Bennelong had been abroad almost three years and learnt much about the alien country and culture of the English. But the journey had affected Bennelong and he seemed a different man. With his long-neglected brick hut now in ruins, Bennelong now resided at Government House.
He expressed his wish that when they visited him at Government-house they would contrive to be somewhat more cleanly in their persons, and less coarse in their manners; and he seemed absolutely offended at some little indelicacies which he observed in his sister Car-rang-ar-ang, who came in such haste from Botany Bay, with a little nephew on her back, to visit him, that she left all her habiliments behind her.
I tell him to not let his people take any of my melons or corn, or, if he would, I would be murray angry with him. He say bail - that means ‘never fear.’ He would walk out and let out a shout, and every one of both sexes would come and get their orders, and would obey it as punctual as a soldier on his post. He hold up his hand and say Murray tat tat pointing his hand and telling them where they were to go to make their camp, and, at the same time, he would tell them not to touch anything of Master or he would murray pialla them. Pialla is to spear them to death. All this should be done and the gin should go and get mogra [fish] for Missus.
About this settlement their attention had been for some time engrossed by Bennillong, who arrived with the governor. On his first appearance, he conducted himself with a polished familiarity toward his sisters and other relations; but to his acquaintance he was distant, and quite the man of consequence. He declared, in a tone and with an air that seemed to expect compliance, that he should no longer suffer them to fight and cut each other's throats, as they had done; that he should introduce peace among them, and make them love each other.
Bennillong had certainly not been an inattentive observer of the manners of the people among whom he had lived; he conducted himself with the greatest propriety at table, particularly in the observance of those attentions which are chiefly requisite in the presence of women. His dress appeared to be an object of no small concern with him; and every one who knew him before he left the country, and who saw him now, pronounced without hesitation that Bennillong had not any desire to renounce the habits and comforts of the civilized life which he appeared so readily and so successfully to adopt
Bennelong arrived at Sydney Cove on 7 September 1795 after an absence of two years and ten months. Eighteen months of his travels were spent on board ships, either at sea or in dock. On arrival in Sydney, according to Collins, Bennelong ‘conducted himself with a polished familiarity towards his sisters and other relations, but to his acquaintances he was distant, and quite the man of consequence. He declared, in a tone and with an air that seemed to expect compliance, that he should no longer suffer them to fight and cut each other’s throats, as they had done, but that he should introduce peace among them, and make them love each other.’[1] A great show was made in front of his people and to the British settlers, and to all intents he had adopted the culture of the invaders.[2] This extended to cleanliness, dress and behaviour of his people when visiting him at Government House.[3]
[1] About this settlement their attention had been for some time engrossed by Bennillong, who arrived with the governor. On his first appearance, he conducted himself with a polished familiarity toward his sisters and other relations; but to his acquaintance he was distant, and quite the man of consequence. He declared, in a tone and with an air that seemed to expect compliance, that he should no longer suffer them to fight and cut each other's throats, as they had done; that he should introduce peace among them, and make them love each other. (Collins vol1)
[2] Bennillong had certainly not been an inattentive observer of the manners of the people among whom he had lived; he conducted himself with the greatest propriety at table, particularly in the observance of those attentions which are chiefly requisite in the presence of women. His dress appeared to be an object of no small concern with him; and every one who knew him before he left the country, and who saw him now, pronounced without hesitation that Bennillong had not any desire to renounce the habits and comforts of the civilized life which he appeared so readily and so successfully to adopt. (Collins vol 1)
[3] He expressed his wish that when they visited him at Government-house they would contrive to be somewhat more cleanly in their persons, and less coarse in their manners; and he seemed absolutely offended at some little indelicacies which he observed in his sister Car-rang-ar-ang, who came in such haste from Botany Bay, with a little nephew on her back, to visit him, that she left all her habiliments behind her. (Collins vol 1)
| Aboriginal History Vol 33 | |
| Aboriginal History Vol 33 |
Kate Fullagar - Woollarawarre Bennelong: rethinking the tragic narrative |
| Aboriginal History Vol 33 |
Keith Vincent Smith - Bennelong among his people |
| Aboriginal History Vol 33 |
Kate Fullagar - Bennelong in Britain |
| Aboriginal History Vol 33 |
Emma Dortins - The many truths of Bennelong’s tragedy |
| Attenbrow, Valerie |
‘Aboriginal placenames around Port Jackson and Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia Sources and uncertainties’ in Aboriginal Placenames. Naming and Re-naming the Australian Landscape Aboriginal History Monograph 19 Edited by Harold Koch and Luise Hercus ANU E Press 2009 |
| Attenbrow, Valerie |
Sydney's Aboriginal past: investigating the archaeological and historical records, Sydney, UNSW Press, 2002. |
| Dictionary of Sydney |
Contains biographical entries for many of the people mentioned in text |
| Eora | |
| Powell, Michael and Hesline, Rex |
‘Making tribes? Constructing aboriginal tribal entities in Sydney and coastal NSW from the early colonial period to the present.’ Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society |
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