Yagan's family group consisted of about 60 members. It was called "Beeliar" or "Beelgar". Before the settlers arrived in Australia, Yagan's tribe relied on hunting around the area and fishing in the many creeks that were situated in and around the area for their food. Unfortunately for Yagan's tribe, when the settlers arrived, Governor Stirling allocated land rights along the river and surrounding areas thus cutting off access to the main food sources of the tribe of Beeliar.
Due to the pressures of starvation the tribe of Beeliar turned to stealing the settler's stores, crops and spearing their cattle to survive. Two servants of a house that the tribe was stealing from caught them in the act and with out warning opened fire at them and killed two of the tribe's men. One of whom was Yagan's brother.
In an act of revenge, Yagan and a few of the tribe's men crossed the river at Preston Point at about 9 o'clock to seek revenge against the people of Canning, he even told the ferryman of his intention. The party then waited at Bull Creek for a group of settlers and their carts. Later that day the party ambushed the lead cart and speared to death two men, Tom and John Velvick. After the murder Lieutenant-Governor Frederick Irwin declared that Yagan was an outlaw offering £30 to the person who captured him, dead or alive.
Two months later Yagan was spotted by George Fletcher Moore (an aboriginal sympathizer) they then had a conversation where Yagan said “You came to our country, you have driven us from our haunts , and disturbed us in our occupations, As we walk in our own country we are fired upon by white man. Why should the white man treat us so?”
On July 11th, 1833, two teenage brothers, William and James Keats discovered a group of aboriginals, one of whom was Yagan. They suggested to them that Yagan should stay with them, while the rest got their rations of flour. The two brothers later decided to kill Yagan and claim the reward. Later that day William Keats shot Yagan but the gun stopped mid-cock. They then waited to the last minute when Yagan was rejoining the party when William shot Yagan and James shot another native before he could throw his spear.
The two then took off towards the river, unfortunately William fell behind and was speared to death. James made it across the river and to safety. When James returned with some armed settlers, they found Yagan dead and the native alive with his brains hanging out. They then shot him to put him out of his misery. Then they severed Yagan's head and skinned him for his tribal markings as trophies. They sent his head to England. The head wasn't sent back to Australia until 31 August 1997. The head will be buried by July 2007.
That time was full of murder and bloodshed, with both side respecting the other, and Yagan was caught in the middle of it and was dealt a cruel fate as a result of that. One can only hope that our country does not fall back to that level again and that events like that will never happen again.
