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Originally Posted by Ian
ausjulius is correct about these being throwing sticks primarily. They could conceivably have been used as clubs, but (as I have noted here before) indigenous Austrailan clubs are actually uncommon and were found mainly in coastal regions. Whether such clubs were actual weapons, tools, or symbols of authority/prestige has been debated. Spears were the preferred weapon across the country. This differs from Maori tradition, of course, where clubs were common. There is sometimes a tendency to translate Maori customs to indigenous Australian groups. Two very different cultures from different periods of human development.
Routine practice in killing kangaroos, for example, was to start a grass fire that would cause the animals to flee while hunters lay in wait with any old stick to hit them as they ran past. Manufactured clubs for this purpose were not used as far as I know. Hunting at a distance was done with spears and a woomera (a notched stick used to aid throwing the spear). Throwing sticks (boomerang)--usually straight of slightly curved--were also used for hunting at a distance. The more deeply curved boomerangs that return to the thrower are essentially toys. Such light fast objects were occasionally thrown into a flock of birds to bring some of them to ground.
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Oh they are definitely 100% weapons. I've seen multiple.. half dozen or more occasions of them being used as weapons ��.
They are not primarily for hunting, they are primarily for killing humans. Like the rungu clubs or the knobkerries in Africa.
All of the Australian aboriginies implements seem to have a dudl function.. like spear throwers having a blades end to be a club or to dig.
Or others having a resin ball on the grip where a chisel can be embedded.. or throwing batons that can also be used as a chisel handle or to dig.
But nullanullas/ aboriginal clubs are weapons made to kill men. War clubs.
You can kill a Bandicoot with one or throw one ag a turtle or a big bird if the chance arrives but they are their to kill other humans you meet by chance that you don't like.
They are like our modern day pistols.
Some clubs are better for throwing done for hand to hand combat.
Club duels were very very common among the aborigines all over Australia in the past.
And there is early accounts of some ethnic groups having a defined fighting style to use the club with grappling that Europeans observed. Especially along the Murray and darling rivers where the natives that controlled these waterways arranged large wrestling matches as a sport and fought club duels in large numbers to resolve conflicts.
2 types of wrestling sport existed and these were played as sports between tribes.
And the techniques of these wrestling we definitely based on club fighting they practiced.
The aboriginies prior to European contact lived in a constant state of warfare and paranoia of attack.
Death by natural causes was not believe to exist. A universal belief among the natives of the continent.
Humans live for ever
If somebody dies it's because somebody else has done it. By murder or magic..
And blood must be shed or compensation paid for it.
And this was constant . Assassin's creeping into camps . Ambushes.. raids.. then negotiated preplanned battles or duels of "champions" or payback ceremonies vto settle it all.. until the next problem arose.
Aboriginal tribal society was a constantly conflicting violent society but also nomadic and small scale society of people constantly expecting a surprise attack at any moment and trying to balance warfare, survival, gathering food and ability to move about constantly safely.
All weapons have multiple uses.
Men and woman were almost always all armed and all moments of their lives and children from a very young age were taught to fight other children with shield and club, spear, boomerang and other weapons
Boomerangs and clubs made of bark and soft blunt spears were used for this. Minturare children's weapons were made to train in this too. Tiny clubs, tiny boomerangs and tiny functional spears and sheilds.
There's a great interview with an older Aboriginal woman where she describes the great importance of women always being armed with their heavy digging sticks. (These are basically clubs with spikes ends . They are very heavy hardwood and about a meter or lore long ,some times one is flattened like a little paddle to help dig).
She says if you didn't have your digging sticks with you always you could be defenceless when attacked and beaten all over your body.
I have noticed spears and boomerangs were exclusively men's items but clubs and digging sticks were carried bully both men and woman universally.
Early "open carry".