Massacre at Jail House Creek - East Kimberley

Date: 1 Jan 1900 – 31 Dec 1900
Place: Jail House Creek - East Kimberley
Event type: massacre
Direct violence: Yes
Hector Chunda told Helen Ross: 'Some Kartiya [White People] bin round em up the blackfellas long bush, put em chains around their necks. They used to bring em, camp along the road, footwork, drive em like a mob of cattle. They took em to the right place, Jail Creek.


'They went up to the rock hole there, having the camp dinner. Then they were carting wood, take em back to the place where they were camping, then tie them up, like a dog.


'Right all the kartiya get em their guns, line em up every girl and boy and shoot em down got a rifle. Whang all the children on the rocks [smash their skulls on the rocks]. Chuck em kerosene, put em on the firewood and chuck all em them dead bodies in the firewood place, put em
kerosene and chuck em matches.


'Burn em up them, finished, they all there. That's the way (that's why) thy bin call em Jail creek.


'Boy and girls and children, all bin burn em up, shoot em down, get em all the kids like this one, hang em long tree. That's the way not much Kija people and Mirriwoong longa this country. They bin finish em up. Kartiya bin finish em up, killed the lot' (Hector Chunda cited in Ross and Bray, 1989, p18).
Notes:
CorroborationRating: **
LanguageGroup: Worla, Kitja
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 50

People involved

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Sources

  • Hector Chunda in Ross and Bray, 1989, p 18.

Event mentions

  • Massacre at Jail House Creek - East Kimberley
    1 Jan 1900 – 31 Dec 1900 — Jail House Creek - East Kimberley — massacre
    Hector Chunda told Helen Ross: 'Some Kartiya [White People] bin round em up the blackfellas long bush, put em chains around their necks. They used to bring em, camp along the road, footwork, drive em like a mob of cattle. They took em to the right place, Jail Creek.


    'They went up to the rock hole there, having the camp dinner. Then they were carting wood, take em back to the place where they were camping, then tie them up, like a dog.


    'Right all the kartiya get em their guns, line em up every girl and boy and shoot em down got a rifle. Whang all the children on the rocks [smash their skulls on the rocks]. Chuck em kerosene, put em on the firewood and chuck all em them dead bodies in the firewood place, put em
    kerosene and chuck em matches.


    'Burn em up them, finished, they all there. That's the way (that's why) thy bin call em Jail creek.


    'Boy and girls and children, all bin burn em up, shoot em down, get em all the kids like this one, hang em long tree. That's the way not much Kija people and Mirriwoong longa this country. They bin finish em up. Kartiya bin finish em up, killed the lot' (Hector Chunda cited in Ross and Bray, 1989, p18).
    Source: Hector Chunda in Ross and Bray, 1989, p 18.