Ayaiga, also known as Ayaigar, Aya-I-Ga, Neighbour or Nipper (c.1882 - 21 June 1954) was a police tracker and stockman in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. He was the first Indigenous person to be a recipient of a medal for gallantry in Australia, for saving a policeman from drowning.

Biography

Ayaiga was of the Alawa language group in the

Roper River The Roper River is a large perennial river located in the Katherine region of the Northern Territory of Australia. Location and features Formed by the confluence of the Waterhouse River and Roper Creek, the Roper River rises east of Mataranka ...

region. He worked as a police tracker at Roper Bar Police Station and as a stockman at Nutwood Downs and Hodgson Downs stations. In 1911, Ayaiga saved the life of Mounted Police Constable William Johns during a river crossing. Ayaiga and three other men had been arrested for cattle stealing and was being transported in neck chains by Constable Johns. While attempting to cross the Wilton River, Johns' horse overturned kicking him in the head and knocking him unconscious. Despite the neck chain, Ayaiga quickly rescued Johns, dragging him to safety. Ayaiga then borrowed Johns' horse and rode to Hodgson Downs Station to request help. He was not convicted of cattle stealing. Then on 16 February 1912 he was awarded the

Albert Medal for Lifesaving The Albert Medal was a British decoration instituted to recognize the saving or endeavouring to save the lives of others. It existed from 1866 until 1971. The Albert Medal was first instituted by a royal warrant on 7 March 1866. It was named i ...

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

at Government House, making him the first Indigenous Australian awarded a medal for gallantry. He was not permitted to keep the medal, which was kept for him by the government to wear on special occasions. He wore the medal in February 1915, while on trial for murder. He was acquitted. In 1940, he ferried supplies and rescued people stranded by the flooded Roper River. Constable Johns' grandson, sculptor Greg Johns, created a sculpture inspired by Ayaiga's story. It is on display at

Northern Territory Library Library & Archives NT is the "state" library and archives for the Northern Territory of Australia. It has three venues located in Darwin (on the ancestral lands of the Larrakia people) and Alice Springs (on the land of the Arrernte people). I ...

. Another of Johns' grandsons is ABC sports broadcaster Charlie King. His medal is held at the

National Library of Australia The National Library of Australia (NLA), formerly the Commonwealth National Library and Commonwealth Parliament Library, is the largest reference library in Australia, responsible under the terms of the ''National Library Act 1960'' for "mainta ...

. A replica is on display at the Northern Territory Library.

Notes

References

{{reflist, 30em

External links

The story of Ayaiga, Northern Territory Library online feature
People from the Northern Territory 1880s births 1954 deaths Recipients of the Albert Medal (lifesaving)