Maverick adventurer Ted Ryko's unique record of Arnhem Land communities in early 20th century

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Ryko's granddaughter Michele Adler researched his travels for a new audio drama podcast series Ryko: A Wild Life, released earlier this year. But as World War I broke out in Europe, anyone with a German-sounding name was immediately suspected as a spy. Asked to help a missionary build a church on the island, he enjoyed introducing local children to his mysterious camera and bicycle — things they had never see before.

Highly choreographed, slapstick-style set-ups, such as Ryko pretending to ride through a gauntlet of men armed with spears, illustrate the playful, co-operative and comical nature of their interactions.During his stay on the Goulburn Islands, the missionary received notice of men killed out on the Crocodile Islands — to the east — and subsequently enlisted Ryko and an Aboriginal boat crew to travel to the islands to investigate.

"I think Ryko felt that what had happened was wrong, that these people had a right to protect themselves from invaders," Ms Adler said."They were protecting their land, protecting their people, protecting their women and the obligation to the laws of their tribe."Northern Territory-based linguist and anthropologist Bentley James said Ryko was well-remembered by the Gorryindi people of the Crocodile Islands.

With most of his precious photos stolen, never to be recovered, Ryko's interest in photography waned.During the 1920s, he married and had a child — Michele's father — but become estranged from his family as hostilities towards Germans resurfaced in World War II.

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