RESISTANCE

CASE STUDY

Bilin Bilin

3
Bilin Bilin's story is of a man and a
community leader who had to
confront a problem that no-one
would choose to face the
occupation of his country. It is also
the story of how some of his
descendants today have found
inspiration from his life and the
way he dealt with the issues he
had to confront. Bilin Bilin, a
Yugambeh man, was born about
1820 in south-east Queensland.
By the time he died in 1901, the
world of the Yugambeh had
undergone a radical transformation
through the occupation of their
country by the British.

1
Some people resisted the
occupiers with guerilla
tactics but Bilin Bilin took
another tack. He
continued to work for
white settlers one way
of avoiding being killed or
displaced because of the
high value of Aboriginal
labour.

B Bilin Bilins breastplate reads Jackey

Jackey King of the Logan and Pimpama.
This photograph was taken shortly before
his death in 1901.

A Look into the eyes of Bilin Bilin they tell

a story of the burden he was forced to bear
when these intruders failed to respect his
family and his land. The metal plate and
chains are symbols of this burden.
Ysola Best, Bilin Bilins great-great-granddaughter, 1993

C Bi
Bilin
B
lilin
n Bi
Bilins
Bili
in
n s descendants.
desc
de
scen
enda
en
dant
da
nts.
nt
s.

D Bilin Bilins descendants tell the story of

how he used to bring honey and other
food to a widowed settler who was raising
a large family on her own. He may have
carried the food in a sugarbag like this.

E Bilin Bilin learnt English and worked for the settlers, as workers were unlikely to be killed or removed.
By doing so he was able to stay in his country and maintain traditions. Today Bilin Bilins descendants
believe their living culture and identity are the result of the hard decisions made by their ancestor.

National Museum of Australia and Ryebuck Media 2008

A weapon like the Tower Patt Rifle

would have been used in the attacks
on Yugambeh people by the police.
Bilin Bilin's community fought the
Native Police. The Native Police were
founded in 1859 and disbanded in
1901. Although called 'police', they
essentially functioned as a military
occupation force, to suppress any
sign of resistance. [1] In the Native
Police, the officers were always
G
'white' and the men, known as
'troopers', were Aboriginal. The
Native Police had a reputation for
'extreme violence'

e
e
n

The Gold Coast today.

H
Residents of
Deebing Creek
mission.