Bebejan facts for kids

Bebejan (born around 1796, died August 1836), also known as Bebejern or Jerum Jerum, was an important leader of the Wurundjeri people. He belonged to the Woiwurung language group in what is now Victoria, Australia. The Wurundjeri people were one of the Kulin nations, and they lived along the Yarra River and its smaller streams. Bebejan was a Ngurungaeta (pronounced ung-uh-rung-eye-tuh), which means he was a respected leader and elder of his community. His traditional lands stretched from the area known today as Heidelberg all the way to where the Yarra River begins.

Who Was Bebejan?

Bebejan was a key figure among the Wurundjeri people during a time of big changes. He became a leader when Europeans started arriving in Kulin territory. His leadership was very important for his people as they faced these new challenges.

Family Life and Connections

In the early 1820s, Bebejan married a young woman named Tooterie. She was from the Ngurai-illam-wurrang people. Together, they had a son named Beruk. Beruk would later become a very famous leader himself, changing his name to William Barak. Bebejan was also connected to another important leader, Billibellary, who was his wife's uncle.

How Bebejan Became a Leader

It is believed that Bebejan became a Ngurungaeta after a serious smallpox outbreak in 1828. This disease sadly affected many Aboriginal communities. What's interesting is that Bebejan became leader even though Billibellary, his older uncle, was also a respected elder. This shows that the Aboriginal leadership system was based on a person's skills and wisdom, not just on who was born first in a family. Billibellary respected Bebejan's leadership and became his second-in-command. After Bebejan's death in 1836, Billibellary took over as the main leader.

Bebejan and Batman's Treaty

One of the most significant events Bebejan was involved in was the signing of Batman's Treaty in 1835. This meeting happened between John Batman, a European explorer, and several Aboriginal leaders. Bebejan was one of the eight tribal leaders who signed this document.

What Was Batman's Treaty?

Batman's Treaty was a very important agreement because it was the first and only time in Australia's history that Europeans tried to formally buy land from the Aboriginal people. Usually, Europeans just claimed the land without asking. This treaty was an attempt to negotiate for the land directly with its traditional owners. Bebejan's son, Beruk, was also present at this historic meeting.

The Treaty's Impact

Although the treaty was signed, the British government later said it was not valid. They believed that Aboriginal people could not sell their land because they did not own it in the same way Europeans understood ownership. Despite this, the treaty remains a significant moment in Australian history, showing an early, though ultimately unsuccessful, attempt at a formal agreement between Aboriginal people and European settlers.