Dervish Bejah facts for kids

Portrait circa 1890

Bejah Dervish (born around 1862, died 1957) was a famous camel driver. He played a very important part in exploring and developing the outback in Australia. Later, he settled in Marree, South Australia, and grew date palms.

The Life of Bejah Dervish

Bejah Dervish was born in a place called Baluchistan. Back then, it was part of British India. Today, it's part of Pakistan. He worked with British soldiers in places like Kandahar and Karachi. He even became a sergeant.

Around 1890, Bejah moved to Australia. He arrived by a sailing ship at Fremantle. At that time, many camel drivers from different countries were already in Australia. They were often called "Afghan" cameleers. These skilled drivers helped build the Overland Telegraph Line. They also helped open up the Western Australian Goldfields.

Exploring with Camels

Bejah in 1896 with the Calvert Expedition team

In 1896, Bejah was hired by Lawrence Wells. His job was to manage the camels for the Calvert Scientific Exploring Expedition. This journey went into the Great Sandy Desert in Western Australia. It was a very difficult and dangerous trip.

Settling Down in Marree

In 1902, Bejah decided to live in Marree. He bought land there and ran his own camel transport business. On December 15, 1909, he married Amelia Jane Shaw. Around 1930, he stopped driving camels. Instead, he started growing date palms.

Bejah Dervish passed away on May 6, 1957. He died in a hospital in Port Augusta. He was buried in the local cemetery there.

How Bejah Dervish is Remembered

Bejah Dervish is remembered for his important work.

Featured in a Film

In 1954, Bejah was in a documentary film called The Back of Beyond. This film won awards and was directed by John Heyer. It showed his life and work.

Honored with a Plaque

There is a special plaque in Adelaide that honors Bejah. It is on the Jubilee 150 Walkway. This plaque celebrates people who made a big difference to South Australia. It says: "Dervish Bejah, c1862-1957, Camel-driver, explorer."

Celebrated in Poetry

A famous poet named Douglas Stewart wrote a poem about him. The poem is called "Afghan" and was published in 1955.

Bejah Dervish's Family

Bejah Dervish had children and grandchildren.

His Sons

In 1891, he had a son named Ben Murray. Ben's mother was an Aboriginal woman living in Marree.

With his wife Amelia, Bejah had another son named Abdul Jubbar, also known as Jack.

Grandson's Work

Abdul Bejah, who was Jack's son and Bejah Dervish's grandson, helped create a special memorial. This memorial honors the Afghan camel drivers in Australia. It was placed in Whitmore Square, Adelaide, in 2007.

See also

• Afghan (Australia)