized him by the fin he proved to be a dead one, and so long dead as to be impracticable to even aboriginal appetite. His sable captor did not, however, part with him without a sigh and a protracted post mortem examination, and was rather scandalised at my joking him on his evident indisposition to part with such a dainty morsel.” - Moreton Bay II, The Moreton Bay Courier, 19 September 1857 p 2 Aboriginals Selling Fish, Shellfish and Crabs 8 (NB restrictions after 1886 Oysters Act) “(In 1852) …Raby Bay.. had a population - of several hundred aborigines, and a few white men. In 1857, a son, George was born (to Mr Clark)…. (now) Cleveland's oldest inhabitant. … According to his story, his father brought out a considerable number of copper coins (from England), and used them frequently for paying the blacks for the large quantities of fish, oysters and crabs which they brought to the homestead. He well remembers the blacks using nails to punch holes in the coins, in order to string them round their necks. The- last of the full blooded blacks of this particular tribe, Tommy Duggan, passed away at Dunwich some '20 ' years ago.” - Relics of Early Cleveland: Old Coin Unearthed King George Third Penny, The Telegraph, 11 August 1934 p 19 “I notice a few clean, industrious, aboriginals about Wynnum who seem willing to work for their living by fishing; but, if oystering leases should be let so as to cut them off from what seen to be their best chance, then the Government would be doing an economical and humane ac tby providing a secure tenure of fishing right for them.” - J. .T. Lovekin, ‘Provision for Aboriginals,’ Brisbane Courier 11 Dec 1895, p 2 “Some difficulty has been experienced for a long time by the Fisheries Department in reference to the alleged pilfering of oysters from Government banks by aboriginals, and the further disposal of the oysters to the various (outlets).. located along the shores of the bay at a much cheaper rate than the licensed oystermen can compete with. Two girls, Mary Oomponoo and Nellie, were brought before Mr. Ranking, who cautioned them that they could not be allowed to take oysters for sale from these banks, and that they would he imprisoned if found so doing again, Mr. Ranking also advised them to lot it be known in the bay that if any aboriginal took oysters off the bank they would be severely dealt with after the warning, and that he understood that the department was instructed to take proceedings. The aboriginals could eat oysters, but were not allowed to carry them away to sell. - Oyster Lifting, The Telegraph, 2 December 1892 p 6 Interacting with Picnicking Children (1880s) “Last Thursday, Mrs. J. Donaldson, of Knowsley, gave a children's picnic. A two-decker bus with four horses was engaged to convey the little ones out to Wynnum. … An aboriginal family, consisting of a blackfellow, his gin, and three swarthy daughters, who were camped near the picnic party looked on with friendly eyes, and when advances were made to them by the elder children they gladly responded, and were not too proud accept some of the good things, showing a weakness for fruit” 9 - Flagstone Bachelors' Ball. Queensland Figaro and Punch, 28 July 1888 p 4 “The combined Sunday Schools of Hemmant and Tingalpa held their anniveisary outing at Wynnum, on Queen's Birthday, about 500 people joining the celebration. A general merry time was had. The blacks of the neighborhood added by their antics to the variety of the proceedings. One coloured lady, out of gratitude for the vast amount of cake she had received, attempted to kiss the abashed superintendent” - Lady Gossip, Queensland Figaro and Punch, 1 June 1889 p 15 Sailing and Saving Whites from Drowning “Three blackboys, named Johnny Murray, Tommy Nuggin, and Sam, who formed the crew of Dr. Wray's boat …were sailing up to town on Tuesday lost, after the termination of their engagement, when the wind became dead ahead, and they put into Wynnum Creek. On entering the creek they heard cries of distress, and saw three females struggling in the water. The blacks went to their assistance as soon as possible, and each pulled one of the ladies out of the water, Johnny Murray saving the eldest of the three, who told him her name and asked him to call at her residence in South Brisbane. The two younger ladies did not give their names, but stated vaguely that they lived at Kangaroo Point. But tor the opportune arrival of the blackboys and their prompt action all three would have been drowned. On Wednesday morning Johnny Murray called at the residence of the lady who gave him her address, and was told that her husband was out, but would be there again at 6 o'clock in the afternoon. Johnny