“This account, preserved through generations of Djiru, Girramay and Mamu Elders, speaks to a tragic and violent chapter in the history of Banana Island and Murdering Point. A group of settlers abducted, assaulted and murdered several Aboriginal women. In response, the warriors of the community sought justice, retaliating against those responsible. However, under colonial rule, their resistance was met with swift and brutal retribution. The police captured the men, subjected them to a perfunctory trial, and sentenced them to death without due process.
Their bodies were discarded in a mass grave on Banana Island – erased from the colonial record but never forgotten by their people. The name Murdering Point stands as a grim testament to the atrocities committed against First Nations communities, a reminder of the violent suppression endured by those who defended their land, culture and kin.”
Words by Uncle Appo, Banana Island.