Home › Forums › Campfire Forum › Traditional croc hunting in Arnhem Land
-
AuthorPosts
-
-
Unfortunately ‘traditional’ hunting by our native brothers in Australia is not done with spear and woomera (atl atl) anymore, it’s done with shotguns and rifles, but everything else is pretty good. The following story is by a Sydney photo journalist who travels to Arnhem Land in Australia’s far north and is invited on a croc hunt. (Part of recognition of their traditional ownership of the land pretty much gives them carte blanch to hunt whatever they like, from crocs to dugongs, roos to goannas)
Aborigines had a really diverse collection of tribal subcultures before we came along, but one really consistent theme across tribes was a culture of custodianship and a spiritual connection with the land. And the culture is ancient. Aborigines were separated from the rest of humanity about 15,000 years before Neanderthals went extinct in Europe. I challenge you to think about that fact for a minute and not have your mind blown! 😀
Anyway, if you’re interested read the story, but at least check out the photo slide show, there’s butchering of crocodile and water buffalo 😉
-
Very cool story and pictures.
Although it’s not on our topic of traditional bowhunting, I’ll let this slide because the shotgun was a small part of the bigger story of the Aborigines’ lifestyle and traditions. Too bad they don’t use bows and traditional weapons anymore.
Thanks for sharing.
-
Glad our moderator allowed this. Trad in the fact the people are older than Methuselah. They fascinate me!
I watched a Cold Steel video recently of the Ghan-Ghan hunting buff up in the Arnehem Lands…. amazing country!
Amazing people… not much in that video, since it was a professionally guided hunt outfitted by some outfitter.
To survive one adapts. We pursue primitive weapons but do not need to survive on what we kill. Likely, many of them no longer do either, but their culture does!
Thanks for sharing and thanks, WM for allowing it!
-
I hear that even the African Kung! and other Bushmen, so deservedly famous for running their prey to exhaustion then killing them with spears, no longer run but use rifles instead. I believe the documentary in question is called “The Perfect Runner,” or something close, available via Netflix and a really thought-provoking hypothesis saying that early Man’s running ability had as much to do with our evolution to what we now are (and are not) as did a fast-growing brain and extreme neoteny (prolonged time spent in immaturity, thus allowing for increased learning before assuming adult responsibilities). “Hunter-gatherers” is a primary theme throughout, making it an appropriate topic for this forum, methinks. And just a really good, and thought-provoking documentary.
-
I was looking forward to seeing a picture of the dogs tung rock….
Interesting story. Thanks!
-
Nice! Thanks, Jim!
-
Ptaylor wrote: Interesting story. Does anyone know what they do with the meat in heat like that? Is it promptly eaten by the whole village, or stored in freezers?
I live in Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park, which is in the Northern Territory, but the southern end and in the Arid Zone, i.e., really no where near Arnhem Land. That being said it’s often over 110 F here. I have been out hunting with the local indigenous people a couple of times, most harvested critters are cooked 100% whole, sometimes, depending on cultural motivations and the species of animal the lower intestine is removed, but that’s about as much field dressing/butchering that ever gets done. The whole skin on carcass is rolled into a fire, and cooked until someone is hungry enough to call it good. Then, typically the whole animal is shared with enough people to devour the entire animal, storing meat in a freezer is a foreign concept.
-
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.