PINDJARUP INDIANS IN AUSTRALIA

THE BINJAREB, PINDJARUP, OR PINJAREB IS THE NAME OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIAN GROUP OF NOONGAR SPEAKERS. THEY LIVE IN THE REGION OF THE SOUTHWEST AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA BETWEEN PORT KENNEDY ON THE COAST AND ROCKINGHAM AND MANDURA TO AUSTRALIND ON THE LESCHENAULT INLET. THEIR NAME IS FROM THE WORD PINJAR MEANING WETLANDS OR SWAMPS, THE PINJARUP FOLKS WERE PEOPLE OF THE SWAMPS. THESE AREAS HAVE BEEN DOMINATED BY THE DAIRY INDUSTRY WITH CATTLE GRAZING. THE FOLKS WERE FAMED FOR THEIR FISH TRAPS AND A SEASONAL CYCLE OF SIX SEASONS. THEY USED THE COAST, SAND DUNES, LAKES AND FERTILE SOIL OF THE FOOTHILLS. THEY ATE TURTLES, SWANS, DUCKS, AND BIRDS AS PART OF THEIR DIET.

THEIR LANDS WERE FIRST EXPLORED BY EUROPEANS IN 1829 BY TWO BRITISH MEN. THOMAS PEEL, A COUSIN OF THE WAS GIVEN MUCH OF HIS LAND. PEEL FACED MUCH RESISTANCE WHEN HE CONTROLLED THE MOUTH OF THE OF THE MURRAY, AN IMPORTANT CAMP OF THE ABORIGINES. THERE WERE FATALITIES ON BOTH SIDES IN 1834.

A LEADER OF THE NINDJARUP WAS CALYUTE WHO LED A PEACEFUL RAID ON SHELTON'S MILL IN PERTH FOR FOOD FOR HIS PEOPLE.

IN 1836 A MILITARY SETTLEMENT IN PINJARA OCCURRED WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE FROM ABORIGINAL PEOPLE. THEY SOUGHT EMPLOYMENT IN PASTORAL INDUSTRY. BY 1838 THROUGH PINDJARUP CONNECTED PINJARRA TO BUNBURY.

THE PINJARUP SURVIVED THE CONFLICT, BUT THEIR CULTURAL IDENTITY WAS WEAKENED. MEASLES AND OTHER DISEASES TOOK THEIR TOLL ON THESE PEOPLE. SINCE THE 1930'S THEIR POPULATION HAS INCREASED, THEY SPEAK A NUNGAR LANGUAGE.

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