Topics: Culture

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Before Cook - North Coastal - view

Other discoveries in middens include bone points with drilled holes or grass-tree resin glued to them, and small stone tools. Women collect shellfish. Men use spears for fish, eastern grey kangaroo, swamp wallaby, red necked wallaby. Men and women hunt bandicoot, echidna, goanna, snake and birds and many other species. Huts are made of grass and bark ‘Kokorre’ . A drink is made ‘Bool’ from soaking Banksia blossoms in water and allowed to ferment to make an invigorating drink. Koories carry out annual burn-offs in late winter to assist in the capture of grass-eating animals. The green pick attracts game such as kangaroos and emus so they can be managed in a sustainable way. They gather sometimes annually at sites where traditionally food is available, for ceremonial business or for settlement of grievances, initiation ceremonies, betrothal and marriage, corroborees for the renewal of the natural environment and benevolent spirits. Bora grounds are used for some ceremonies. Clan meetings attract large numbers from Manly Cove, Collins Cove and Farm Cove. (Attenbrow 2003)

1775 - South West - view

they ate mangrove (toredo) worms called 'Cah-bro'

1776 - West - view

suffix (gal)

1776 - West - view

galleon

1776 - West - view

silcrete stone tool

1776 - West - view

Dreaming hero, Garangatch the giant eel

1776 - West - view

tool sites

1776 - West - view

habitation sites

1788 - North Coastal - view

The Cannalgal clan (Camaraigal, Ga-mariagal) are the first Indigenous peoples to meet the English settlers in Sydney Harbour. The clan are coastal people living between Manly Beach to Dee Why in the north.

1788 - West - view

Polyculturists

1789 - Central - view

male initiation ceremonies

1789 - North West - view

Aborigines harvesting yams, banks that are “ploughed” and other signs of occupancy: the setting of animal traps

1789 - North Coastal - view

In talking about Arabanoo, Marine Captain Watkin Tench writes “Indeed the gentleness and humanity of his disposition frequently displayed themselves … When our children … used to flock around him, he never failed to fondle them.” (Tench 1996, p. 95)

1790 - Central - view

language vocabulary

1790 - Central - view

fights or dances

1790 - Central - view

men fish with spears

1790 - Central - view

food is gathered by women

1790 - Central - view

fighting and contests

1790 - North Coastal - view

Phillip notes “the weather now being very dry, the natives were employed in burning the grass on the north shore opposite Sydney, in order to catch rats and other animals, whilst the woman were employed in fishing: this is their constant practice in dry weather.”

1791 - West - view

Koradji (special or clever men and women who had great cultural and spiritual knowledge and skill)