32 Facts About Bennelong

Bennelong served as an interlocutor between the Eora and the British, both in the colony of New South Wales and in Great Britain.

Bennelong was the first Aboriginal Australian to visit Europe and return.

In 1789, he was abducted on the authority of Governor Arthur Phillip, who hoped to use Bennelong to establish contact with the native people.

Bennelong came to be a significant ambassador of the Eora.

Bennelong was taken to Great Britain in 1792 and he resided in London for three years.

Bennelong soon returned to his native lifestyle, and later in life he developed alcoholism.

Bennelong died at Kissing Point in 1813, aged about 48, and was buried in James Squire's orchard.

Woollarawarre Bennelong, the son of Goorah-Goorah and Gagolh, was born circa 1764 on the south shore of the Parramatta River.

Bennelong was a member of the Wangal clan, connected with the south side of the Parramatta River, having close ties with the Wallumedegal clan, on the west side of the river, and the Burramattagal clan near today's Parramatta.

Bennelong had several sisters, Wariwear, Karangarang, Wurrgan and Munanguri, who married important men from nearby clans, thereby creating political links for their brother.

Bennelong had five names, given at different times during the various ritual inductions he underwent.

At the time of his capture, Bennelong's age was estimated at 25, and he was described as being "of good stature, stoutly made", with a "bold, intrepid countenance".

Bennelong's appetite was such that "the ration of a week was insufficient to have kept him for a day", and "love and war seemed his favourite pursuits".

Colebee soon escaped, but Bennelong stayed in the settlement for several months, then slipped away.

The governor hurried over and approached Bennelong, who was with a group of roughly 20 warriors.

Willemering was a kurdaitcha from Broken Bay, and it has been suggested by some historians that he had been enlisted by Bennelong to carry out payback for the latter's sense of personal injury on having been kidnapped.

Bennelong led a counter-raid by robbing settlers and demanded Phillip to tell him the name of the soldier who killed Bangai.

Bass nursed him back to health and in exchange Bennelong taught him a sufficient amount of Dharug to enable the former to communicate with the indigenous Eora on arriving in Sydney.

Bennelong participated in fighting contests over women and officiated at traditional ceremonies, including the last recorded initiation ceremony in Port Jackson in 1797.

Bennelong developed an alcohol problem following his return to Australia.

Bennelong threw a spear at the soldiers, severely wounding one after the weapon pierced right through the man's abdomen.

Bennelong would have been instantly killed for this action had not the provost marshal Thomas Smyth, interceded and dragged Bennelong away.

Bennelong was beaten on the head with the butt of a musket and incarcerated for a night.

Bennelong apparently expressed a desire "of spearing the governor whenever he saw him".

Bennelong was held in respect as an authoritative elder not only by his own group, but by the remaining Gweagal people of Botany Bay.

Bennelong died on 3 January 1813 at Kissing Point on the Parramatta River in Sydney and was buried in the orchard of the brewer James Squire, a friend to Bennelong and his clan.

Bennelong's people mourned his death with a traditional highly ritualised battle for which about two hundred people gathered.

Bidgee Bidgee, who led the Kissing Point clan for twenty years after Bennelong's death, asked to be buried with Bennelong as well, but there is no record of his death or of where he is buried.

Bennelong then abducted and took up with a Gweagal woman, Kurubarabulu.

Bennelong had a son named Dickey with his final wife, Boorong.

Bennelong has been recognised as a warrior who could switch between the British and Aboriginal worlds, and use the colonists' desire for conciliation as an advantage to both himself and his people.

Bennelong was played by actor Charles Yunupingu in the 1980 TV series The Timeless Land.