Australian Aborigines #1

3.3 Division of the work

In Aboriginal society and also in all other societies based on economy

existence was important to divide responsibilities efficiently so

that each person could be productive for the life of the clan.

In all aspects of life in Aboriginal societies, the gender-based division and

age were crucial in determining the rights and responsibilities of individuals.

In the economic sphere, the tasks were divided by gender. The men

They were hunters and they had to provide for procuring most

Meat, such as kangaroos or emus. Women had to provide for the plant food They could be made from hard or soft wood, and also had a stone

polished at one end. The spears were also used in ceremonies and as weapons

in "formal wars".

The spear was often associated with a woomera. The latter could have

different forms: those of 'northern Australia were more lunge, destination and

lower than those manufactured in central Australia which were instead

concave and wider.

The woomera served as if they were an extension of the hunter's arm

by acting as a lever and with more stability. Another use of woomera was

to light a fire by rubbing a piece of soft wood dry.

Wooden utensils used by the women were digging stick (digging sticks) and

some dishes. The digging stick, modeled on the one hand and hardened with fire, were

Used for 'extraction of roots and tubers, and also for the hunting of small animals and

reptiles.

Some archaeologists have found three different types of wooden plates (wooden

dishes) that were carved from pieces of wood cut from the sides of the trees. The first

type of dish (called tasks from the central Australian Aboriginal tribes of

Pitjantjatjara) was wide and deep and was used to carry water. Knowledge about poisonous or toxic plants were used in hunting and

in fishing. The bark and leaves of various plants were immersed in water of

small lakes or ponds to stun fish. fishing baskets and nets were used or

to capture birds such as ducks.

But the most important skill in possession of the Aborigines was to follow

traces of their prey. From childhood, to all members of society was

taught to read the signs on the ground.