Mardudunera people
The Mardudunera were an indigenous people of Western Australia.
Country
The Mardudunera's traditional lands covered an estimated 2,100 sq. miles in the Pilbara, stretching over the land from the inland ranges to the coastal plain, north of Fortescue River. They included a number of islands they would visit in the Dampier Archipelago. [1]
History of contact with whites
It is believed that the first contact with whites occurred on 26 February, 1818 during the explorer Philip Parker King's first voyage in the HMS Mermaid , which took him to the north-western coast of Australia. King describes the scene:
As we advanced, three natives were seen in the water,apparently wading from an island in the centre of the strait towards Lewis Island: the course was immediately altered to intercept them, but as we approached, it was discovered that each native was seated on a log of wood, which he propelled through the water by paddling with his hands. Having hove to, close by them, they became much alarmed, and cried out in loud tones, which were increased when our boat was lowered and despatched after them; but it was not without the greatest difficulty that Mr. Bedwell succeeded in bringing one on board. On the boat’s coming up with the nearest Indian, heleft his log and, diving under the boat’s bottom, swam astern ; this he did whenever the boat approached him, and it was four or five minutes before he was caught, which was at last effected by seizing him by the hair, in the act of diving, and dragging him into the boat, against which he resisted stoutly, and, even when taken, it required two men to hold him to prevent his escape. During the interval of heaving to and bringing him on board, the cutter was anchored near the central island, where a tribe of natives were collected, consisting of about forty persons, of whom the greater number were women and children; the whole party appeared to be overcome with grief, particularly the women, who most loudly and vehemently expressed their sorrow by cries, and rolling on the ground, and covering their bodies with the sand.[2]
One board, the captive, a six foot tall lad in his early twenties, scarified with horizontal strips from his chest to his navel, but with no nose-piercing or tooth evulsion, was treated to sugared water, and turning to the shore cried out:coma negra!. He was allowed to return to his camp on his log - whose construction from mmangrove roots, was described in detail and called a 'marine velocipede' - with various gifts, such as a red cap, biscuits and an axe. On beaching, he was interrogated by his terrified companions, who held him at spear point, and then physically examined. A further bundle of gifts was delivered towards dusk.[3]
Alternative names
- Mardudjungara
- Mardudhunera, Mardudhunira, Mardudhoonera
- Mardutunira Mardatunera
- Marduduna
- Mardathoni
- Mardatuna
- Maratunia
- Jawunmala (The Indjibandi exonym.[1]
Notes
Citations
References
- Brown, A. R. (January–June 1913). Three Tribes of Western Australia. 43. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. pp. 143–194.
- Clement, Emile (1903). Ethnographical notes on the Western Australian aborigines (PDF). 16. Leiden: Internationales Archiv für Ethnographie. pp. 1–29.
- King, Philip Parker (1827). Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia performed between the years 1818 and 1822 (PDF). 1. London: John Murray (publisher).
- Tindale, Norman Barnett (1974). "Mardudunera (WA)". Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names. Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-708-10741-6.