Belinda Dann facts for kids

Belinda Dann (born Quinlyn Warrakoo on 4 July 1900) was an amazing Indigenous Australian woman. She lived to be 107 years old! Her mother was from the Nykina people, and her father was an Irish cattle station manager.

Belinda Dann's Life Story

Her Early Life and the Stolen Generations

Belinda was born in a place called Lunlungai community, near Derby in Western Australia. When she was only eight years old, she was taken away from her family. This happened to many Indigenous children in Australia during a sad time known as the Stolen Generations. These children were often moved to missions or other places, and their names were sometimes changed. Belinda was sent to the Beagle Bay Mission, and her name was changed to Belinda Boyd. This was done to try and make her fit into the non-Indigenous society of the time.

Family and Later Years

Later in her life, Belinda married a man named Mathias Dann.

A very special moment happened in May 2007 when Belinda met her brother, Patty Jungine, for the very first time. He was 97 years old! Sadly, Patty passed away just a month later in June 2007. Belinda Dann herself passed away four months after her brother, in October 2007, in Port Hedland, Western Australia. She was 107 years old when she died.

Remembering Belinda Dann

More than 200 people came to Belinda Dann's funeral in Port Hedland in October 2007 to remember her. Two weeks later, a special traditional ceremony was held at Lunlungai, the place where she was born. During this ceremony, a lock of Belinda's hair was buried next to her mother's grave, honoring her connection to her family and her heritage.