Pemulwuy, Indigenous Australian resistance leader, shot dead (1802)

Pemulwuy, a Bidjigal warrior of the Dharug Nation, was shot dead in 1802. The killing occurred during a twelve-year guerrilla war against British colonists. Henry Hacking, a sailor and first mate, is generally credited with the act following a reward order issued by Governor King in late 1801.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Pemulwuy was a Bidjigal warrior who lived near Botany Bay. He began a guerrilla war against colonists in 1790, which lasted until his death in 1802. Before this conflict, he hunted meat for the colony in exchange for goods. Governor Philip Gidley King issued an order in November 1801 to capture him dead or alive, offering a reward.

The Shooting. Henry Hacking, an English-born sailor and first mate of the Lady Nelson, is generally regarded as responsible for shooting Pemulwuy in 1802. The killing occurred either on or just before 2 June 1802. Pemulwuy was a wanted man since 1790, and the shooting followed the Governor's order to bring him in dead or alive.

Aftermath. Following the killing, Pemulwuy was beheaded. His skull has been the subject of repatriation requests by Sydney's Aboriginal people. In 2010, Prince William announced plans to return the skull to Pemulwuy's relatives. The Sydney suburb of Pemulwuy and Pemulwuy Park in Redfern are named in his honour.

People involved

Sources

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