AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES
Weapons
shields
Shields were mainly used by Aboriginal warriors to defend themselves in battles, often for territory. People thought that a shield which never lost a battle was powerful and a prized possession. Shields were made from wood or bark and usually had carved markings or painted designs. They could also be used in ceremonies such as in corroborees.
spear
Aboriginal peoples used spears for a variety of purposes including hunting, fishing, gathering fruit, fighting, retribution, punishment, in ceremony, as commodities for trade, and as symbolic markers of masculinity. Spears were historically used by skilful hand-throwing, but with changes in Aboriginal spear technologies , they could be thrown further and with more accuracy with the aid of spear-thrower projectiles
clubs
An Aboriginal club, otherwise known as a waddy or nulla-nulla, could be used for a variety of purposes such as for hunting, fishing, digging, for grooving tools, warfare and in ceremonies.A fighting club, called a ‘Lil-lil’, could, with a heavy blow, break a leg, rib or skull.
throwers
A woomera is an Australian Aboriginal wooden spear-throwing device. Similar to an atlatl, it served as an extension of the human arm, enabling a spear to travel at a greater speed and force than possible with only the arm.
boomerang
The boomerang is recognised by many as a significant cultural symbol of Australia.The term 'returning boomerang' is used to distinguish between ordinary boomerangs and the small percentage which, when thrown, will return to its thrower.
Food
Animals
People ate birds, including waterfowl, scrub fowl, the cassowary and the jabiru.
Art
dot painting
People originally maybe used the dot painting style to create a ‘shimmer’ effect on a body design or in the decoration of an artefact. The dots maybe suggested an energy field or powerful aura around the design.
Cross Hatching
Most civilizations used Cross Hatching style in art making. Its most common application in art making was in drawing.
Way of life
clans
Aboriginal peoples lived in clans that were made up of family groups. Each clan had its own language, cultural practices, and traditional lands.
hunters and gatherers
Aboriginal peoples were traditionally hunters and gatherers who did not live in one place. They moved around their Country in search of food.
trade
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples used trade routes that connected different clans throughout the landscape of Australia and the waters of the Torres Strai
Beliefs
mythology
Australian Aboriginal religion and mythology is the sacred spirituality represented in the stories performed by Aboriginal Australians within each of the language groups across Australia in their ceremonies. Aboriginal spirituality includes the Dreamtime (the Dreaming), songlines, and Aboriginal oral literature.
Dreamtime
Dreamtime is the foundation of Aboriginal religion and culture. It dates back some 65,000 years. It is the story of events that happened, how the universe came to be, how human beings were created and how their Creator intended for humans to function within the world as they knew it.
insects
certain ants, grubs, moths and beetles,
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fish and eels
plants
,nuts,fruits,vagetables,
weaving
The ancient art of weaving was used as an Indigenous method to create food tools, baskets, fishing nets and skin cloaks for warmth for centuries. Weaving was also used for ceremonial purposes to produce items like traditional headgear.
watercolour
An Aboriginal artist can only create Aboriginal art.
A non-Indigenous Australian has no authority to paint an Aboriginal work of art. The artist's background will influence the appearance of the work, intertwining a part of their own story within each piece.
