Bunuba and West Kimberley War and Resistance

Listen

Ross, Joe (Bunuba) Jandamarra, Rebel Films, ICTV https://ictv.com.au/video/3739-jandamarra

Ross, Joe (Bunuba) The Jandamarra Story Fancy Films, Vimeo, https://vimeo.com/272681039

Jandamarra's War Electric Pictures 2011 https://vimeo.com/ondemand/jandamarraswar

Ord, Duncan Jandamarra’s legacy National Museum of Australia, 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxvnXG8gl_0 

Spearim, Bo Dr Chris Owen, The Kimberley Frontier, 1882-1905 Frontier War Stories, 2021 https://open.spotify.com/episode/2E2CsnuvPGzQYixYKKzWa1?si=4272495dad29454c

Notes

Massacres in this war indicate two main phases, the first in the 1890s, including the Bunuba Resistance and the well known resistance leader Jandamarra, and the second from the mid 1910s to late 1920s.

Events in this conflict will be added as Australian Wars and Resistance research continues.

Timeline Map >

People

The following lists references to some people involved in this conflict. More may be added in future.

If an individual or group is mentioned more than once in an article, only one instance from that article is referenced. If they are mentioned in more than one article there is a record for each article. Where possible, links are provided to the article to read the full account. The sentence quoted may contain poor quality uncorrected text from Trove OCR.

Country/Nation/People/Language indicates which Indigenous group people belonged to. Different people in different places prefer different terminology, and sometimes the 'belonging' relates to one of these not another. In many cases, due to colonists' limited knowledge, the archival record may indicate only use generic terms (eg: 'blacks' or 'Murrimbidgee blacks'). In the absence of any other detail, it is assumed it is the people of that region (eg: Wiradjuri).

Listed are:

• Named Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander people. This includes people involved in violent action, or in some other way involved, such as messengers. In many cases only the colonists' name (alias or aka - 'also known as') for the person is available.
• Unnamed individuals or groups of people. This is as specific as possible. If a group is mentioned, we indicate that group, then if an individual is mentioned, we also list that individual. These numbers should not be tallied to arrive at a total, as that would result in double counting. Estimates of numbers of people effected, of combatants directly involved in action, or of non-combatant victims, should be derived from population estimates and understanding of cultural roles, as well as information in sources.
• Colonists involved in the conflict. This list includes people whose stock, runs or huts were raided, or were involved in violent actions. In most cases colonists are named. In some cases someone involved may be referred to by their role only or as belonging to a run, or the owner of the run, eg: 'a shepherd' or 'Mr Smith's hutkeeper'.
• Indigenous Auxilliaries Auxiliaries are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people working for, or acting on behalf of colonists. This may be voluntarily or by coercion. This includes people such as trackers, workers and Native Police. The distinction is not always clear cut and some individuals acted on both sides of the conflict or changed sides.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Name / Alias:

Unnamed People

Colonists and Auxiliaries