Biraban

Infobox_Person|name=Biraban
other_names=John McGill

---

caption=Biraban, drawn by Alfred Thomas Agate.
birth_date=
death_date=death date|1846|4|14|df=y
spouse=Patty

Biraban (died 14 April 1846), also known as John McGill (also spelt M‘Gill, MacGil, Maggill), was a leader of the Awakabal tribe of Indigenous Australians at Lake Macquarie. His native name, also spelt Barabahn, Bi-ra-bán, and Birabān, means "eaglehawk" in the Awabakal language.

Biraban spoke English fluently, and acted as an interpreter between Aborigines and settlers. From 1825 he served as an informant to the missionary Lancelot Edward Threlkeld, teaching him the Awabakal language and tribal lore.Biraban Public School was named after him since that was where he lived.

References

*cite book |last=Threlkeld |first=L. E. |authorlink=L. E. Threlkeld |year=1850 |chapter=Reminiscences of Birabān |title=A key to the structure of the Aboriginal language |pages=5–7 |location=Sydney |publisher=Kemp and Fairfax

External links

* [http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A010095b.htm Australian Dictionary of Biography]

Persondata
NAME=Biraban
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=McGill, John; M'Gill, John; MacGil, John; Maggill, John; Barabahn
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian Aboriginal leader
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=14 April 1846
PLACE OF DEATH=