Mullawirraburka and Kadlitpinna: how and why influential individuals facilitated amicable cross-cultural relations in the Adelaide district, 1836‒1840

Abstract

Abstract When early colonists arrived on the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide Plains in 1836, individual mediators were essential to the establishment of harmonious cross-cultural relations. Focusing primarily on the actions of Mullawirraburka and Kadlitpinna – known by colonists respectively as ‘King John’ and ‘Captain Jack’ of the Adelaide Tribe – this article demonstrates how and why, during the early colonial period, Aboriginal people incorporated Europeans and their goods into existing social, political and economic networks. Esteemed warriors such as Mullawirraburka and Kadlitpinna proactively formed relations with the newcomers and shaped unfolding events. In doing so, they increased their influence among their own and neighbouring groups. In providing a nuanced interpretation of a range of sources and the actions of Mullawirraburka and Kadlitpinna, this article contributes to understandings of the early colonial history of South Australia and the complexities of interactions between first peoples and colonisers.