Tunnerminnerwait (1812 - January 20, 1842) was a Tasmanian Aborigine of the North West Tribe who, along with Maulboyheenner, were the first judicial executions in the town of Melbourne, for murdering two whalers during the 1841 Aboriginal Rebellion and resistance against European settlement across Western Port and South Gippsland.
Early Life edit
Tunnerminnerwait was born on Robbins Island in 1812 in the Parperloihener band of the North West tribe in the North west of Tasmania in 1812. He was the the son of Keeghernewboyheenner. He was also known by many other names during his 30 years of life including Peevay, Napoleon (bestowed on him by George Robinson), Jack of Cape Grim, and Tunninerpareway. [1]
His clan would travel from the north west of Tasmania down to Macquarie Harbour every year along marked trails. At major seasonal hunting grounds they had permanent beehive shaped huts and drinking wells which they maintained each year. At times they would also go inland with the permission of the Northern tribes to mine ochre, and also cross Macquarie Harbour in bark catamarans to visit the South West Tribe.[1]
The north-west tribe was composed of eight bands. With the arrival of the Van Dieman's Land Company in the north west in 1826 and European settlement they were subjected to substantial violence, cruelty, abduction and rape of women. The Cape Grim massacre provides one example of the violence directed at Tasmanian aborigines in the area. Jan Roberts said that:
- "In general, Aboriginal men were shot on sight and the women seized to serve the needs of shepherds and sealers, many of whom took two Aboriginal women each."[1]
George Augustus Robinson had been appointed to round up the last survivors of the aboriginal tribes to take them to a "place of safety" on an island off Tasmania's north coast, however aborigines in the north-west avoided him. In 1830 at a sealer's camp he found an 18 year old man called Jack of Cape Grim, whose aboriginal name was Tunnerminnerwait from the Parperloihener band of Robbins Island, and six abducted women. Robinson threatened the sealers with legal action unless they gave up the aborigines, and to the aborigines he promised safety and an eventual return to tribal areas.[1]