02 Making Artefacts Video Program: Yidaki-Didgeridoo
Didgeridoo is the western name given to this unique musical instrument called Yidaki. And the word “Yidaki” is the Yolngu language name for this instrument. Created from a branch of a tree naturally hollowed out by termites, it is the oldest wind instrument in the...03 Making Artefacts Video Program: A Coolomon
This is a multi-purpose wooden bowl with curved sides of size appox 30-70cm in length. Used by women all around Australia. The Coolomon along with the digging stick is a widely used symbol for Aboriginal women. Aboriginal women use the Coolomon to carry water, collect...04 Making Artefacts Video Program: A Returning Boomerang
For Aboriginal people the boomerang is a symbol of cultural endurance and a tangible link to their long presence on this continent.The boomerang features in Aboriginal creation mythology, and for Aboriginal people the boomerang is considered as old as the continent....05 Making Artefacts Video Program: Clapsticks
The clapsticks are wooden sticks around 20cm in length and used to create rhythm for songs & dances. Commonly played by women by cracking them together or also hitting the earth. Both women and men can use the clap sticks. And depending on the area and Aboriginal...30 Making Artefacts Video Program: Resin
Tree resins are collected and used by our Aboriginal people as adhesives in the manufacture of artefacts including attaching spear points to shafts, knife blades to handles and attaching pegs to spear throwers. The collected resin is typically heated over a fire to...29 Making Artefacts Video Program: Emu Feathers
Aboriginal people used the emu feathers to make skirts which were made from bundles of emu feathers tied together and then fastened onto a vegetable fibre string belt. Some were also decorated with red ochre. The skirts were worn by Aboriginal girls and women....28 Making Artefacts Video Program: Cuttlefish Bone
Cuttlefish bones were used as personal ornamentation, as well as being used to make tools and skin animals for clothing against the cold. Small flat marine and freshwater shells were used as palettes for mixing ochre with water to make paints. Large marine shells were...27 Making Artefacts Video Program: Shark’s Teeth
Shark teeth are very popular to trade, collect and sell, and the Megalodon teeth are some of the most valuable. People once used shark’s teeth as weapons or spear heads thousands of years ago because they are so sharp and strong. They were also used as tools...26 Making Artefacts Video Program: Echidna Quills
Echidna quills were used to pin the fur to a flat surface (another example of exploitation of a structural adaptation by Aboriginal Peoples) to treat and dry the hide of the possum. The dried pelts were then sewn together to make a possum fur cloak or blanket,...25 Making Artefacts Video Program: Crocodile Eggs
For thousands of years Aboriginal people have hunted crocodiles for their meat and for their eggs. The remaining empty crocodile egg shells were sometimes crushed into a powder and mixed with resin from a grass tree or with eucalyptus oil. This was then rubbed onto...24 Making Artefacts Video Program: Ochre
Ochre is a natural earth pigment, which comes in a range of colours, most notably in red, white and yellow. Ochre has many different uses including camouflaging ones body scent by covering the body from head to toe when hunting so animals couldn’t smell the scent. It...
Wandana is Australia’s leading Aboriginal education and entertainment company that preserves and promotes Australian Aboriginal culture. We offer a range of Aboriginal education and entertainment programs that educate, entertain and inspire. Based in Sydney, and serving both metro and regional areas of NSW
