SOURCE6 Brewarrina fish traps
The fish-trap system is so old that the Ngemba people say it was made by the creator spirit, Baiame. At a meeting in Sydney, Elder Brad Steadman shared a traditional story about it: Bunggula, the Sooty Grunter (a type of fish), grunts when taken out of the water. The spines on its back are like spears thrown by Baiame, who hunted the fish in a waterhole. The fish escaped, creating a channel that became a river. But a drought came, animals left and plants died. Baiame returned and taught the people songs and dances to make the rain fall again.
1. Work in groups to discuss what information SOURCE6 provides about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ aquaculture. 2. Look at the timeline to find out what and where you would search for evidence of people from your chosen time. Find one artefact that can help you understand what life was like for them. 3. Your group can research more examples of ancient Australian aquaculture, like the mollusc industries of the Kombumerri Peoples, the Brewarrina fish traps in north-west NSW, the Barragup fishing weir in Western Australia, the eel traps of the Gunditjmara people of Budj Bim or the stone fish traps in the Torres Strait. 4. The aquaculture and water management of ancient Australia are not well known. Discuss and evaluate your group’s research and write one statement about why aquaculture and fishing are important for understanding Australia’s Deep Time history.
2.9
Exercise
Learning pathways LEVEL1 2, 3, 4
LEVEL2
LEVEL3
1, 5, 6, 7
8, 9, 10
REMEMBER AND UNDERSTAND 1. Fishing was key to Torres Strait Islander life. Name three features of these islands that made it great for their seafaring culture. 2. Number the sentences (1–6) to explain why farming and hunting were important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Geographic conditions on each island group affected what and how people farmed. Torres Strait Islanders grew many crops, including taro, bananas and coconuts. Torres Strait beliefs provide further evidence of the importance of the sea. Farming knowledge spread from Papua New Guinea to the Torres Strait Islands. Despite the different landscapes, all the Islanders took to the sea for food and resources. Evidence includes various fishing tools: harpoons, spears, hooks, lines, fish scoops and nets. 3. Identify three ways fire increased food supplies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. A. Promoted new growth B. Attracted grass-eating animals C. Scared off animals competing with people for food supplies D. Changed patterns of plant growth E. Killed the weeds
TOPIC2 Deep Time to modern era 55
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