David Unaipon

Aboriginal Australian nonfiction writer, poet, and inventor.

• Born: September 28, 1872
• Birthplace: Point McLeay Mission, Lower Murray, South Australia, Australia
• Died: February 7, 1967
• Place of death:Tailem Bend, South Australia, Australia

Biography

Australian writer and inventor David Unaipon was born in Point McLeay Mission on the Lower Murray in South Australia on September 28, 1872. A Ngarrindjeri Aborigine, he was the fourth of nine children; his parents were James Ngunaitponi, the first Ngarrindjeri deacon of Point McLeay church, and Nymbulda, both of whom were Yaraldi speakers. He was educated at Point McLeay Mission School and developed an interest in science, philosophy, and music. His father provided instruction in Aboriginal culture, legends, and customs.

Unaipon read voraciously and dabbled in engineering and inventing, demonstrating precocious talent. His inventions include a device to assist in shearing sheep (which he patented in 1909), a centrifugal motor, a multiradial wheel, and a mechanical propulsion device; his scientific pursuits earned him a reputation as Australia’s “Leonardo.” In all, he authored ten patents for various devices. He applied the aerodynamic principles of boomerang flight to a hypothetical rotorcraft, which anticipated the helicopter, and he unflaggingly, though futilely, pursued the secret of perpetual motion.

In January, 1902, Unaipon married Katherine Carter, a Tangani woman. He was a spokesman for Australia’s Aboriginal population, often speaking publicly on the subject of Aboriginal rights and welfare. He participated in several government commissions regarding Aboriginal issues, including the Bleakley inquiry of 1928-1929. In 1934, he proposed that the Commonwealth take over the administration of Aboriginal affairs.

Unaipon worked for the Aborigines’ Friends’ Association and traveled throughout southeastern Australia. During these travels, he delivered sermons and presented lectures on Aboriginal issues and customs. He regarded Christian and Aboriginal beliefs as being fundamentally similar. He believed in equal rights for all races and often spoke of the urgent need for cooperation between whites and blacks.

Unaipon’s first published work was the article “Aboriginals: Their Traditions and Customs,” which was printed in the Sydney Daily Telegraph in 1924. He was one of the first Aboriginal authors to be published. His article “The Story of the Mungingee” appeared in the magazine The Home in 1925, and his fifteen-page booklet Native Legends came out in 1929. His writings were included in the 1930 book Myths and Legends of the Australian Aboriginals, and he continued to publish poetry, articles, and legends throughout his life. He wrote two autobiographies: My Life Story (1951) and “Leaves of Memory” (1953).

Unaipon received a Coronation Medal in 1953. He died on February 7, 1967. He was posthumously awarded the FAW Patricia Weickhardt Award for Aboriginal writers in 1985. His portrait appears on the Australian fifty-pound note, and the David Unaipon Award for unpublished works by Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders is presented annually in his honor.

Author Works

Nonfiction:

"Aboriginals: Their Traditions and Customs", 1924

"The Story of the Mungingee", 1925

Native Legends, 1929

Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines, 1930

My Life Story, 1951

"Leaves of Memory", 1953

Bibliography

Jones, Philip. "Unaipon, David (1872–1967)." Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, 1990, adb.anu.edu.au/biography/unaipon-david-8898. Accessed 26 June 2017. A brief overview of Unaipon's life and career.

Unaipon, David. My Life Story. Aborigines' Friends Association, 1954. An autobiography.

Wheeler, Belinda, editor. A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature. Camden House, 2013. Discusses Unaipon's influence on Aboriginal literature.