Jambie Lawson View the Map

Jambie Lawson (also known as Jemmy, John or Jack) was born at Croagingalong in eastern Gippsland in about 1850 to Wothango and Loah.  He was an important informant to ethnographer A.W. Howitt about Maap people who he said occupied the territory to the east of the Snowy River and as far as the Victorian coast.  He may have attended the initiation ceremony held near Bega and partly organised by Howitt.  Others who attended from Ngarigu and Maap country included Jimmy Tongai and members of the Mundy family.

Jambie worked as the tracker at Delegate in Ngarigu country for about six weeks in the middle of 1885.  He then moved to Jindabyne where he assisted in the search for James Bullock, a resident of Bulamblong.  Superintendent Morissett discharged him from service in January 1886.  A reason for the dismissal was not recorded.

In later years he lived at Delegate (probably on the Aboriginal Reserve) and also at nearby Craigie where he passed away from natural causes on 10 July 1906.  He was buried the following day in Craigie Cemetery.  Jambie has no known descendants.[ref]The Aboriginal People of the Monaro – A Documentary History compiled by Michael Young, Second edition, 2005: 302, 327, 349, 364-365; Death Certificate of Jambie Lawson 1906/008022[/ref]

Jambie Lawson - Related Languages:

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