accordingly called again and was rewarded with a glass of gin!” - Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton) Tuesday 16 February 1886 p 4 “(Cleveland deserves) a suitable place for his sable Majesty King Timpanny to moor his royal yacht to when he leaves his island dominions for a brief sojourn among the continentals. Not long after my arrival I had the honour of being presented to his Majesty. I found him to be a very noble specimen of his race, with a massive head, and having the perceptive organs developed to an unusual extent, even for a native. In muscular development he seemed a pillar of strength; quite a modern Hercules. I also learnt from the inscription on the brass plate which he wears upon his breast that he was not devoid of generous impulses and the nobler instincts of humanity. The inscription is to the effect that King Timpanny was mainly instrumental in saving eighteen lives from the wreck of the Sovereign, which was cast away at the entrance of Moreton Bay in 1847, and that the sufferers received great kindness at the hands of Timpanny and his people. I think this incident shows very plainly that all the aborigines are not such heartless monsters as many advocates for the free use of the rifle among them would have us to believe. I was much pleased on learning that Timpanny had a more substantial memento of his past services than the brass plate which hung on his breast— namely, a substantial whale-boat, which has been supplied him by the Government. This is a great boon to the remnant of the tribe still remaining, and who have their head-quarters at Stradbroke Island. They supply Cleveland, Dunwich, &c., with fish, and can make a very good living in this way. They also take out pleasure parties, and render other services about the Bay. They are expert and 10 skilful boatmen. On this point I can speak from personal observation. A few days after my arrival at Cleveland a small party of us made an agreement with Timpanny to take us to Dunwich and back the day following, for which we agreed to pay 10s. … We had an altercation with them about the price to be paid for the boat; they now demanded more than double what we had agreed to give them. We appealed to the royal word of Timpanny, and proved himself a man of honour, and said he would not break his word, so he ordered his subjects to prepare the boat. But we felt a little slighted on learning that we were not to have the honour of his gracious Majesty's presence in the royal yacht, but would have to be contented with the captaincy of Duke Bogo, his brother. “The morning was lovely, and the breeze all that could be desired. …As the sails filled we sped away with the joyous cry— "I'm afloat, I'm afloat, on the (not) fierce rolling tide." We were a little amused by our captain reproving one of our party for throwing water on the sail in order to make it draw better, and to convince him that she had pressure enough upon her he pointed to windward, where the waves were putting on their white caps, and said, "Look yonder! You see 'im white water? Well, that wind; and by-an'-bye you whitefellows get frightened." After two or three tacks we ran under the lee of Peel Island, and, as the wind was blowing fresh and dead ahead, our crew attempted a mutiny on a small scale. Bogo declared it to be impossible for us to reach Dunwich, and a general clamour was raised by the others in support of his assertion. We were assured that "Big one headwind" would blow presently. But our answer was, Let it blow, let it blow ; you engaged to take us to Dunwich, and to Dunwich you must take us, no matter how it blows." We now stood well off on the port-tack, and when we put about on the starboard we hoped to weather Peel Island, but were again disappointed; in trying in do so, however, we ran into shoal water. We now took in sail and determined to run round the headland, which we had in vain tried to double by sailing. But we had not got very far when one of the oars broke. However, as we had Dunwich full in view we would not give up. We determined to keep in the shoal water and pole her round until we gained a slight offing on the weather-side, and then stand her off on a longleg for Stradbroke Island. Whilst engaged in this work black Tommy afforded us some amusement by his endeavours to spear several small sharks and stingarees, which we passed very close to. But as he had only a piece of the broken oar for a spear he did not succeed. We now tried a succession of tacks, port and starboard, but could not reach Dunwich, though we were most provokingly near it. The wind was blowing fresh and right in our teeth. We had a suspicion that our crew did not wish to get there