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Crafted mainly by the women, these are carved from sections of the root from the river red gum and occasionally from mulga wood. They are stylised representations of local fauna and are decorated with either the natural markings of the animal or traditional design work. The carvings vary in size and are made using the most basic hand tools, the only contemporary adaptation has been the use of lengths of heated wire to burn on the intricate designs. Some of the more frequently made animals are listed below.
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Piti/Kanyilpa/Wira - Bowls Desert women make a variety of wooden bowls frequently described as "coolamons". These bowls are made from with sections of white gum, mulga or more commonly, river red gum root and their traditional names vary according to their function. Patterns are burnt into the wood using lengths of heated wire and although this is a relatively new innovation, the designs themselves are traditional being artistic interpretations of the landscape and stories learned by the craftswomen from early childhood. The largest of the bowls is called piti, it is used as a receptacle for water, food or belongings and is carried on the head with the aid of a handspun headring. The smaller, narrower type bowl or kanyilpa is used for winnowing and sifting edible grass seeds whilst the smallest of the bowls - wira, is used as a scoop for ladling water or as a digging implement. |
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Timpilypa - Music Sticks Music sticks are traditional Aboriginal percussion instruments used by both men and women as musical accompaniment during ceremonies. They are crafted mainly by women and are made from either eucalyptus or mulga wood, the latter being most common as it is an extremely hard wood and therefore highly resonant. Music sticks are played by holding one stick loosely in one hand and striking it in a heart-beat type rhythm with the second stick. A variation of this is the use of larger, single music stick which can be pounded rhythmically on the desert earth. |
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Kali - Boomerang Desert boomerangs are made from flinched sections of mulga wood and are the non-returning type. The convex surface of the boomerang is either smooth, fluted or incised with designs relating to the craftsman's ceremonies or birthplace. Although made primarily as a hunting weapon, boomerangs are also used in pairs as musical accompaniment during ceremonies when they are rhythmically clapped together. |
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Tjara - Shield Western desert men make mulga or bloodwood shields, and whilst there are many variations in size, the distinctive features are the face which may be flat or slightly convex, and the use of both the face and back to incise a variety of traditional designs. It is essentially a spear parrying shield and yet another example of unique desert craftsmanship. |
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Tjutinypa/Kantitjara - Clubs & Chisels Central and western desert people make a variety of hunting, fighting and ceremonial clubs and adzing tools which are all made from mulga wood. Those used exclusively by men are: Tjutinypa, this is the most common type, it is a long, narrow club often fitted with a quartz cutting edge in the handle and is used primarily for hunting. Walayiti, this is a unique western desert club which is flat and sword-like in shape and traditionally a fighting weapon. Kantitjara is the name given to a range of adzing and grooving tools used by men in the making and decorating of weapons, they are narrow, long and slightly curved and feature a razor sharp piece of quartz set into the handle with spinifex resin. The club used exclusively by women is called a kuturu, it is much larger than the men's clubs, is tapered at both ends and is used for self defence. |
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Miru - Spearthrower The western and central desert spearthrower is a multipurpose implement which was traditionally used also for spear sharpening, cutting meat, as a receptacle for mixing ochre, as a fire-making saw and for deflecting spears in combat. The miru is made from mulga wood; the blade is distinctively concave and is made thin and flexible to add a whipping action to the launching of the spear. The spear peg is a sharpened piece of hardwood lashed at an angle to the blade tip with kangaroo sinew, while a stone adzing flake is set into the distal end of the spearthrower using spinifex resin. It is an elegant and practical example of desert craftsmanship. |
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Kulata - Hunting Spear This type of spear is approximately 9 feet long and is made from the long flexible branches of the tecoma vine. The shaft is heated by passing it through a small fire, straightened and then smoothed down. A flat hardwood spearhead and barb are secured to the shaft with spinifex resin and lashed together with kangaroo or emu sinew. The throwing end is tapered and formed to fit a spearthrower peg. The kulata is designed for maximum efficiency as a projectile for hunting large game. |
Maruku Arts
C.M.A. Ininti Store
Ayers Rock, NT 0872
Australia
punu@maruku.com.au
Phone: +61 889562153 Fax: +61 8 89562410