Last night, in a quite detailed speech about Yagan,  the Premier of Western Australia announced the new civic square square that will be above the newly sunk Perth railway station will be known as Yagan Square.   Yagan was born circa 1795 and was killed in July 1833. He was a Noongar leader and resistance fighter in the early years of the Swan River colony. He was both feared and admired by the early settlers. He is an iconic figure in the fight for Noongar rights and recognition.

Richard Walley, Premier Colin Barnett and Neville Collard at the naming of Yagan Square

A week or so later…
There has been quite of lot of correspondence in the media around the naming of Yagan Square. some have outlined some points from history. I enter the frey by posting an op ed that provides some analysis of events leading up to the killing of Yagan, with a particular focus on the execution of his father by firing squad; an event without equal in the history of the colonial settlement of Australia.