Tarenorerer facts for kids
'Tarenorerer, also known as Walyer, Montserrat, Tuculillo, or Walloa, was a brave and important leader of the Aboriginal Tasmanians. She lived from around 1800 until June 5, 1831. Between 1828 and 1830, she led a group of Indigenous people in a special kind of fighting called guerrilla warfare. This was against the British settlers who had come to Tasmania during a time known as the Black War.
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Who Was Tarenorerer?
Tarenorerer was a strong leader who stood up for her people. She is remembered for her courage and for teaching others how to fight for their land and way of life.
Her Early Life in Tasmania
Tarenorerer was born around the year 1800. Her birthplace was near Emu Bay, in what was then called Van Diemen's Land, which we now know as Tasmania. She was a member of the Tommeginne people. When she was a teenager, she was taken from her home by other Indigenous people. She was then forced to live and work with British colonists on the Bass Strait Islands. During this time, she learned two very important skills: how to speak English and how to use firearms. Some of her brothers and sisters also joined her with the sealers, who were people who hunted seals.
Leading the Resistance
A Brave Fighter Emerges
In 1828, Tarenorerer returned to northern Tasmania. She quickly gathered a group of brave Indigenous fighters, both men and women. She taught them how to use firearms, which made them very effective in their resistance against the colonists. A British official named George Augustus Robinson was very concerned about Tarenorerer. He described her as an "Amazon," meaning a strong and powerful female warrior. He worried about her ability to inspire many others to join the fight.
Capture and Legacy
Tarenorerer, along with her brothers Linnetower and Line-ne-like-kayver and two sisters, tried to escape to Port Sorell. However, they were captured by sealers. They were then taken to the Hunter Islands and later to Bird Island, where they were forced to catch seals and mutton birds. In December 1830, Tarenorerer was taken to Swan Island, where her identity became known. Her capture was seen as a very important event by the British, who hoped it would bring peace to the areas where she and her group had been active. She was then imprisoned on Gun Carriage (Vansittart) Island. Sadly, she became ill with influenza while imprisoned and passed away on June 5, 1831. Tarenorerer is remembered as a significant figure in the history of Aboriginal Tasmanians, a symbol of resistance and strength.
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