Smallpox outbreak

Teachers note: Download and print Resource 1: Nanbarry and Surgeon John White.

Prior to colonisation Aboriginal people had developed medicines and strategies to deal with various diseases or illnesses, but they had no immunity or defences against the infectious diseases that were common in Europe.  As in previous invasions and colonisations around the world the British First Fleet arrived in 1788 carrying new and deadly epidemic diseases such as tuberculosis, influenza, measles and smallpox.

A terrible disease, probably smallpox, suddenly appeared in the colony in April 1789, 15 months after the arrival of the First Fleet. It was a common virus in Britain and most of the colonists would probably have had some exposure to it already. We don’t know exactly how the disease began in Sydney but it certainly arrived with the First Fleet. There are several different theories about how it began, but no proof. There were no recorded cases on the ships and none of the colonists are recorded as being ill from smallpox. The surgeon John White had brought something called ‘variolas matter’ with him in a sealed tube – this was basically pus from a person with smallpox that was then used to inoculate people to try and prevent them being killed by the disease. If this was used in Sydney it was not recorded. Many people believe that smallpox was deliberately introduced, as this had been done by the British in other countries to other Indigenous peoples.

Even though Aboriginal people had extensive knowledge of bush medicine, they were unable to treat an introduced virus like smallpox. They had no immunity to this destructive disease, and it spread rapidly. Devastatingly the epidemic killed at least HALF of the local Aboriginal people living in the Sydney area. Some researchers believe 80% of the Aboriginal population died from the disease.

Research the disease smallpox.

Discuss the impact that the disease and the number of deaths would have had on the local Aboriginal families and their lives.

A seriously ill Cadigal child was brought to the hospital in 1789. Read Lieutenant Newton Fowell's recollection of the boy:

His name is Nanbarry…. He is about 9 Years old.

Read Captain Watkin Tench’s description of Nanbarry’s smallpox symptoms:

Eruptions covered the poor boy from head to foot.

Nanbarry’s mother, father and sister had already died from the disease. In the hospital the Surgeon John White treated him and he made a full recovery. John White then adopted him as his son and changed his name to Andrew Sneap Hammond Douglass White. Nanbarry, we believe, insisted on being called Nanbarry; Fowell wrote ‘he is always called Nanberry’. Later when John White had a son with his convict housekeeper he called him Andrew Douglas White as well.

Look at the image below. Nanbarry was the nephew of Cadigal leader Colebee. In February 1795 Nanbarry was one of the young males taking part in a tradition called Yoo-long Erah-ba-diahng, a 'ceremony or operation of drawing the tooth'. When young men reached a certain age, their front tooth was knocked out during a special ceremony. In this image you can see uncle Colebee placing grilled fish on Nanbarry’s gum to ease it after his tooth has been knocked out.

Read how Nanberry described his uncle Colebee in the record of Lieutenant William Bradley in November 1789:

a great warrior and a leading man among men.

Answer these questions:

• How might Nanbarry’s life have changed, from living with his mother, father and sister in the Cadigal/Gadigal way, to living with John White amongst the colony of the First Fleet? Think about the basics of life such as food, shelter and clothing, as well as how he communicates in his new home as well as the different beliefs that John White might have compared to his family.
• How do you think Nanbarry might have felt living with a stranger after being so sick and losing his family?
• What might happen to Nanbarry’s language and culture now he was living with John White?
• Why do you think Nanbarry stayed with John White, and not return to his people at this time? Do you think Nanbarry had a choice?
• Do you think Nanbarry might have seen John White as part of his family?
• How would you feel if your name was changed?
• How would you have felt if you were in Nanbarry’s situation?

Imagine what each of them were thinking about each other and how their lives were turning out by using this sketch of Nanbarry and Surgeon John White. [Download and print Resource 1: Nanbarry & Surgeon John White.]