Weapons and tools Flashcards
Why does the hunting methods for aboriginals differ for different communities?
- Depending on what they would hunt they needed different tools
- Depending on the RESOURCES they had
Do aboriginals and torres straight islanders still use these weapons today?
Yes
What are spears used for?
Hunting, fishing and fighting
How does a spear look?
Made from a single piece of wood with a sharp pointed end
What is the point at the end of the spear made from?
Bird or animal bone, shell, fish teeth or sharpened stone
What is the point of the spear connected too?
A long piece of wood with twine made from plant fibres
How many prongs does a spear have?
1 to 4
What is used to trap aquatic animals?
Nets, baskets and bags
What are baskets made of?
Baskets are made from reeds, grass, stalks, vines and sea grass
How is the basket made?
Twining, coiling, looping, weaving
What do they use the baskets to catch?
fish, eels, oysters, mussels and other shellfish
What else can they use the basket for if its very tightly woven?
Honey and other liquids
What is one of the oldest surviving cultures is the world?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
What is sustainability?
Looking after the land so it continues to provide food.
What is a digging stick made of?
A sturdy stick made of mulga wood which had been shaped, sharpened and hardened by being placed in a fire for a short, repeated periods of time
Who used the digging stick?
Aboriginal and Torres straight islander Women
What was the digging stick used for
Hunting underground animals
How did they catch the underground animals?
- They would find a burrow
- Dig a straight hole about a metre away from the entrance of the burrow
- Use their digging stick to dig further down the new hole
- The animal would run through their burrow up the entrance
What is the boomerang used for?
Boomerangs are another tool used for
1. Battle
2. hunting
3. ceremonies
4. music
5. digging
6. hammering
When were boomerangs non returning?
Bommerangs made in the desert
How far could a boomerang be thrown?
160 metres. This is nearly 3 times the distance of a fighting club
What was a boomerang made from?
They are made of mulga wood
What patterns are on the boomerang?
They are smooth and can have various designs depending on the tribe the maker came from
Do all boomerangs return?
No, if a boomerang was made in the desert it was non-returning.
What were the methods of fishing did the torres strait islanders and aboriginals use?
- Spear or hook
- Fishing nets
- Eel Traps
What was the fishing line made from?
The bark fishing line had a hook made of out shell
How did they catch the fish?
They would stand very still in the middle of the lake, rivers and streams
How did they make fishing nets?
Fishing nets were made from fibre strings fixed between 2 long sticks creating a scoop like shape
How did they make eel traps
Eel traps were made using vine and meat was placed into the trap. The eels would get caught inside as they couldnt swim back
What is a woomera?
A woomera is a wooden spear throwing device
How long is a woomera?
61cm - 91cm length
What is on each end of the woomera
- One one end it is 8cm wide and hollow
- The other end is pointed with a hook
How do they decorate the Woomera?
The woomera is decorated with engraved or painted designs
Why do they decorate the woomera?
The markings indicate which group the woomera belongs to and can be returned if lost or abandoned
How is the woomera used?
The woomera is used with the spear to help the thrower, throw faster and longer
How does the woomera work?
It works similarly to a lever projecting spears with greater force than an arm movement alone
It is an extension of a mans arm
What else is the woomera also used for?
- used as a knife
- chisel
- graver
- digging stick
- cutting cooked fish
What is the problem with the Woomera?
It makes aiming more difficult
