Arabanoo

Arabanoo (c. 1759 – 1789)^[1] was an Aboriginal Australian man of the Eora forcibly abducted on New Year's Eve 1788 by British colonists who arrived with the First Fleet at Port Jackson. His capture was organised to force communication and relations between the Aboriginal people and the British. Arabanoo was the first Aboriginal Australian to live among Europeans.^[2]

Life at the British outpost at Port Jackson was difficult in the first years and relations between the Aboriginal people of the Eora clans and the Europeans were poor. Governor Arthur Phillip decided that the "state of petty warfare and endless uncertainty" had to end. He decided to kidnap an Aboriginal person, as he explained in a letter to Lord Sydney:"It was absolutely necessary that we should attain their language, or teach them ours that the means of redress might be pointed out to them, if they are injured, and to reconcile them by showing the many advantages they would enjoy by mixing with us."

In late December 1788, Lieutenant George Johnston of the marines and Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball of the Royal Navy set out to Manly cove to capture Aboriginal people. Two men were seized, but one escaped by dragging his captor into deeper water until he was released. Arabanoo, however, had a rope thrown around his neck and was dragged to the boat screaming. The commotion alerted many of his kinsmen who threw numerous spears at Johnston and Ball to try to prevent the abduction. Muskets were fired over their heads while Arabanoo was tied to the seat of the boat and rowed away to Sydney cove. He appeared to be about 30 years old.^[3][2]

Arabanoo was taken to Phillip's house where he was washed, shaved and given a meal of duck and fish. He was dressed in a shirt, jacket and trousers, with the shirt later catching fire when he was resting too close to a fire. Phillip initially called him Manly, until Arabanoo informed him of his real name. In order to prevent him from escaping, Arabanoo was usually restrained by handcuff and rope, or iron chains, and was locked in a hut with a convict at night. When Arabanoo was first cuffed, he believed the handcuffs to be unique ornaments, but he became enraged when he discovered the purpose.^[3]

Arabanoo was later taken and displayed to other Aboriginal people to show that he was not harmed, and in April 1789 his fetters were removed. Arabanoo chose to stay at the British outpost and was often seen dressed in European clothes, drinking tea with a cup and saucer at the governor's residence.^[3]

Though Phillip's goal was one of improving relations with the Eora people, the kidnapping of Arabanoo did not do a great deal of good. Arabanoo did not learn English very quickly, "At least not to the point where he could make Phillip any wiser on the grievances of the natives." In any case, convicts later launched vigilante attacks on the Aboriginal people near Botany Bay, and smallpox, which had been brought to Sydney by the colonists, caused a devastating epidemic throughout the Eora population.^[2]

In April 1789, smallpox broke out amongst the Indigenous people around Sydney. No cases were reported among the European colonists, though one sailor, a Native American, caught the disease and died. Arabanoo was utilised by the colonists to look for survivors and was horrified when he approached the campsites which were either devoid of human life or filled with the putrid corpses of his people.^[3]

He is recorded as being "in silent agony for some time, at last he exclaimed 'All dead! All dead!' and then hung his head in mournful silence". Arabanoo later helped bring several of those found alive but sick back to a hut near the settlement's hospital. He helped nurse them, including a boy named Nanbaree and girl named Boorong. Soon after, Arabanoo himself displayed symptoms of the disease.^[3]

After six months amongst the settlers, Arabanoo died of smallpox, which he called gal-gal-la, on 18 May 1789. He was buried in the garden of the government building. Colonel David Collins said his death was "to the great regret of everyone who had witnessed how little of the savage was found in his manner, and how quickly he was substituting in its place a docile, affable, and truly amiable deportment".

• Australian Aboriginal culture
• History of Australia
• History of Australia (1788–1850)
• History of Indigenous Australians
• List of Indigenous Australian historical figures