Bennelong-Famous Indigenous Person
A famous indigenous Australian man was named Bennelong and he has impacted on the life of English and Aboriginal people. Bennelong was born about 1764, they aren’t positive as it’s not the Aboriginal culture to own an exact age. He had several sisters, a daughter named Dilboong and a son who was adopted by William walker, and named Thomas, who died at a young age after a short illness. Bennelong was married to a women named Barangaroo, sadly he was separated part of his life from his family as he was kidnaped.
Marines took him in the early stages of the first Fleet arriving in Australia, as he was one of the first aborigines to make contact with the European settlers. King George the third ordered Governor Arthur Phillip to interact with the Indigenous people to develop a positive relationship and persuade the Aboriginal people to live an European lifestyle, this was a difficult task as the Aborigines stayed away from the foreigners, so Arthurs only solution was to hire the marines to capture Bennelong and a few other men, one named Colbee, who was married to Daringa. Both men were lured into the marine boats with fish as offerings in 1789.
Colbee however escaped after two weeks, and his guard received 100 lashes for not fulfilling his duty. Bennelong stayed for about 5-6 months until he escaped. Many of the other men, who were also captured, like Arabanoo, died of smallpox a few months later the same year.
Bennelong stayed in Arthurs house, wore European clothes and spoken English. He learnt the language so well, later in 1796 he drafted a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, thanking them for caring whilst he lived in England, and asking for stockings and a handkerchief, which was one of the first English letters written by an Aboriginal person recorded. They respected each other, Bennelong called Arthur farther (Begngg) or Wolawaree and he called him son (doorow). Later Bennelong asked Arthur Phillip to built him a hut where he would live with his family where is now known as Bennelong Point at the Sydney Harbor Bridge. They had built a good relationship; Bennelong explained the Aboriginal customs and attempted to build a good relationship between the two cultures.
Bennelong and another captured aboriginal Yemmerawanie sailed to England with Governor Arthur Phillip to be presented to King George III, but were hurriedly made new clothes that would be suitable for the presentation to the King. The English regarded Yemmerawanie and Bennelong as curiosities, and both men were shocked to be transported to another culture. Yemmerawanie became sick ill with a Chest infection, when they moved to Eltham, and later passed away whilst they were still in England. Bennelong survived, but his health became worse due to the amount of alcohol he consumed.
Bennelong became homesick and suffered from the cold weather, later he decided to travel back to Australia in February 1975 and arrived in Sydney in September. Sadly when he arrived he felt as if he didn’t fit in either Aboriginal or English culture. On the 3rd of January, he was killed in a tribal fight, along with thirty other wounded men near Ryde. Many Aboriginal people looked down at him, others respected him, however he did change the relationship between the two cultures of people.
Marines took him in the early stages of the first Fleet arriving in Australia, as he was one of the first aborigines to make contact with the European settlers. King George the third ordered Governor Arthur Phillip to interact with the Indigenous people to develop a positive relationship and persuade the Aboriginal people to live an European lifestyle, this was a difficult task as the Aborigines stayed away from the foreigners, so Arthurs only solution was to hire the marines to capture Bennelong and a few other men, one named Colbee, who was married to Daringa. Both men were lured into the marine boats with fish as offerings in 1789.
Colbee however escaped after two weeks, and his guard received 100 lashes for not fulfilling his duty. Bennelong stayed for about 5-6 months until he escaped. Many of the other men, who were also captured, like Arabanoo, died of smallpox a few months later the same year.
Bennelong stayed in Arthurs house, wore European clothes and spoken English. He learnt the language so well, later in 1796 he drafted a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, thanking them for caring whilst he lived in England, and asking for stockings and a handkerchief, which was one of the first English letters written by an Aboriginal person recorded. They respected each other, Bennelong called Arthur farther (Begngg) or Wolawaree and he called him son (doorow). Later Bennelong asked Arthur Phillip to built him a hut where he would live with his family where is now known as Bennelong Point at the Sydney Harbor Bridge. They had built a good relationship; Bennelong explained the Aboriginal customs and attempted to build a good relationship between the two cultures.
Bennelong and another captured aboriginal Yemmerawanie sailed to England with Governor Arthur Phillip to be presented to King George III, but were hurriedly made new clothes that would be suitable for the presentation to the King. The English regarded Yemmerawanie and Bennelong as curiosities, and both men were shocked to be transported to another culture. Yemmerawanie became sick ill with a Chest infection, when they moved to Eltham, and later passed away whilst they were still in England. Bennelong survived, but his health became worse due to the amount of alcohol he consumed.
Bennelong became homesick and suffered from the cold weather, later he decided to travel back to Australia in February 1975 and arrived in Sydney in September. Sadly when he arrived he felt as if he didn’t fit in either Aboriginal or English culture. On the 3rd of January, he was killed in a tribal fight, along with thirty other wounded men near Ryde. Many Aboriginal people looked down at him, others respected him, however he did change the relationship between the two cultures of people.