Rex Ingamells
Reginald "Rex" Ingamells, born on January 19, 1913, in Orroroo, Southern Australia, was a notable poet, writer, and the founder of the Jindyworobak movement. Growing up as the son of a Methodist minister, Ingamells experienced a transient childhood, attending various schools before earning his B.A. from the University of Adelaide in 1934. He married Eileen Eva Spensley in 1938, with whom he had three sons. His literary career began in college, with poetry reflecting his deep interest in Aboriginal culture and the Australian landscape. His first poetry collection, "Gumtops," was published in 1935, followed by "Forgotten People." Ingamells emphasized the importance of integrating Aboriginal themes and Australian identity in literature through the Jindyworobak movement, which he founded in the 1930s. Despite facing criticism, the movement aimed to foster a unique national literary voice. Ingamells also authored nonfiction works, including a biography and an Aboriginal-English dictionary, along with two novels in the 1950s. Tragically, he died in a car accident on December 30, 1955, leaving behind a legacy that continues to spark discussion about Australian cultural identity and literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Rex Ingamells
Writer
- Born: January 19, 1913
- Birthplace: Orroroo, South Australia, Australia
- Died: December 30, 1955
- Place of death: Dimboola, Victoria, Australia
Biography
Reginald Ingamells was born January 19, 1913, in Orrorro, Southern Australia, to Eric Marfleet and Mabel Gwendolin Ingamells. He was the eldest of four children. His father was a Methodist minister, and moved the family frequently; as a result, Ingamells went to a variety of schools as a child. He attended Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, and then the University of Adelaide, where he received his B.A. degree in 1934. In 1938, Ingamells married Eileen Eva Spensley, and the couple had three sons. Ingamells moved to Melbourne, where he worked a series of jobs, including freelance journalism, teaching, and working as a publisher’s representative.
Ingamells started writing poetry in college, interested always in the Alchera, the creation myth which is the basis of Aboriginal culture. His early poems featuring his Aboriginal interests and love of for the Australian landscape appeared in publications such as The Bulletin (Sydney) and Chapbook (Adelaide). In 1935, his first collection of verse, Gumtops, was published, followed by a second collection, Forgotten People. All of his early work featured Aboriginal language and a heavy reliance upon metaphor. Some of his poems were accompanied by glossaries, inciting criticism from some stating that a poem should not be so difficult as to necessitate such explanations.
In the 1930’s, he founded the Jindyworobak movement, which stated that Australian writers had to embrace the Australian environment and Aboriginal culture in order to develop a unique national literary movement. They took their name from an Aboriginal word, jindyworobak, meaning to annex or to join. He wrote the movement’s tenets in his 1938 Conditional Culture, the movement’s first publication. This was followed by an annual Jindyworobak Anthology of poetry celebrating Australian ideals and heritage, which continued to be published until 1953. Although some viewed the movement as a celebration of Australian history and culture, others saw it as a group of adults playing out youthful fantasies of living in the undeveloped Outback.
In addition to his poetry, Ingamells wrote several nonfiction books, including a work of criticism, The Dunce’s Cap, subtitled A Critical Essay in Self-Defence; a biography of William Gay; and an Aboriginal-English dictionary. He also published two novels in the 1950’s: Aranda Boy and Of Us Now Living. Reginald Ingamells died in a car accident December 30, 1955, and was survived by his wife and three sons.
Rex Ingamells is most remembered for creating the Jindyworobak movement, which, although controversial, offered Australian poets and writers an appreciation for the Australian landscape and a place among it.