JACKIEshort story

▪ The St Helena Island Community ▪ www.sthelenacommunity.com.auJuly 2019

JackieAdministration No.1514 Uniform No.159

A horror of dying in prison

Aboriginal prisoner ‘Jackie’ offered his services as a Native Trooper in 1884. The Queensland Government had requested more Aboriginal candidates to assist the police service capture escapees with their intimate knowledge of country and tracking skills.

Jackie pleaded that prison life ‘had broken down his health’ and he offered the following attributes:· Good horsemanship

· 10 years previous experience as a Native trooper

· Light weight (10 stone)

· Expertise in tracking, being known in his tribe as ‘Mi-Kolungara’ meaning sharp sighted.

Jackie suffering from consumption and plead that ‘he has a horror of dying in prison.’ Facing 15 years imprisonment for Murder, Jackie knew he would not outlive his sentence if he remained.

Jackie is buried in the St Helena Island Prisoner’s Cemetery. Source: Request for remission, Colonial Secretary’s Correspondence Col/A400/6464.

Consider:· What is a ‘Native Trooper?’ How was this system used to uphold the law around Queensland in the

1800’s?

· Jackie, Sandy, Charlie and Paddy were common names of Aboriginal Prisoners. What does this tell us

about colonial influence over the lives and identities of Aboriginal people?

· What aspects of incarceration in a prison far from home would result in the breaking down of Jackie’s

health? Is this mental, physical or spiritual? What aspects might be unique to Indigenous people?

· Connection to country is very important to Indigenous people. How difficult was it for Jackie to know he

was dying and away from his home?

· Why would Jackie not be given release if it was known he was dying?