History
No
matter what group one study, the technology and implements they have reflect
the geographical location of that specific group. For example, Australian Aborigines that live
in the desert tip their weapons with stone, whereas coastal tribes use fishbone
tips. Some common Aboriginal implements
include; knives, digging sticks, vessels for eating and drinking, axe-heads,
and spears. Aboriginal people are known
for being the first to achieve two world firsts when it came to stone
technology. They were the first come up
with the idea of a grounded edge on cutting tools and the first to used stone
fish traps. The use of the grounded edge dates back over 20,000 years ago. It
wasn’t until the outside world colonized in Australia that the Aboriginal
people started to use medals, glass and ceramics. The new implements were much easier and
efficient to use.
Weapons
Spears are a very popular weapon when it comes to
hunting, fishing, and even fighting.
Spears were traditionally made from one single piece of wood. The length of the spear varies from the
different aboriginal tribes. For
example, the Tasmanian tribe had spears with the length of about six meters.
Boomerangs
are a tool used primarily for hunting but are also used in ceremonies. The boomerang is built so that one side of
the weapon is flatter and the other side is more curved. The boomerang was used to kill small and
large animals depending on the geographic location. For example, heavy wood was used for hunting
kangaroos, whereas lighter wood was used to hunt ducks on the coast.
Nets, Bags, and Baskets
The aboriginal people mainly used different types
of fibers from plants to make their nets, bags, and baskets. The nets are a crucial part when it comes to
providing sustenance for ones family or tribe. The fiber made nets, bags, and
baskets were used extensively for fishing and hunting. Some of these bags were woven so tighy and
strong that they could transport water or any other type of liquid. The Aboriginal women are highly regarded
basket makers. Some say the
globalization of these tribes might make the unique basket making methods of
these people go extinct.
Watercraft
Canoes provided an easy means of travel and
fishing for the Aboriginal people throughout their land. They also provided the means for traveling
and trading amongst tribes. Tied bark
canoes are popular along the east coast of Australia, whereas canoes made of
hollowed trees are common within the Murray-Darling Basin. Once again, the different types of canoes are
due to the geographic location of the specific tribe
Shelter
The type of shelter design and technology is
primarily determined on the resources available of the location of the tribe
and the current season. For example, on the Atherton Tablelands, shelters, or
wiltjas, were made from cane and branches woven together. They would then cover the main structure with
grass and leaves. On the coast in the
Torres Strait Islands, shelters have a beehive shape due to the fact they are made
from grass and a framework of bamboo pools.
There are many other different types of shelters, used by varies
Aboriginal groups, all rooting back to the recourses of the geographical
location.
References-
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ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing the difference between the technologies of this this culture compared to the technology of a first world country. When reading and researching about this culture I kept asking myself, "Why do they still choose to live like this?" Then I remind myself of all the video and stories that were shared with me in class and I realize that it comes down to the pride in their own culture. Even though we have the technology to do things in one minute that might take the Australian Aboriginals one day to do, they are okay with that because of how special their way of life is to them. For example, if I wanted to eat a steak all I would have to do is drive to a local market and purchase one. In the case of the aboriginals, they would have to build the weapons needs for the hunt, go on a hunt for an animal, and they are not even guaranteed success. The love for their culture and way of life keeps them doing what they do. Although these people try to avoid globalization, self-inflicted changes have been made to modernize their culture.
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