Blog

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Rainforest Shield

Traditional shields were carved from a single piece of timber cut from side of the buttress root of a rainforest fig-tree. The kidney shaped shields are unique to the rainforest Bama of Far North Queensland. They were decorated with clan, totem or moiety designs using natural ochres and a water, fat or blood binder.

Shields were primarily used for deflecting spears in tribal fighting in conjunction with large rainforest swords.

Shields were usually made and painted by senior men and were a significant personal possession of adult males.

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Rainforest Shield

Traditional shields were carved from a single piece of timber cut from side of the buttress root of a rainforest fig-tree. The kidney shaped shields are unique to the rainforest Bama of Far North Queensland. They were decorated with clan, totem or moiety designs using natural ochres and a water, fat or blood binder.

Shields were primarily used for deflecting spears in tribal fighting in conjunction with large rainforest swords.

Shields were usually made and painted by senior men and were a significant personal possession of adult males.

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Rainforest Shield

Traditional shields were carved from a single piece of timber cut from side of the buttress root of a rainforest fig-tree. The kidney shaped shields are unique to the rainforest Bama of Far North Queensland. They were decorated with clan, totem or moiety designs using natural ochres and a water, fat or blood binder.

Shields were primarily used for deflecting spears in tribal fighting in conjunction with large rainforest swords.

Shields were usually made and painted by senior men and were a significant personal possession of adult males.

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Rainforest Shield

Traditional shields were carved from a single piece of timber cut from side of the buttress root of a rainforest fig-tree. The kidney shaped shields are unique to the rainforest Bama of Far North Queensland. They were decorated with clan, totem or moiety designs using natural ochres and a water, fat or blood binder.

Shields were primarily used for deflecting spears in tribal fighting in conjunction with large rainforest swords.

Shields were usually made and painted by senior men and were a significant personal possession of adult males.

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Rainforest Shield

Traditional shields were carved from a single piece of timber cut from side of the buttress root of a rainforest fig-tree. The kidney shaped shields are unique to the rainforest Bama of Far North Queensland. They were decorated with clan, totem or moiety designs using natural ochres and a water, fat or blood binder.

Shields were primarily used for deflecting spears in tribal fighting in conjunction with large rainforest swords.

Shields were usually made and painted by senior men and were a significant personal possession of adult males.

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Kudi (Barramundi)

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Ngujay (Freshwater Turtle)

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Ngangkin (Echidna)

Long time ago our ancestors used to hunt echidnas for their meat and fat. The fat was used as bush medicine. They rubbed it onto sore muscles to relieve pain. 

The echidna also appears as part of a rock formation on one of the high mountains  of Manjal Dimbi (Mossman Gorge). The rock formation represents a number of significant Ancestral Beings in their animal form and Kubirri, a man who came to help Kuku Yalanji when they were persecuted by the evil spirit, Wurrumbu.

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Karrangkal (Corals of the Great Barrier Reef)

Our beautiful Yalanji coastline has many places where the rainforest and the reef come very close together. The colourful corals on this fabric is a reminder of the rich ocean environments of the Great Barrier Reef that have nourished generations of our Kuku Yalanji families and culture.

This fabric helps to convey the traditional knowledge and complexe histories of how Kuku Yalanji used to live with the ocean, including the social rules and practical knowledge of how to hunt and cook various sea animals, distribute food and how to make important material cultural objects such as fish hooks, various traps etc.