Who Are the Bunuba?
The Bunuba are an Aboriginal people of the Kimberley region in Western Australia, traditional owners of lands around the Napier and King Leopold Ranges, including the spectacular Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek. Numbering approximately 350-500, they speak Bunuba, a language of the Bunuban family. The Bunuba are famous for Jandamarra (also known as Pigeon), an Aboriginal resistance leader who led a guerrilla campaign against colonial forces in the 1890s, using his intimate knowledge of the ranges and caves to evade capture for nearly three years. Windjana Gorge, where a key battle occurred, is now a national park on Bunuba country and a significant tourist destination.
Jandamarra's Resistance
Jandamarra (c. 1873-1897) became the most famous Aboriginal resistance leader in Western Australian history. Initially working as a police tracker, he turned against colonizers in 1894, freeing Aboriginal prisoners and beginning a guerrilla campaign. Using the rugged limestone ranges, caves, and his knowledge of country, Jandamarra evaded multiple expeditions sent to capture him. He became a legendary figure—colonists feared him; Aboriginal peoples saw him as a hero and believed he possessed supernatural powers. The siege at Windjana Gorge (1894) and numerous other encounters demonstrated both Aboriginal military capability and colonial brutality. Jandamarra was killed in 1897 by an Aboriginal tracker. Today, he is commemorated as a freedom fighter; his story symbolizes Aboriginal resistance to colonization.
Country and Culture
Bunuba country features dramatic limestone ranges, gorges, and caves carved by ancient reef systems. Windjana Gorge cuts through the Napier Range, revealing fossil reef walls; Tunnel Creek provides a cave system used by Jandamarra as a hideout. These geological features hold deep cultural significance; they feature in Dreaming stories and contain rock art sites. Traditional Bunuba economy utilized the diverse environments: freshwater fish and crocodiles from rivers; game from the ranges; plants from various habitats. Ceremonies connected to specific sites maintained spiritual relationships with country. Colonial pastoral expansion, violence, and removal to missions and stations disrupted traditional life; many Bunuba worked on cattle stations that occupied their lands.
Contemporary Bunuba
Modern Bunuba have achieved significant recognition of their rights. Native title was recognized over substantial areas; the Bunuba people manage their traditional lands through representative organizations. Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek are jointly managed with the Western Australian government; Bunuba guides share cultural knowledge with visitors. Tourism to the gorges provides economic opportunity. The Bunuba language is endangered, with few fluent speakers remaining, though revitalization efforts continue. The town of Fitzroy Crossing serves as a regional center. Social challenges including alcohol-related problems have affected communities. Jandamarra's legacy informs Bunuba identity; the annual Jandamarra Day celebrates his memory. The Bunuba demonstrate how Aboriginal peoples can reclaim their history, manage their country, and maintain cultural identity despite colonial dispossession and ongoing challenges.
References
- Pedersen, H. & Woorunmurra, B. (1995). Jandamarra and the Bunuba Resistance
- Rumsey, A. (2000). Agency, Personhood and the "I" of Discourse in the Pacific and Beyond
- Toussaint, S. (2008). Kimberley Friction: Complex Attachments to Water-Places