Australia is home to many distinctive species of birds, and Aboriginal peoples have developed close alliances with them over the millennia of their custodianship of this country. Aboriginal Peoples and Birds in Australia: Historical and Cultural Relationships provides a review of the broad physical, historical and cultural relationships that Aboriginal people have had with the Australian avifauna.
This book raises awareness of the alternative bodies of ornithological knowledge that reside outside of Western science. It describes the role of birds as totemic ancestors and spirit beings, and explores Aboriginal bird nomenclature, foraging techniques and the use of avian materials to make food, medicine and artefacts. Through a historical perspective, this book examines the gaps between knowledge systems of Indigenous peoples and Western science, to encourage greater collaboration and acknowledgment in the future.
Features:
- Provides a historical review of the cultural roles of birds and their importance to Aboriginal peoples in Australia.
- Explores Indigenous knowledge, to inform future research in ornithology, anthropology and ethnoscience.
- Illustrated with photos taken by the author over 40 years of fieldwork.
Cultural Sensitivity
Readers are warned that there may be words, descriptions and terms used in this book that are culturally sensitive, and which might not normally be used in certain public or community contexts. While this information may not reflect current understanding, it is provided by the author in a historical context.
This publication may also contain quotations, terms and annotations that reflect the historical attitude of the original author or that of the period in which the item was written, and may be considered inappropriate today.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this publication may contain the names and images of people who have passed away.
Author(s): Philip A. Clarke
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 344
City: Melbourne
Cover
Half Title
Dedication
Title Page
Copyright
Foreword
Contents
Prologue
Acknowledgments
Cultural sensitivity warning
1: Introduction
Ethno-ornithology and environmental knowledge
The written sources
Book structure
2: Birds as ancestors
Recording myths
Birds in myths
Totemic beings
3: Birds as creators
Wedge-tailed eagle
Crow/raven
Emu and brolga
Bird fishers
Capturing fire
Birds, minerals and gemstones
Celestial beings
4: Birds and the spirit world
Spirit beings
Totemic spirits
5: Bird nomenclature
Indigenous classifications
Some derivations
Extending bird names
6: Early hunting and gathering
What gamebird is that?
Foraging
Egg and nestling collecting
Stalking
Swimming
Emu drives
Hides
Lures, calls and decoys
Charms and rituals
Snares and traps
Netting of birds in flight
Poisons
7: Birds working with people
Controlling sea incursions and floods
Forecasting weather and seasonal change
Bush intelligence
Birds as ‘firestick farmers’
Birds who help to collect and find food
Amusements
Colour plates
8: Food and medicine from birds
Food preparation
Preventative and medicinal treatments
9: Material culture
Feather objects
Sinews, skin and intestines
Egg shells, bone, beaks and claws
Oil
10: Conclusion
References
Index
