Early Life
Born in Yorta Yorta territory around the intersection of the Murray and Goulburn Rivers in Victoria, Australia on 18 December 1860. Cooper appears to have been forced to work for a variety of pastoral employers, even as a child.
On August 4, 1874, William Cooper, along with his mother, Kitty, his brother Bobby and other relatives arrived at Maloga, an Aboriginal Mission on the Murray, run by Daniel and Janet Matthews. Three days later, Matthews was struck by William’s quick progress in literacy, and noted the following in his diary:
“6 Aug. Maloga. The boy, Billy Cooper, shows great aptitude for learning. He has acquired a knowledge of the Alphabet, capital and small letters, in three days and then taught Bobby – capitals only – in one day.”
Cooper came and went from the mission freely, learning and working as it suited. In his 20s, he seems to have taken a great interest in the message of the Bible. Following a church service in January, 1884, Cooper approached Daniel Matthews and said “I must give my heart to God….” He was the last of his brothers and sisters to become Christians.
The faith community seems to have nourished Cooper for a life of activism. "Matthews' evangelical work provided Cooper and other Yorta Yorta with powerful way of understanding and protesting against their plight, and so helped equip them to fight for equality."
Cooper attended adult literacy classes and read widely, learning of the indigenous rights movements in North America and New Zealand. From 1881, Cooper was probably educated by Thomas Livingstone James, a highly educated Indian from Mauritius, who had moved to Maloga to become the resident teacher.
Read more about this topic: William Cooper (Aboriginal Australian)
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