# Eumarrah

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{{Short description|Indigenous Tasmanian leader}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Eumarrah
| image = Detail of a sketch by John Glover showing Eumarrah and other Indigenous Tasmanians.jpg
| caption = Detail of an 1832 sketch by [John Glover](/source/John_Glover_(artist)) showing Eumarrah
| birth_date = {{circa|1798}}
| death_date = {{death date|1832|3|24|df=y}}
| death_place = [Launceston](/source/Launceston%2C_Tasmania)
| other_names = Umarrah, Kahnneherlargenner, Multiyalakina
| spouse = Laoninneloonner <br/> Woolaytoopinneyer
|children= 
}}

'''Eumarrah''' (c.1798 – 24 March 1832) was an [Aboriginal Tasmanian](/source/Aboriginal_Tasmanian) leader. He was active in resisting British colonisation during the 1820s and early 1830s, but was ultimately captured and used as a guide in operations tracking down and removing other Indigenous people.<ref name="adb">{{cite book |last1=Michael Roe (historian) |title=Australian Dictionary of Biography - 2005 Supplementary Volume, (MUP), 2005 - Eumarrah (1798–1832) |chapter=Eumarrah (1798–1832) |chapter-url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/eumarrah-12905 |website=[Australian Dictionary of Biography](/source/Australian_Dictionary_of_Biography) |publisher=[Australian National University](/source/Australian_National_University) |access-date=30 April 2019|author1-link=Michael Roe (historian) }}</ref> 

==Early life==
Eumarrah was born around the year 1798 in the [Midlands](/source/Midlands_(Tasmania)) of [Tasmania](/source/Tasmania) probably somewhere near [Campbell Town](/source/Campbell_Town%2C_Tasmania). He was born into the [Tyerrernotepanner](/source/Tyerrernotepanner_language) or Stoney Creek tribe.<ref name="adb" />

He was known by the names '''Kahnneherlargenner''' and '''Multiyalakina''' ('''Moleteheerlaggenner'''), but later acquired the name of Eumarrah or '''Umarrah''' apparently after being a labourer for the colonist Hugh Murray, Eumarrah being a derivative of Murray.<ref name="University of Tasmania - The Companion to Tasmanian History - Eumarrah">{{cite web |title=Eumarrah |url=http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/E/Eumarrah.htm |website=[The Companion to Tasmanian History](/source/The_Companion_to_Tasmanian_History) |publisher=[University of Tasmania](/source/University_of_Tasmania) |accessdate=30 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="adb" />

==Conflict with the British and capture==
As the British expanded into his homeland during the 1820s, Eumarrah led the Tyerrernotepanner in raids to counteract the murdering and displacing of his people. Eumarrah himself later explained that some colonists were killed in these raids because his tribe were driven from their hunting grounds and it was his patriotic duty to fight back.<ref name="ryan">{{cite book |last1=Ryan |first1=Lyndall |title=Tasmanian Aborigines |date=2012 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |location=Crows Nest |isbn=9781742370682}}</ref>

In 1828, Governor [George Arthur](/source/George_Arthur) organised 'roving parties' of armed militia to go into the Tasmanian countryside to track down and capture or destroy Indigenous rebels such as Eumarrah. In November of that year, a 'roving party' led by [Gilbert Robertson](/source/Gilbert_Robertson) and guided by a captured Indigenous resistance leader named [Kikatapula](/source/Kikatapula), tracked Eumarrah down near [Tooms Lake](/source/Tooms_Lake). With the aid of the soldiers attached to the party, they seized Eumarrah, his wife Laoninneloonner and several other of his followers. He was subsequently incarcerated in [Richmond Gaol](/source/Richmond_Gaol) as a [prisoner of war](/source/prisoner_of_war).<ref name="cox" />

=='Roving party' guide==
Eumarrah remained in prison until August 1829 when he was coerced into becoming a guide for another 'roving party'. Eumarrah ensured that the 'roving parties' he led did not locate any Indigenous people. By the end of 1829, it was regarded that Eumarrah was deliberately misdirecting the parties and he was taken out from the role and placed back in prison.<ref name="cox" />

