Fish Trap
Fish traps are called Makarr in our language. They were made by men only. Our fathers and uncles used to make them with the lawyer vine. They striped the stems and then soaked them in the river to keep them soft and bendy. They also had a special way of weaving the fish traps. They used them in the river to catch eels, jungle perch fresh water catfish and turtle. To attract fish our old people used to sprinkle rain forest berries as bait over the trap.
The Mossman River is very important to me and my family. Laurence, my partner and the father of our 5 children, is one of the Traditional Owners of this area. We both grew up along the river and Laurence’s grandparents used to live in a hut next to the river. In the hot season, we used to camp there with our families. Laurence would teach me and later our children how to dive for turtle and fish. We would cross the river to hunt and collect bush food. Back at the camp, we would make fire, cook our damper and fish in an earth oven and share with our families.
The cassowary is my totem. My mother’s sister handed it down to me when I was a young boy. I perform the cassowary dance in public ceremonies. As a young men, I was part of the Yalanji Dance group and was invited to Hong Kong to perform our traditional dance cycles including the cassowary dance.
In the past, sea turtles were an important food source for Kuku Yalanji people. Only men were allowed to hunt them. The men were also responsible for cooking them in a ground oven and distributing the meat to all the families.
We ate turtle meat on special occasions such as the birth of a new born baby and during funeral ceremonies. Our ancestors used the shell of sea turtles carrying, storing and serving food as well as making damper.
Fish Trap
Fish traps are called Makarr in our language. They were made by men only. Our fathers and uncles used to make them with the lawyer vine. They striped the stems and then soaked them in the river to keep them soft and bendy. They also had a special way of weaving the fish traps. They used them in the river to catch eels, jungle perch fresh water catfish and turtle. To attract fish our old people used to sprinkle rain forest berries as bait over the trap.
Janbal (Quandong) is good bush tucker. We gather the fruit from August to January when they are sweet and soft. The kernel of the fruit is very pretty and we often use it to make body adornments such as necklaces and earrings.
A coolamon is a type of shallow carrying vessel that is curved on both sides.Kuku Yalanji used yo make coolamons using rainforest hardwood or the soft bark of paperbark trees.They used the vessel to, for example, transport food such as berries and grains, and cradle their babies.