AndrewD[HoMe Moderator]
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Australian Aboriginal artifacts 7 – Wilgi (goose-neck boomerang)
Oct 08, 2013,03:14 AM
From Yuendumu in the Tanami Desert of central Northern Territory. This wilgi was hand carved for me on a mission station in 1973 and it was the first artifact in my collection; like the first special watch it holds a dear place.
The wilgi is a non-returning boomerang and could bu used as a multipurpose digging tool.
The main Aboriginal groups in Yuendumu are the Warlpiri and the Anmatyerr and interestingly the town became an important focus for Aboriginal art from the 1980’s onwards. As you can see it is entirely hand carved.
This wilgi is 71cm long.
Andrew
This is the seventh installment in my regularly irregular series of Australian Aboriginal art and artifacts. The previous post on the pointing bone can be found by clicking here.
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Australian Aboriginal artifacts 7 – Wilgi (goose-neck boomerang)
By: AndrewD : October 8th, 2013-03:14
From Yuendumu in the Tanami Desert of central Northern Territory. This wilgi was hand carved for me on a mission station in 1973 and it was the first artifact in my collection; like the first special watch it holds a dear place. The wilgi is a non-returni...
Beauty with style ...
By: nilomis : October 8th, 2013-03:39
Do you know how to use a boomerang? Cheers, Nilo
Cool...
By: Andy : October 8th, 2013-10:11
I made several boomerangs years ago which I sometimes still use, I even made a 3 pointed one which flies really well. If it is a non returning boomerang is it not just a stick ;) he he. I do enjoy your tour of artifacts...beautiful that this one was hand ...
The origin of boomerang
By: AndrewD : October 8th, 2013-14:10
The history of the word boomerang is interesting and although we use it to describe something that returns, the original word was used by the local aboriginal people that first encountered British settlers in what is now known as Sydney. These people were...
re: wilgi
By: DRMW : October 8th, 2013-11:24
Amazing that it can fly, I wonder how well it throws? As a digging tool does it hold up to use? -MW
Robust
By: AndrewD : October 8th, 2013-12:57
The wood is mulga (acacia) and they are shaped from the junction of the mulga tree root and the trunk, so there is a lot of strength in the 'hook'. And they rub red ochre mixed with animal fat into the wood to keep in supple. Multifunction tools were comm...
