Aboriginal Weapons & Their Traditional Use

As some of the first and oldest cultures and communities in Australia, Aboriginal Australians have an interesting, rich history that shows us the ways in which they built and sustained life on this continent. One of the artefacts that preserve this history are Aboriginal weapons—used for both hunting and warfare.

In this blog, we’ll have a look at the different weapons used by Aboriginal communities in Australia.

Hunting Spears

Material & Make

This weapon is usually made from Tecoma vine—an evergreen plant that is found all year long. The vines are actually not straight and instead curly.

To straighten the vines, the maker will dry out the moisture from the plant by heating it over a small fire while still green and shape it into the form they require. Once completed, the maker attaches a wooden barb to the spear head using emu or kangaroo sinew (a piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone). They vary in size but could go up to 270cm (9 feet).

Uses

Spears were mainly used for hunting animals for food and also for fighting.

Spear Thrower/Woomera

Material & Make

A spear thrower, commonly known as a Woomera or Miru is usually made from mulga wood, that comes from small trees native to the arid outback areas of Australia.

Usually around 61 to 91 cm (2 to 3 feet) in length, this weapon has a sharp piece of quartz rock inserted into the handle. Some of the woomera are also incised or painted with different designs to symbolise it belonging to a particular linguistic group.

Uses

This is a multipurpose tool. Its primary use is to launch a spear for greater distance. However, it is also used as a fire making saw, a receptacle for mixing ochre in ceremonies and also to deflect spears in battle.

Shields

Material & Make

Shields are generally made  from the bloodwood of Mulga Trees, giving them a lovely deep, warm colour.

They can either be smooth or made with designs that differ according to the region.

Uses

This weapon is mostly used when in battle and sometimes also used in ceremonies.

Boomerangs

Material & Make

Boomerangs are usually made from Mulga or Black Wattle. To make a returning boomerang, the roots taken from trees need to already have the right shape. The tips of boomerangs tend to break off when it hits the ground unless the grain of wood follows the shape.

Uses

This multi-faceted weapon is used for more than just warfare and hunting. It is also used for rituals, ceremonies, as a musical instrument, digging sticks and as a hammer.

Club

Material & Make

Clubs are also made from mulga wood and can vary in shape and size. Different tribes tend to have different styles of making clubs.

Many are hardened with fire and have razor sharp quarts set into the handle using spinifex resin.

Uses

Clubs are used as protection and in battle, but there are some that are also made as ceremonial objects and not with warfare in mind. They are also used for many other day-to-day activities.

To learn more about Aboriginal culture and way of life, browse through the selection of beautiful, impressive artwork by Aboriginal artists that work with Mbantua Gallery.

---