Dates in Ngarrindjeri History
- 1809 (approx) Pullum, the rupulle, the last president of the Tendi was born.
- 1813 (estimated) Massive numbers of Aboriginal people killed by disease (smallpox)?
- 1819 White men, (escaped convicts) and Tasmanian women were settled on Kangaroo Island.
- 1830 (9th. Feb.) Capt. Charles Sturt sailed down the Murray to Raukkan - unharmed by any Aborigines in his year-long trip along the Murray river.
- 1830 (estimated) Massive numbers of Aboriginal people killed by 2nd disease (smallpox)?
- 1831 Capt. Barker missing while exploring the mouth of the Murray river.
- 1831 (14th August) George Taplin born in Surrey, England.
- 1834 British House of Commons + Lords pass an Act establishing the province of S.A.
- 1836 British migrants arrived in South Australia
- 1836 (28th December) The Proclamation was read to 200 people at Holdfast Bay - which included Special mention of the rights of the native inhabitants.
- 1838 Ship, the Fanny wrecked (survivors assisted by Ngarrindjeri)
- 1839 Mrs. Smith tried to buy 480 acres of land at Nuriootpa for use by Aboriginal people but she was thwarted for fourteen years and eventually The Free Church of Scotland got it.
- 1840 (7th. June) The brig "Maria" sailed from Pt. Adelaide.
- 1840 (28th June) The Maria was wrecked. (survivors assisted by Ngarrindjeri) some men were later killed for assaulting Ngarrindjeri women.
- 1842 Ngarrindjeri deserted by doctors.
- 1843 The Narrung Peninsula occupied by pastoralists.
- 1842 Fraudulent "Wastelands Act" passed into White law.
- 1845 (5th June) Police Comm. complained about the poisoning of Aborigines by S East Pastoralists.
- 1847 Meyer's school for Ngarrindjeri children closed.
- 1850 Whites both disappointed and happy that Aboriginal people were dying out.
- 1857 S.A. became a self-governing colony.
- 1858 (31st. August) "The Aborigines' Friends Association" formed.
- 1859 The Ramindjeri (one of the 18 tribes) almost completely 'de-tribalised' after adopting European ways.
- 1859 (1st Mar) George Taplin appointed Missionary Agent.
- 1859 (4th. April) George Taplin started work at Raukkan
- 1859 (21st July) Baker, one of 2 pastoralists in the area tried to stop Taplin helping Ngarrindjeri.
- 1859 (2nd August) Government would not back Baker against Taplin.
- 1859 (August) Baker refuses to sell meat to the Mission (unheard of in Australia - to refuse to sell food to anyone)
- 1859 (October) Work started on Raukkan school - finished 2nd July, 1860.
- 1859 (31st December) Meat strike by Baker ends.
- 1860 (2nd January) Day school began at Raukkan.(temporary school).
- 1860 (30th August) Local Pastoralist Baker telling lies about Taplin in Adelaide to government.
- 1860 (26th + 27th) Taplin forced to answer false accusations in the Select Committee.
- 1860 Legislative Council finds Aborigines gained nothing from colonisation & lost everything.
- 1860 Sunday school book translated into Ngarrindjeri language.
- 1862 Major Biblical tract translated into Ngarrindjeri by Taplin (followed by others).
- 1864 Taplin translated Genesis, Exodus, Mathew and John "Tungarar Jehovald" (reprinted1926)
- 1865 (mid) Taplin concedes that The Ngarrindjeri will disappear.
- 1870 20% of church goers at Raukkan Church were white and got along OK with Ngarrindjeri. (It was the only church in the area).
- 1872 (March) Philip Rigney arrived at Raukkan after travelling from Albany, W.A.
- 1872 Raukkan farm was 688 acres. (but not "owned by the Ngarrindjeri under White law).
- 1879 George Taplin died in a fire.
- 1889 (16th, July) Pullum, the rupulle, the last president of the Tendi died.
- 1891 Raukkan church had extra section added.
- 1902 Murray River rising salinity stops wool-washing at Raukkan.(even worse now,100 years later)
- 1909 Philip Rigney + David Unaippon (Ngunaitponi) on tour with singers and gave lectures.
- 1911 S.A introduced an Aborigines Act.
- 1913 Royal Commission
- 1916 (1st Jan) AFA reluctantly cuts ties with Raukkan.(followed by a rapid decline).
- 1928 Mass murder by police of Aborigines in the North of the state (27 men and 1 woman).
- 1930 N.B. Tindale, anthropologist found traces of only 6 Lakalinyerar.
- 1950's Government Assimilation policy causes (or allows) people to leave Raukkan.
- 1959 (approx) First Aboriginal primary school teacher qualifies. (Peter Rigney)
- 1970's Raukkan fallen in disrepair.
- 1978 "Conquest of The Ngarrindjeri" was written by Graham Jenkin.
- 1980's Raukkan resurrected with new houses, community centre and roads.
- 1980's "Camp Coorong" cultural centre established near Meningie.
- 1980's ATSIC formed and some progress is made for all Aboriginal people.
- 1990's Hindmarsh Island Bridge saga.
- 1990's State Minister for Aboriginal Affairs refused to protect Ngarrindjeri culture.
- 1990's Ngarrindjeri language taught in some schools (from historical perspective).
- 1990's Australian Liberal Govt. makes a law to _prevent_ the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs from protecting a particular Aboriginal site of significance. (Bridge site at Kumarangk).
- 1990's Major exhibition of Ngarrindjeri culture established at S.A. Museum.
- 1990's Royal Commission held. (The only people who spoke were those who didn't know anything.)
- 1990's Tal-kin-jeri Dance Group formed and revives more of the culture.
- 1999 Ngarrindjeri Pulgi (house and land) bought at Kumarangk.
- 1999 (November) First Corroboree in 100 years held over 3 days.(3000 attended)
- 1999 (21st November) Ngarrindjeri made proclamation taking back Kumarangk (Hindmarsh Island)
- 1999 (21st November) New Ngarrindjeri flag raised for first time on Kumarangk.
- 2000 (2nd +3rd Dec) Corroboree at Camp Coorong.
Ngarrindjeri History provided by Ray Murphy