Yagan
What would you do, if your world changed forever?
Clever, athletic and dignified, Yagan was already a leader among his people when pale-faced foreigners spilled uninvited upon the shores of the Swan River and started to make themselves at home – his home. Over the next four years, Yagan took a stand, and in the process forever etched his name on the story of Western Australia.
Yagan brings to life the complicated and troubled colonial history that we should all commemorate.
Although Yagan was first published by Green Barrow Publishing, it is now out of print, and only available as an e-book.
How come this story?
Towards the end of 2015 I was invited by Green Barrow Publishing to submit a proposal for a book which was to be part of a kids’ biography series about famous Australians. The publisher was open to who the story would be about. There were some people I would have loved to write about, such as Edith Cowan or Banjo Paterson, but their stories were already included of the series. So, who to choose?
In the end, the decision came to me via an unexpected source – my young foster son, who has Nyoongar and Yamaji heritage. By then, he has lived with our family for a couple of years. One day, as we had the news on, he asked "How come brown people always seem to be in trouble?"
The question floored me. While I was quick to assure him that ‘brown people’ were certainly not ‘always in trouble’, I was deeply, deeply disturbed by the fact that this was a six year old's view of world.
We ended up talking about how there was often conflict between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Australians and the historical reasons for this conflict. It was this conversation that made me decide to write about an Aboriginal hero. Of course, Yagan doesn’t untangle the complexities – and the injustice – of the original question. But it was my small way of dealing with it.
Before starting the book, I sought the advice of the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council about how to proceed. They suggested I work with a Nyoongar educator to develop the story. I subsequently contacted the WA Independent Schools Association, who connected me to Professor Simon Forrest, Elder in Residence at Curtin University. I am deeply grateful for his advice and support in writing the book.
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These great illustrations are by award winning artist, Glenn Lumsden
A shared history
I relied on both Indigenous and non-Indigenous to construct the story. I urge you to check out some of these sources yourself.
Indigenous Perspectives:
Yagan. (2013). [DVD]: Mt Lawely, Western Australia: Spear Point Productions (Martin, K.)
(Not digitised. Available from the State Library of Western Australia)
Kelrick Martin, the producer of the DVD, is the CEO & Creative Director of Spear Point Productions comes from Broome and has extensive experience in indigenous TV programming.
Colbung, K. (1995). Yagan: The Swan River 'Settlement'. Redfern, NSW: Australia Council for the Arts
(Not digitised. Available from the State Library of Western Australia)
Ken Colbung was a Nyoongar activist who was responsible for bringing Yagan’s head back to Western Australia.
Kaartdijin Noongar. (2016). Noongarculture.org.au.
Kaartdijin Noongar is a website operated by the South West Regional Land and Sea Council
Collard, L., Harben, S., van der Berg, R. (2004). Nidja Beeliar Boodjar Noonookurt Nyininy: A Nyungar interpretive history of the use of boodjar (country) in the vicinity of Murdoch University. Perth: Murdoch University.
Len Collard is a Noongar elder, professor and Australian Research Council chief investigator at the School of Indigenous Studies University of Western Australia.
Non-Indigenous Perspectives:
The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. (1833). Native corrobory at Perth. 16 March. p. 42.
Includes a description of Yagan.
The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. (1833). Destructive fire at Perth. 16 March. p. 43
Includes an account of Yagan helping to put out a settler’s house fire.
The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. (1833). Murder of Thomas and John Velvick by a party of natives. 4 May. p 71-72.
Includes a graphic account of an event which led to Yagan being named an outlaw.
The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. (1833). Proclamation. 4 May. p. 70.
Proclamation advising that Yagan was a wanted man, and that a reward was offered for his head…dead or alive, without a trial.
The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal. (1833). The natives. 20 July. p. 114.
An editorial which considers the nature and implications of Yagan’s murder.
Moore, G. F. (1978). Diary of ten years eventful life of an early settler in Western Australia. Nedlands, W.A.: University of Western Australia Press. See p 174-195
George Fletcher Moore was a prominent early settler of the Swan River Colony who has met and spoken with Yagan.
Hasluck, A. (1961) Yagan the patriot. Journal and Proceedings of the Western Australian Historical Society. Vol 5, pt. 7, p. 33-48
(Not digitised. Available from the State Library of Western Australia)
Alexandra Husluck was an author and a social historian, and the wife of Sir Paul Hasluck, the former Governor-General of Australia.
Green, N. (1984). Broken spears. Perth: Focus Education Services.
(Available from the State Library of Western Australia
Neville Green is an academic and historian who has written extensively about Indigenous history of the south west.