Howitt & Fison's Archive

Umbarra (King Merriman)

Umbarra was a Yuin informant to A.W. Howitt and a fisherman. Umbarra apparently owned a 'good Sydney-built boat, which he manages with the aid of his wife'. Howitt also notes that he was 'the bard of the Coast Murring' and had composed songs whilst travelling on the seas. An informant to A.W. Howitt in the southeastern corner of NSW. He reportedly died in 1904.

It has been suggested by some Yuin men that Umbarra was pronounced (by Percy Mumbulla and other elders) as sounding more like 'Yoombarra', or 'Oom-barra'.

See Roland Robinson's transcript of Percy Mumbulla's story of King Merriman and 'The Battle at Wallaga Lake' (Robinson, 1958, Black-feller White-feller, p.111-114).

Found in Transcriptions

Chapter 7 Songs and Songmakers

Pages 10 11

Registration Number XM461

Author Howitt, Mr Alfred William

Physical Description Draft notes, typed and handwritten, undated. Twelve sheets, thirteen pages. Cover sheet. Annotations throughout. Condition: tattered edges; foxing.

Typed and handwritten notes about the Kurnai

Pages 2

Registration Number XM524

Author Howitt, Alfred William

Physical Description Notes, typed and handwritten, undated. Handwritten sections include annotations and corrections throughout. Number 2 typed, top right of first page. No other page numbers marked. Five sheets, six pages. Condition: paper loss from bottom corner of one sheet; foxing.

Notes on Kurnai 150 pages

Pages 16 137

Registration Number hw0404

Author Howitt, Alfred William

Physical Description Correspondence and notes.

Also found in

16/11/1881 Hobbes, Merriman to Howitt

Registration Number hw0149

Author —

Physical Description —

Notes

Registration Number XM17

Author Aldridge, Harry Edgar

Physical Description Notes, handwritten, undated. One foolscap sheet, one page. Good condition.

Chapter VI Tribal Governments

Registration Number XM689

Author Howitt, Mr Alfred William

Physical Description Draft notes, typed and handwritten, undated. 59 pages consisting of 47 foolscap sheets, 8 half-pages, and 3 slips. With annotations, attachments and corrections throughout. Condition: some sheets with torn and tattered edges; some with foxing.

Tatati Billy Napier

Registration Number XM725

Author Howitt, Mr Alfred William

Physical Description Notes, handwritten in ink, undated. Three foolscap sheets, three pages. Condition: some foxing.