Massacre at Lower Wearyan River
Roberts (2005, p 198) wrote: "Old Lhawulhawu went on to describe a major massacre there [Manangoora on the lower Wearyan River], possibly by the same people responsible for the one on McPherson Creek. 'Then the white men went to Mangoora and it was at this time where the Garrwa people, the Gudanji people and the Yanuwa people had come together for ceremonies. Some white people asked about bullocks. They hit people and they shot people and then left. The Yanyuwa, Garrwa and Gudanji people had been there for a Wambuyungu (funeral) ceremony. After the white people did this the people went south and hid themselves inside caves. The white people followed their tracks and saw the smoke of their fires and they heard the small children crying. Those white people found those people and they stood them up in a line and shot them, they shot them repeatedly and they shot all the old people inside that cave. They shot them until they were all dead. This was because of a milking cow. It was not like this at Borroloola; the white man did not shoot people there'."
Notes:
CorroborationRating: **
LanguageGroup: Garawa, Yanuywa, Gudanji
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 40
CorroborationRating: **
LanguageGroup: Garawa, Yanuywa, Gudanji
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 40
People involved
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Event mentions
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Massacre at Lower Wearyan River1 Jan 1888 – 31 Dec 1888 — Lower Wearyan River — massacreRoberts (2005, p 198) wrote: "Old Lhawulhawu went on to describe a major massacre there [Manangoora on the lower Wearyan River], possibly by the same people responsible for the one on McPherson Creek. 'Then the white men went to Mangoora and it was at this time where the Garrwa people, the Gudanji people and the Yanuwa people had come together for ceremonies. Some white people asked about bullocks. They hit people and they shot people and then left. The Yanyuwa, Garrwa and Gudanji people had been there for a Wambuyungu (funeral) ceremony. After the white people did this the people went south and hid themselves inside caves. The white people followed their tracks and saw the smoke of their fires and they heard the small children crying. Those white people found those people and they stood them up in a line and shot them, they shot them repeatedly and they shot all the old people inside that cave. They shot them until they were all dead. This was because of a milking cow. It was not like this at Borroloola; the white man did not shoot people there'."