Aboriginal Hunting Boomerang from Yalata Mission, South Australia

Item TB177  

This Item was Sold on 8 April 2010 for $66


Similar artifacts for sale are often found on the Aboriginal Hunting Boomerangs web page. 

Historical Pricing information for this item and similar artifacts can be found at: Historical Artifact Prices.


When Aborigines came out of the bush, they usually sought shelter at the Christian missions that were built on the frontiers of the outback. The Aborigines would set up camps at or near the missions and make artifacts to trade to the missionaries for sugar, flour, tobacco and other non-indigenous goods. The missions would then sell the artifacts to tourists. The early transition artifacts were of very good quality and they were similar to what the Aborigines made in the bush. However, the missions would not buy these artifacts unless the Aborigines added non-indigenous art to make these artifacts more appealing to the tourists.

This hunting boomerang, or throwstick, is an early transition boomerang made out of hard mulga and with very good workmanship. It was probably made in the mid 1900s. The art work is similar to the art done by Aborigines who sold their artifacts to the Yalata Mission in South Australia. The wood is dark with blonde edges. Both surfaces are smooth and without the adze marks that you generally find in Western or Central Desert artifacts. The upper surface has incised artwork depicting several kangaroos in a bush scene. The ends are squared off and this is unusual for Yalata. It is more common to see this done on boomerangs made in northern Queensland. This is a large boomerang, without damage, and it would make a nice display item. Length = 62 cm ; Weight = 436 gm



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