While traveling northward through the upper Noongar region of the Yued tribal area, we rested at Coomallo, where the Hill River tributary comes near to parallel the Brand Hwy. At that time, we made an unplanned decision to deviate our travel and make a direct line to the Butterabby Graves. We veered off course leaving the Brand Hwy and made our way northeast until we reached the southern Yamatji region heading towards Mullewa. By midday we arrived at the lonely location of the Butterabby Graves.
Here, in the early 1860s the Wajarri ‘Aboriginal’ People grew frustrated with the White people taking their Land, killing their men, and abusing their Woman and Children. In 1864, the ongoing animosity resulted in two White men being killed as retaliation, who were destroying land for grazing. For these killings, on Saturday morning January 28th, 1865, five of our Wajarri men, Wangayakoo, Yourmacarra, Garder, Charlacarra and Williacarra, were hanged from a tree and later buried at his location. Watching this event were twelve other Wajarri people who'd been forcibly brought in to witness the spectacle, which was done so in hopes that other Aboriginal people would be deterred from interfering with White people occupation in the area. Also, Wajarri man, Mumbleby, his wife, Bela, and a fourteen-year-old girl, Beeja Beeja, were also punished, which included Mumbleby being locked up for the remainder of his life.
As we paid our respects to our extended Wajarri Yamatji family ancestors here now resting, I heard the sound of the Bullroarer speaking to me. We followed some fresh Kangaroo tracks down to the creek bed, where once the Wajarri people would gather to refresh their souls. As we walk a little further, I felt our presence was known as the atmosphere had an energy shift, and I noted dark figures standing a short distance off from us in a half circle around the burial site. Standing upright and still, the figures accepted our presence in the area as they also gave us caution, as to convey that the evils said to have been committed on the Land against the Wajarri People did in fact occur. It was good for us to be there; to be a witness to the testimony of the ancestors. I walked one more time alone through the grounds and we left the site in peace.
We were very happy to have listened to our thoughts and made the impromptu decision to visit this very important site. – Chris D.