that night, so we kept a sharp look-out lest she should be allowed to fall off from the wind, and many a time the order was "Luff, boys, luff you lubber ; keep her to the wind." At length we gave up the struggle for Dunwich. …. “ - The Wanderer, A Holiday Trip to Cleveland, Queensland Times, Ipswich Herald and General Advertiser 23 May 1874 p 3 Building Wynnum/ Cleveland Jetties “…the population consists entirely of artisans and aboriginal natives, a goodly sprinkling of whom are now at the point, in the enjoyment which a change of diet from fish, ninga-ninga, bool, and bongwall, to flour, rice, tea, sugar, and tobacco, is so well calculated to yield them… It may not be known to you that a portion of the new jetty was washed away during a violent squall which occurred here about a month ago, and as white labourers were scarce, the labour of the darkies was 11 brought into requisition, to repair damages. "Well, blackfellow," said I to one who was working at the "mudlows" (stones), "Plenty of work? White fellow give it plenty talto?" Blackfellow (with open mouth and broad grin,)—"Carbon talto! Picaninny yeaca. Budgery yarmon; pidna budgery belonging to blackfellow. Carbon give it." - Cleveland, The Moreton Bay Courier 12 November 1853 p 2 White Attacks on Wynnum Camp “We have received information of what appears to have been a serious and unprovoked outrage upon a camp, of inoffensive aboriginals. From what we can learn it appears that on Friday night last a number of roughs (supposed to be men employed in erecting a jetty at East Wynnum) went to a black's camp in the neighbourhood, and beat the aborigines with sticks. One unfortunate blackfellow received a very severe blow on the left eye, which may result in his losing it altogether, while all the blacks were more or less maltreated. The night was very dark, and unfortunately the aborigines were not able to recognise their assailants. Information was not given to the police until a couple of days after the outrage, but we believe inquiries are being made into the affair, and it is to be hoped that the guilty parties will not escape the punishment which they so richly deserve” - The Brisbane Courier, 2 January 1884 p 4 Runaways from St Helena & Peel Islands “…in 1882, Jean Montmartin (a Frenchman) and James Tiffin (an Australian native) failed to answer to their names at the roll-call. An examination of the cell they had occupied explained the matter. With a brace and bit, which they had by some means got possession of, they had cut out of the double hardwood flooring a square sufficiently large to admit a man's body; getting through this, they scaled the outer wall, stole two tubs from the married warders' quarters, lashed one of these to each end of a broad plank, and put to sea, a favorable wind driving them ashore near Wynnum. Tiffin was rearrested and convicted on another charge, and is at present in the Stockade.” - St Helena, Warwick Argus, 16 June 1891 p 2 “…a sensation was created in Manly and the adjacent districts yesterday, when it became known that three lepers; had escaped from the Peel Island lazarette, and landed at Manly. The three men, a kanaka, a Japanese and a half-caste aboriginal, went out fishing on Friday night, and took advantage of the latitude of the authorities to make their escape and land at Manly. It is not known where they obtained the money to pay their train fares to the ' metropolis, but seemingly they all caught a train on Saturday morning and duly arrived in the city.” - Lepers at Large. A Manly Sensation, Cairns Post, 15 January 1913 p 5 12 King Sandy’s Death at Wynnum Camp “The last of these twenty-five blacks (Petrie’s timber-team) …King Sandy died at Wynnum (Winnam, meaning (bread-fruit) in May, 1900.” - CC Petrie, ‘Tom Petrie’s Reminiscences, The Queenslander, 24 May 1902 p. 1133s (nb King Sandy or Kerwalli was an important Headman. The Government Officer in Meston’s time obtained a lot of Brisbane-region placenames from him during his final years living at Wynnum.) The 1923 Manly Mall Corroboree “The aboriginals visiting Brisbane … (for) the functions on Saturday paid a visit to Manly yesterday, and in the afternoon, in the presence of some thousands of people, (conducted a corroboree) …. including spear fights… the displays were most 'realistic, - so much so as to evoke the hearty applause of the crowd, … (With) the good Australian custom of passing round the hat the coins jingled merrily, & most of those present made a contribution, and a good sum must have been collected.. At the close of the display the aboriginals had a dip in the ocean.” - Abo Display – Natives at Seaside Corroboree at Manly, The Daily Mail, 19 November 1923 p6 13