David Unaipon
Getting to the heart.
While researching the life and achievements of a former local Coorong man, David Unaipon, I was delighted to read a comment that referred to Mr Unaipon as an excellent singer. The Post, a contribution to a Meningie History facebook page, referred to an occasion when Mr Unaipon had sung publicly at a wedding ceremony. It seems this remarkable man generously and graciously shared his life and the fruits of his creative and entrepreneurial talents within his local community. It is apparent that he was also genuinely concerned for the welfare of the people within his community and was prepared to advocate on their behalf.
Many times the people that are recognised and venerated in a public way are credited for their achievements, despite their character. What a delight to discover that the man whose face we see on the Australian fifty dollar note, David Unaipon, was a man with exceptional talents who also had a generous nature and was willing to invest of himself close to home, for the sake of those that he considered to be his people.
by Isa Brown Nov. 2024
Read more about the life and works of David Unaipon.
David Ngunaitponi. (Unaipon)
David Ngunaitponi, (Unaipon) was born in September of 1872 at Point McLeay, in a mission settlement, an initiative of the Aborigines’ Friends’ Association, established out of concern for the well-being of First Nation’s people’s, including the Lower Murray Ngarrinderri peoples, displaced by European land appropriation.
Consisting of a school, a little church and cottages, some with dormitories for children, the community had hopes of establishing a working farm and providing sustainable living and employment opportunities for its’ residents. The mission was restored back to the Ngarrindjerri people in 1974 and renamed Raukkan in 1982.
Raukkan is still a thriving community that welcomes visitors.
One of nine children
One of nine children, David, lived with his Father, James Ngunaitponi, who had been appointed church deacon at the local mission and his mother, Nymbulda. They were both from the Murray lower lakes region and spoke the Yaraldi dialect.
Educated at the mission school
Educated at the mission school from the age of seven, till he left to work for, (a land surveyor, pastoralist and winemaker,) Mr Charles Burney Young, at age thirteen, David was described as an excellent student. CB Young is credited with encouraging Mr Unaipon to continue in, what would become a lifetime pursuit of knowledge.
Despite an excellent attitude
Despite an excellent attitude towards learning, the lack of opportunity for First Nation’s peoples in the early 1900’s prevented David from securing intellectually engaging employment. With his keen intelligence, practical know how and strong religious convictions, Unaipon went on to become renowned for his achievements.
published author and journalist
Credited as a published author and journalist, a keen orator and an evangelical preacher, a political activist and an indigenous affairs advocate, as well as innovator and inventor, Mr Unaipon’s talents and abilities were many. David Unaipon was also credited for saying;
“The coming of the white man was in it-self a blessing. We were isolated from the world’s culture. It is true that my people could not adapt themselves to civilization, but that is because it came too suddenly for us.”
The Register, 3 October 1925.
With his strong convictions and positive attitude Unaipon was an influential voice in the early 1900’s. .
most famous invention
David Unaipon is perhaps, most famous for his invention of a sheep shearing hand device that was the prototype for every hand piece still in use today. His invention was a mechanical device that generated rotating parts, similar to a cog, which, in turning, caused reciprocating lateral movement. The result was the cutting blade action of the contemporary shearer’s hand piece. This significant improvement of the hand shear radically moved the wool industry forward.
"Boomerang" Flying Machine
The Boomerang’s unique ability to generate lift during forward motion, inspired David Unaipon to begin designing a flying machine that would take off vertically. He was also obsessed with the notion of perpetual motion and continued with inventions into his nineties.
