“Crook Hat and Camphoo”: Crook Hat and Camphoo are Alyawarr Elders, from central Australia, both concerned about the survival of traditional skills and culture. In this film, they pass on knowledge and skills relating to making spears and spear‑throwers (woomeras). The two Elders go into the bush to find suitable tree branches. As they make their spears and woomeras, they reflect on the ingenuity of the old ways, and remember being taught by their fathers. This short film is a moving and eloquent reflection on the transfer of knowledge from Elders to a new generation of Aboriginal people and to a wider world.
Web links:
A Brief Aboriginal History (Aboriginal Heritage Office)
Indigenous Australians (Wikipedia)
Re‑considering the origins of Old World spearthrower‑and‑dart hunting (Marlize Lombard 2022; Quaternary Science Reviews)
Spear-thrower (Wikipedia)
Woomera (spear-thrower)