CEREMONIAL SPEAR
This spear is one of the oldest forms and is made and decorated only by men. Made from Kurrburu - wood of the Gidgea tree.

 

 

BARBED SPEAR ~ MEIL (Lardil language name)
This spear is used for fighting and hunting fish, wallaby and goanna, fish bones and stingray fins are used as barbs. Made from Kurrburu - wood of the Gidgea tree.

 

 

BONE SPEAR
This spear is used for hunting fish, wallaby and goanna .A bone barb is attached with handspun wallaby grass. Made from Kurrburu - wood of the Gidgea tree.

 

 

BENTINCK SPEAR ~ MURAJIN (Kaiadilt language name)
Made originally by Kaiadilt men from Bentinck Is - the 2nd largest island of the Wellesley Island group - this spear is used for fighting and hunting turtle and dugong. Made from wood of Kurrburu.

 

 

BOOMERANG ~ WANGAL
Used for hunting and fighting and as a musical accompaniment in corroboree used in pairs in a clapping movement. Made from Kurrburu.

 

 

RETURNING BOOMERANG ~ NGEERNENKUR WANGAL
Used for hunting game such as duck, geese and flying fox. This boomerang will return due to the angular shape and aerofoil profile. Made from Kurrburu.

 

 

HOOK BOOMERANG ~ MANGUBUROO
Used for fighting. The long side is made from the trunk and the short side from the root of the tree. Made from Kurrburu.

 

 

HEADBAND ~ BARMARR
Both men and women make and wear headbands in ceremonies. They are woven from wallaby grass & often decorated with white paint & wallaby teeth.

 

 

DANCING STRING
Made & used by men and women for dancing and ceremonies. The string is made from wallaby grass and decorated with pigeon, cockatoo, crane or emu feathers.

 

 

STRING/ROPE ~ BIRRKA
The string used for making head bands, dilly bags and fish nets is called NGURRUMAN in Lardil language and is made from Wallaby grass. The grass is collected, dried and woven by rolling the strands together on the thigh. Colour is given to the string by putting ochre on the thigh or by dyeing using various roots. Rope can be up to 2.5cm(1") thick and is made from the Beach hibiscus or MADARRD tree a corkwood tree and was used for hunting turtle and dugong.

 

 

DANCING STICKS
Decorated with emu feathers and painted. They are used in dance and ceremony by both men and women. Made from Kurrburu.

 

 

CLAP STICKS ~ DINDINGA
Used as musical accompaniment in corroboree. Made from Kurrburu.

 

 

DANCE HAT ~ KAJAWUR
Human hair is spun into rope and wound onto a bark frame. Frequently ochres are applied as decoration. The white clay is termed KAYAL and is also used as medicine and body paint during corroborees; red ochre is called NGUYINEN, also used for body paint during boys' initiation ceremonies and in funeral rites. The hats are topped with emu feathers which are not endemic to the Wellesley Island group but which were traded with the mainland. The hats are worn during dancing and ceremonies by men only. Both men and women make the hats but these are declining in number and becoming confined to Elders of the tribe. Two forms are made, peak shaped and opened topped.

 

 

FIGHTING STICK ~ NULLA NULLA
The pointy-ended nulla nulla is produced by the Kaiadilt people (Bentinck and Sweers Islands) and the round-ended nulla nulla is produced by the Lardil people (Mornington, Sydney and Wallaby Islands) of the Wellesley Island group. Made from Kurrburu.