Inspected by Joanna Freslov, archaeologist 2/6/2008. Hunting boomerangs were used by the Australian Aboriginals, mainly for injuring or killing animals or enemies. Hunting boomerangs fly at high speed close to the ground and can easily kill a small animal or knock down a larger one. As well these boomerangs were used as hand-held weapons, as musical instruments and for sport. Some of the other uses were, religious ceremonies, digging, clearing fire sites, unearthing ants and lizards. Hunting boomerangs are normally made from the curving roots of trees. (ref. boomerangshack)The necessary tools and equipment for hunting, fishing and warfare were one of the very few items that Aboriginals carried with them from place to place. Most were used for a multiplicity of purposes. Because many were made from raw natural materials, such as wood, generally only partial remains are found today. this item is an example of a hunting boomerang used by early Indigenous people in the Northern Territory.A hand carved hooked boomerang of a deep red wood. Possibly used for fighting.boomerang aboriginal hunting weapon

A large wooden curved hunting boomerang. It is painted white at one end.boomerang hunting aboriginal weapon

Boomeramgs were necessary tools and equipment for hunting, fishing and warfare, and were one of the very few items that Aboriginals carried with them from place to place. Because many were made from raw natural materials, such as wood, generally only partial remains are found today. The necessary tools and equipment for hunting, fishing and warfare were one of the very few items that Aboriginals carried with them from place to place. Most were used for a multiplicity of purposes. Because many were made from raw natural materials, such as wood, generally only partial remains are found today. This item may be a more modern tourist souvenir.Single piece of wood with fluted upper concave surface, decorated with incised images of a kangaroo in the left quadrant, bullrushes in the central quadrant and two emus in the right quadrant.boomerang, hunting, aboriginal warfare, central australian, arnhem land

Contents: p.1-3; Origins, arrival in Australia; p.4-9; How they lived - camp sites, dating (including carbon dating); p.10-27; Physical appearance, skin colour, hair, clothing, body ornaments, cicatrization; exchange system, distribution of food, marriage &? sexual relations; the tribe - structure, relationship to land, territory, gives map showing locations of tribes, New South Wales, Victoria &? eastern South Australia, leadership, government, division of labour, status of women, estimated population at white settlement, density of population (Victoria); p.28-31; Language - names &? naming, reproduces Wembawemba vocabulary, notes use of secret languages, gives 12 rules for pronounciation; p.32-53; Religion, spirit beliefs, totemism, moieties, phratries, marriage rules; mythology, gives eaglehawk &? crow myth from Lake Victoria &? other myths illustrating origins of fire &? natural rock formations, mythical beasts (Bunyip, Mindie), stellar beliefs; magic, medicine men, powers, native remedies for sickness, describes ceremony held in Melbourne, 1847 to avert evil, sorcery, pointing bone, love magic, rain makers; messengers, appearance, etiquette, message sticks; p.54-71; Rock art, motifs, colours, decorative art, engraving of utensils, rock engravings, manufacture &? use of pigments, engraving techniques; trade system, objects bartered, meeting places for trade (Victoria), map shows possible routes (south east Australia); corroborees, purpose, body ornaments &? decorations, musical instruments; p.72-93; Ceremonial life, marriage, punishment for infidelity, birth, childhood, games &? amusements, initiation, etiquette of visiting tribes, details of ceremony, womens role, earth figures &? ground designs, bull roarers, female puberty ceremonies; p.94-133; Shelters, fire making, cooking, construction of canoes, wooden implements, use of reeds, animal skins &? sinews, shells; stone tools, cylindro conical stones, scrapers, knives &? microliths; hunting weapons, spear, other methods pits, nets; fishing methods &? spears, traps; food sharing, womens responsibilities for collecting, digging stick, cooking methods, insect foods, plant foods, water resources; manufacture &? use of spears, spear throwers, shields, clubs, boomerangs; inter- &? intratribal fighting; p.134-147; Death, disposal of body - eating of the dead, burial, cremation, platform exposure, dendroglyphs (N.S.W.), Aboriginal burial grounds (Darling &? Murray Rivers), mourning, widowhood, kopi caps (N.S.W.), causes of death, inquest ceremonies, revenge expedition, after death beliefs; p.148-157; The end of the tribes white settlement &? its impact on Aboriginal life, friction between natives &? settlers, establishment of Protectorates; copiously illustrated throughout.maps, b&w illustrations, b&w photographswemba wemba, murray river, darling river, lake victoria