==Guide for the 'friendly mission'==
In early 1830, with the help of Kikatapula, Eumarrah became part of the expedition led by [George Augustus Robinson](/source/George_Augustus_Robinson) to make amicable contact with the Indigenous people of the remote regions of western Tasmanian. This expedition was named the 'Friendly Mission' and included several other Indigenous Tasmanian guides such as [Truganini](/source/Truganini), [Kikatapula](/source/Kikatapula) and Woorady.<ref name="friendly">{{Citation | author1=Robinson, George Augustus | author2=Plomley, N. J. B. (Norman James Brian) | author3=Tasmanian Historical Research Association | title=Friendly mission : the Tasmanian journals and papers, 1829-1834 | publication-date=1966 | publisher=Tasmanian Historical Research Association | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/33400103 | accessdate=30 April 2019 }}</ref>

In May 1830, when the expedition was near [Trial Harbour](/source/Trial_Harbour), Eumarrah absconded from the 'Friendly Mission', citing that he was threatened with violence from one of the British members of the group.<ref name="cox" /> 

==Advisor to Governor Arthur during 'Black Line' operations==
Eumarrah, with his superior bushcraft skills, made his way through the wilderness of western Tasmania back to his homeland area near the [Tamar River](/source/Tamar_River), but was soon back in British hands. Governor Arthur met with him and placed Eumarrah in the role of his personal advisor and guide for the 'Black Line' operation. This operation involved a line of thousands colonists many kilometres long scouring the settled areas for the remaining Indigenous people. Eumarrah remained in the role for three weeks from late October 1830, but apparently when he found out that his kinspeople were trapped behind the 'Black Line', he absconded. He avoided being trapped himself by heading northeast and again returned to his homelands.<ref name="black">{{cite book |last1=Clements |first1=Nicholas |title=The Black War |date=2014 |publisher=UQP |location=St Lucia |isbn=9780702250064}}</ref>

==Rejoins the 'friendly mission'==
In August 1831, Eumarrah and five other Stoney Creek people were found by G.A. Robinson's group and they agreed to rejoin with his 'friendly mission'. By this stage, the 'friendly mission' had evolved into a series of expeditions to round-up the remaining Indigenous people of [Van Diemen's Land](/source/Van_Diemen's_Land) and transport them to [Flinders Island](/source/Flinders_Island) in order to [ethnically cleanse](/source/ethnic_cleansing) the colony of its original occupants.<ref name="black" />

Although Eumarrah agreed to join with Robinson again, he did not want to go to Flinders Island. He also did not want to go to Launceston, as he had been involved in the killings of several settlers near there since he left the Black Line operation. Instead, he once again became a guide for Robinson's expedition, helping track down the remaining Big River-Oyster Bay people.<ref name="cox" />

In late December, Robinson with the aid of Eumarrah, [Mannalargenna](/source/Mannalargenna), Kikatapula and others, tracked down the remaining sixteen Big River-Oyster Bay which included the resistance leaders [Tongerlongeter](/source/Tongerlongeter) and [Montpelliatta](/source/Montpelliatta). They surrendered to Robinson's group, after which they all then travelled to [Hobart](/source/Hobart). After a brief reception, these Indigenous Tasmanians including Robinson's guides, some of whom were the last to have continued living a traditional lifestyle, were shipped off in early 1832 to Flinders Island to live in imposed exile.<ref name="friendly" />

== Death ==
On a later expedition as a guide for Robinson, Eumarrah became ill and was hospitalised in Launceston. He died on 24 March 1832. He was buried in St John's graveyard without funeral rites.<ref name="friendly" />

A [watercolour drawing](/source/Watercolor_painting) of what was thought to be Eumarrah by [Thomas Bock](/source/Thomas_Bock) in the collection of the [British Museum](/source/British_Museum) is now regarded as being that of [Kikatapula](/source/Kikatapula).<ref name="cox">{{cite book |last1=Cox |first1=Robert |title=Broken Spear |date=2021 |publisher=Wakefield Press |location=Mile End |isbn=9781743058671}}</ref>

==See also==
* [List of Indigenous Australian historical figures](/source/List_of_Indigenous_Australian_historical_figures)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Campaignbox Australian frontier wars}}
{{authority control}}

Category:1790s births
Category:1832 deaths
Category:Indigenous Tasmanian people

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Eumarrah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumarrah) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eumarrah?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.