Zaidulla Fazulla
| First name | Zaidulla |
|---|---|
| Last name | Fazulla |
| Country of Origin | India |
| Year of Arrival in Australia | c1860 |
| Submitted by | Darren Hassan |
Story
My Great-Grandfather left Punjab India around 1860 to work as one of the ‘Afghan Cameleers’ around the Marree, Broken Hill and Port Augusta areas. They led teams of camels carting stores and mail for pastoral stations, as well as assisting in the opening of the major rail lines. The motor vehicle had not yet been introduced in Australia and it was decided that camels were more efficient than the horse due to their adaptability and endurance capabilities in the rugged Australian outback
He, along with many others spent months travelling by ship to Australia, where their presence along with the sight of camels was welcomed with a mixture of curiosity and amazement.
I recall my grandparents telling me stories of my newly arrived ancestors being a curiosity to the locals due to their exotic appearance, colorful clothing and cultural observances. The mosque in Broken Hill, now a historic site, was my where my great grandfather led Muslim worship amongst fellow believers, and he was the last Imam of that mosque prior to its closure in the 40’s or 50’s.
Even while working they would stop several times during the day to pray, would abstain from pork and alcohol and generally lived on the outskirts of town in what were called ‘Ghan towns’. (Small communities of fellow Muslim migrants)
With the introduction of the motor vehicle, the cameleers and their camels slowly faded into hstory but their legacy lives on in their ancestors who have contributed to Australia’s development.
Recently much has been acknowledged about these early pioneers of Australia’s history, and I am proud to share a part of my ancestry and family’s contribution to this great nation.