Dick-a-Dick facts for kids
Dick-a-Dick (also known as Lavanya or Jungunjinuke) was an amazing Australian Aboriginal tracker and cricketer. He was born around 1834 and passed away in 1870. He was a Wotjobaluk man from western Victoria, Australia. He spoke the Wergaia language. Dick-a-Dick was part of the first Australian cricket team to tour England in 1868. He became one of the most famous Aboriginal people in the 1800s.
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Early Life of Dick-a-Dick
Dick-a-Dick was born near what is now Nhill, Victoria. He was the oldest son of Balrootan, a Wotjobaluk Chief. When he was about ten, he said he was there when explorers Dugald MacPherson and George Belcher found Nhill in 1844.
Dick-a-Dick: The Talented Tracker
Dick-a-Dick lived at Mt Elgin station in the Wimmera region. He first became known for his amazing tracking skills. A tracker is someone who can read the land. They can find and follow the tracks of people or animals.
In August 1864, three children, Isaac Cooper, Jane Cooper, and Frank Duff, went missing. They disappeared in the Mallee scrub near Natimuk. Their tracks were found, but a big thunderstorm washed them away. The official search was called off, and newspapers thought the children were gone forever.
However, the parents did not give up hope. A neighbor suggested asking Dick-a-Dick and other Wotjobaluk trackers for help. Dick-a-Dick took two other men, Jerry and Fred, with him. Within hours, they found the children's trail again. A few hours later, they found the children, who were very weak. Dick-a-Dick was called a hero and given the name King Richard. He and his fellow trackers received a reward for their brave work.
Dick-a-Dick: A Great Sportsman
Dick-a-Dick was famous for his skills with traditional weapons. These included a waddy (a type of club) and a shield. His most famous act was challenging people to hit him with a cricket ball. They would throw it from 15 paces away. Even when four balls were thrown at once, he was almost never hit. He would use his shield to protect his body and head. He also used his waddy to protect his legs. He would move slowly towards the throwers and then suddenly yell, which often surprised everyone. A copy of Dick-a-Dick's club is kept at the Lord's Cricket Ground museum.
He was known as a "famous athlete" with great running and jumping abilities. People said he had "an eye like a hawk" to avoid the flying cricket balls. He could move his body like lightning to dodge them.
While in Melbourne, the Aboriginal cricketers learned to play lawn bowls. Dick-a-Dick, along with Tarpot and Jellico, showed great skill at the game. Dick-a-Dick also threw a cricket ball 104 meters (341 feet) in Australia. He threw it the same distance in England. Only W.G. Grace, a famous cricketer, threw it further.
He could throw a spear 130 meters (426 feet). He also won a high jump competition, clearing 1.6 meters (5 feet 3 inches). People admired his smooth jumping style. Even though another teammate, Cuzens, was usually the fastest runner, Dick-a-Dick won a 100-yard race in Nottingham. He also won a 150-yard hurdle race, even after falling over a hurdle.
Dick-a-Dick: The Cricketer
Dick-a-Dick was chosen for the Aboriginal cricket team. This team played matches in Victoria and New South Wales. They also toured England. The team wore white trousers, red shirts with blue sashes, and blue belts and ties. Each player had a different colored cap; Dick-a-Dick's was yellow.
Dick-a-Dick was known for being friendly and well-liked. Charles Lawrence, a teammate, remembered him with great fondness years later.
After the England Tour
After returning from the cricket tour, Dick-a-Dick's health got worse. He went back to his home country and the Ebenezer Mission. He is thought to have worked as a drover (someone who moves livestock) and a fencer along the Murray River.
Local white settlers saw Dick-a-Dick as a leader and elder. One family remembered that he was the traditional owner of the MacKenzie Springs and Bill's Gully hunting grounds in the Wimmera. Local European authorities gave Dick-a-Dick a special inscribed king plate.
Dick-a-Dick was known by several names during his life. Besides his birth name, Djungadjinganook, he was also called King Billy, King Dick, and Kennedy. The name Kennedy was in honor of a policeman he admired. His family later adopted Kennedy as their last name.
He passed away at the mission on September 3, 1870. Before his death, he became a Christian and was baptized on July 30, 1870.
Dick-a-Dick's Legacy
A book about Dick-a-Dick's rescue of the Duff children, called Lost in the Bush, was published. This book was part of the Victorian school curriculum for many years.
A plaque was put up near Mitre Rock, Nhill, Victoria. It honors Dick-a-Dick's important role in rescuing the children.
Dick-a-Dick's great-grandson, William John Kennedy, became a leading activist for Australian Aboriginal causes. He was named "Male Elder of the Year" at the 2003 National NAIDOC Week Awards.
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