Gwoya jungarai biography sample

Gwoya Tjungurrayi was a survivor of one of the last recognised massacres of Aboriginal People, the Coniston Massacre in the Northern Territory. Gwoya Tjungurrayi later became an elder and lawman of his people. Almost every Australian has seen his face, held his likeness in their hands but how many know his story? Tjungurrayi was born around in the Tanami Desert of the Northern Territory, km mi north-west of Alice Springsin the region surrounding Coniston Station.

He was a Walpiri — Anmatyerre man. He survived the Coniston Massacre in the then Territory of Central Australia in ,although accounts of his survival differ:. One claimed his father was taken prisoner by Constable Murray, escaped and fled with his family to the Arltunga region east of Alice Springs. They leave him… tied up on a tree, big chain… they put leg chain too… Then everybody go out and shoot all the people… They come back and see him — nothing!

After the massacre, Tjungurrayi spent time in Alyawarre country near Arltunga. He worked as a miner at the Arltunga gold mine and the mica mines in the eastern Harts Rangebefore moving on and working for pastoralists at NapperbyHamilton Downsand Mount Wedge Stations. His career as a stockman and station hand lasted 20 years. He survived the Coniston Massacre in the then Territory of Central Australia inalthough accounts of his survival differ:.

One claimed his father was taken prisoner by Constable Murray, escaped and fled with his family to the Arltunga region east of Alice Springs. Another described Tjungurrayi 'worm[ing] his way out from among the dead and dying' at Yurrkuru to 'narrowly escape death from a hail of rifle fire poured at him by men'. Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri 's oral account of his stepfather's capture and evasion records that a mounted policeman arrested and chained him up before 'carry him 'round to show'm every soakage.

They leave him Then everybody go out and shoot all the people They come back and see him — nothing! This chain he broke'm with a big rock and he take off After the massacre, Tjungurrayi spent time in Alyawarre country near Arltunga before settling at Napperby. Tjungurrayi made and sold boomerangsthat he sold for one pound each. New South Wales, Australia.

Retrieved 12 November — via National Library of Australia. Centralian Advocate. V, no. Northern Territory, Australia. The Advertiser Adelaide. South Australia. The Age. Victoria, Australia. VII, no. The World's News.

Gwoya jungarai biography sample

Figures on New Stamp". IV, no. The Australian Coin Collecting Blog. Royal Australian Mint. Australian Government. ABC News. Retrieved 20 July Archived from the original on 4 March Retrieved 18 March Categories : Indigenous Australian people s births deaths. Toggle the table of contents. Described in the first article as a Warlpiri-Anmatyerri Elder, a husband and father, he was also known as Gwoya Tjungurrayi and Gwoya Djungaraim.

Not having any written language, their anglicised names were first written down as they were heard by the writers. NB There are clear differences of opinion, even between Wikipedia articles. He is also reported in Fiona Connor's article to have been a survivor of the massacre of up to Aboriginals, including women and children, led by the police, that took place near the Coniston cattle station inwhere "many of his relatives were butchered in the atrocity".

It was a period of asylum in distant Alyawerre country, forced upon him by the brutality of the white settlers with the support of the Government authorities. Ina photograph was taken of Gwoya Jungarai by Roy Dunstan that appeared on the cover of Walkabout Magazine inand again in It was this image that drew the attention of people around the world to the 'Australian Aborigine'.

It is taken from the full length portrait of Jungarai holding a spear and spear thrower. Fionna Connor writes that "A tourism executive from Melbourne, Charles H Holmes, described his and Dunstan's Holmes photographer encounter with Jungarai:- 'During a visit to the Spotted Tiger mica mine out east of Alice Springs, I once met as fine a specimen of aboriginal manhood as you would wish to see,' Jillian E Barnes see ref.

The Aboriginal man was walking south to a large ceremonial gathering of clans with a senior companion. Gwoya Jungarai trapped dingoes and made and sold boomerangs. It has been claimed that when asked how much he charged for handicrafts or odd jobs Jungarai would answer 'One Pound, boss' and so became known as 'One Pound Jimmy', referring to the currency at the time of Pounds Sterling.