Warrior: A Legendary Leader's Dramatic Life and Violent Death on the Colonial Frontier

by Libby Connors

In the 1840s, white settlement in the north was under attack. European settlers were in awe of Aboriginal physical fitness and fighting prowess, and a series of deadly raids on homesteads made even the townspeople of Brisbane anxious.

Young warrior Dundalli was renowned for his size and strength, and his elders gave him the task of leading the resistance against the Europeans' ever increasing incursions on their traditional lands. Their response was embedded in Aboriginal law and Dundalli became one of their greatest lawmen. With his band of warriors, he had the settlers in thrall for twelve years, evading capture again and again, until he was finally arrested and publicly executed.

Warrior is the extraordinary story of one of Australia's little-known heroes, one of many Aboriginal men to die protecting their country. It is also a fresh and compelling portrait of life in the early days of white settlement of Brisbane and south east Queensland.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Australia, Biography Memoir, War, Historical

280 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2015

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an ambitious quest, to write the story of an Aboriginal hero of colonial times. Reading Libby Connors’ account of the life and violent death of the warrior Dundalli and how she untangles events from sources that are inevitably Eurocentric makes for fascinating reading. Warrior is an important contribution to the debate around the exclusion of the colonial frontier wars being excluded from the national military narrative and its associated memorialising.

Events unfold in what became Brisbane in the 1840s as the fledgling British settlement came under attack. Dundalli, a powerful warrior and lawman who led indigenous resistance against incursions onto traditional lands, was captured and executed after a shambolic trial which had no legal reason to take place. Connors also shows how the indigenous justice system of ‘payback’ ritual spearing escalated into much greater violence in response to cases when the British broke their own laws.

Essential reading for anyone interested in Australia's Black history, see my review at http://anzlitlovers.com/2015/05/10/wa...

[SS · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an eye-opening account of white 'settlement' in the Brisbane region of south-east Queensland.

As the book concludes 'Until we recognise how much blood was split securing Australian lands will we really have reconciliation?' I think this book goes some way to illustrating the conflicts in the Brisbane region as white people sought to take over the area.

One reflection that remains current for me is my skepticism of 'main stream' media. The local paper that existed at the time of white settlement appears to have had an inflammatory, negative and unfair representation of the Aboriginal people in the area and their interactions with the settlers.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love having my perspective flipped like this. Connors uses every historical resource available to make clear the Aboriginal system of laws and social order in place in the Brisbane region at the time of European intrusion. She then tells of the coming of European settlers from the Aboriginal perspective and depicts not only the rationality but also the legality of the Aboriginal responses. The use of Dundalli, a leader of the Dalla people, as a focus for the book allows Connors to cover a whole range of topics about life for Aboriginal warriors in the region in the mid-1800s. It also evokes empathy and makes this a human story rather than a text-book history. The book is clear about the violence of the Aboriginal legal code, matched by the violence of the European code of the same period. I particularly enjoyed recognizing the places where I live and knowing more about their history. There are hints of an academic thesis about the writing style at times - the central point was reinforced more often than was necessary - but it was still a fascinating read.

[John Hutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read on the frontier in SE Queensland as European settlers encroached on indigenous lands in the first half of the nineteenth century.
Explains the conflicts and politics between and within the parallel laws of the two systems. Written sources are largely from the European but sense is made of Aboriginal actions as the result of a logical system rather than the then media view as the work of "savage, bloodthirsty natives". The book is also fair on the workings of British Law in the face of colonial incomprehension and local politics.
A must read for all Australians.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Dundalli, the Aboriginal leader of resistance against increasing white encroachment on tribal lands in and around the Brisbane settlement in Queensland, Australia. Dundalli evaded capture until he was finally arrested and publicly executed. An insightful and often compelling look at the brutal early days of colonialism in Australia.

[John Wenitong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful story and story-teller - a 'must-read' for South-east Queenslanders to explore their common, genuine history...

[Lorax · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would make a great movie, seriously, it's a completely absorbing story.

[Gary Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tries to show how life for Aboriginal Australians was like in response to European ‘settlement’. Strange we use this word- The Oxford dictionary actually states settlement as; ‘a place, typically one which has previously been uninhabited, where people establish a community.’ Europeans had trouble with this goal because people that included, and were led by, men such as Dundalli were already on this land.
This book can be hard reading as the reader must try and follow accounts of court proceedings and understand Aboriginal culture from afar. It is worth it as Connors weaves together the story of what happened from each sides standpoints via events as they developed. You can see how Europeans and Aboriginals tried to understand, establish and enact ‘their’ law(s). You can virtually see how European law was almost shaped, but probably just changed, because they realised they could not have it their own way. The settlers struggle to work out what, why and how they should or need to prosecute for against Aboriginals and Europeans alike.
The Oxford Dictionary again. Settlement; ‘an official agreement intended to resolve a dispute or conflict.’ The problem was that the Europeans in the Brisbane area found it hard to read this agreement because they did not want to listen to those line Dundalli. Did the Aboriginals understand what the Europeans really wanted and refused? Did they try to work with them? Yes and no- this book helps us to form an opinion.

[Michael Lever · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm aware that this book has won many awards, and for the sheer research it evidences I'm sure these awards are deserved. Nevertheless, I found it awkward reading as it seems to tread a path between dry academic detail on the one hand, and a more popular thematic approach on the other. I'm not certain the approach works, leaving the reader to plod through dense detail in the hope of broad brushstrokes which rarely appear.
Also puzzling is the inclusion of numerous pictures and photographs, after the Epilogue. These are images that would relieve the textual detail were they incorporated into the body of the book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this is another 'Did Not Finish'. I got three quarters of the way through and learned some really interesting stuff about local indigenous history. The book is well written, easy to read and well researched. the author uses white source material - which she makes very clear. I didn't finish because I haven't had much time to read lately and it's so overdue that the library has started sending me letters demanding money. yes, even though I work for them, they send me those letters too. So I'd better give it back. Well worth a read if you want to know about colonial times in South East Qld, particularly the Moreton Bay Region.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book. Really fascinating, really engaging. A well-researched and sensitive portrayal of traditional life and the Indigenous experience of colonisation and a vivid snapshot of life in the so-called "frontier" period. I loved reading about the history of my local area (my suburb was mentioned!!), and it's a very important part of Australia's history that should not be forgotten. One of the most enjoyable history books I've ever read.

[Sukhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that helps understand the history of Brisbane and the greater Brisbane areas in a way that keeps the reader interested until the end. Informative on the two different cultures and justice systems working in parallel and clashing during the 19th century. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the history of the original peoples of Australia.

[Jane Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at Brisbane's early history and Aboriginal politics. It explains Aboriginal culture, laws and history and the reasons for conflict with the whites in much more depth than I have encountered before. All Australians should read it! Not an easy read, but well-written, logical and profound.

[Emory Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Connors put a lot of effort into this; weaving together observations about black and white politics, insights into white settler and Indigenous culture and the often deadly struggle over land and law. This book taught me a lot about a very small part of what happened as white people spread into Aboriginal land. It is a book focused primarily on the life of one man (Dundalli), although Connors looks at a lot more than that, but that is why the focus is so tight. I think it covers a huge amount though and I strongly recommend it to anyone currently living on Yaggera, Turrbal or Gubbi Gubbi land, and also anyone interested in the history of this country.

It was published in 2015 so no wonder it wasn't in my highschool history education, but I hope it's used or at least recommended by teachers now.