Close message Scootle has stopped supporting resources that use the Adobe Flash plug-in from 18 Dec 2020. Learning paths that include these resources will have alerts to notify teachers and students that one or more of the resources will be unavailable. Click here for more info.

Search results

Online

Yulunga: wingara

A guessing game played by Aboriginal children in the areas around Newcastle in New South Wales was described. Using the kernel of a wild plum the children drew a picture of a fish or animal. This was concealed in a closed hand and the group sat around and attempted to guess what was represented on it. When the drawing was ...

Online

Yulunga: dhandang

Tree-climbing activities and climbing contests were widespread and helped to develop a skill of practical use. There were a variety of methods of climbing trees used in different parts of Australia. Some of these involved the use of vines or notches cut into trees. The Victoria River people in the Northern Territory arranged ...

Online

Yulunga: nandrra-rna

A small number of ‘marble’ type games (either traditional or introduced) were played in various parts of Australia. Gugada boys, living near Tarcoola in South Australia, used wooden marbles. The marbles placed in the ring were called kooka (meat) and the shooting marble was called kodji (spear). In the 1940s on Mer Island, ...

Online

Yulunga: thapumpan

The tag game of thapumpan (shark) was observed being played by little children at Cape Bedford in north Queensland. A chasing-and-tagging game. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture by celebrating the ...

Online

Yulunga: mer kolap

This object-throwing game was observed being played in the Torres Strait on Mer Island in the nineteenth century. More recent versions have been observed. This version of an object-throwing game is a relay event. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding ...

Online

Yulunga: wirrwuyu

As in various other cultures, stone skipping (throwing) along a surface of water was played by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. On Dunk Island in Queensland, the throwing of cuttle-fish (krooghar) bones was observed. The bones were thrown along the surface of the water like ‘skipping stones’ and ...

Online

Yulunga: kaidu babu

This is a popular water game that was observed being played at Mabuiag Island in the Torres Strait region, by Margaret Lawrie in the 1960s. This is an underwater swimming game. The object of the game is to see who can swim the longest distance underwater. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed ...

Online

Yulunga: ngarinbarm

The swimming game of ngarinbarm (turtle) was played by the Jagara (Jagera) people in lagoons around the Brisbane area. Players in a canoe chase and attempt to catch a ngarinbarm. The players who are the turtles swim underwater to avoid capture. The players in the canoe may enter the water to touch the turtles if they are ...

Online

Yulunga: pulukwanti

The Aboriginal people played a variety of water games and a common activity was to dive into the water. These are activities associated with diving into the water. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture ...

Online

Yulunga: Tur-dur-er-rin

The lessons learned around the camp fire were often required for survival. Tur-dur-er-rin, war-rok-minder- neit, or work-ern-der-eit, was a wrestling game from Victoria in which the most skilful, or perhaps the strongest, proved to be the winner. The old men and women and the children acted as spectators and sat down around ...

Online

Yulunga: puldjungi

In one area of Victoria the ball game of puldjungi was played. Two sides (nangkera) were chosen and a ball was kicked up between them by a non-player. When it was caught by a player of one side they attempted to throw it to one of their own team. The ball was thrown from the shoulder and caught with one hand — if both hands ...

Online

Yulunga: prun

Regular mock warfare tournaments took place in the Cardwell and Tully River areas of north Queensland. The Mallanpara people called this a prun. It was essentially an entertainment activity, though the opportunity was taken to settle disputes, real or imaginary. The event also gave the men a chance to show off their prowess ...

Online

Yulunga: kalq

This was a spear game observed being played by some Aboriginal groups on Cape York Peninsula in north Queensland. The men used a throwing stick (woomera) to project a big killing spear (kalq) towards the next player. The spear would travel around the circle of men, who were armed only with their woomera, which they then ...

Online

Yulunga: meetcha boma

A hockey game was played by the Noongar people in the south of Western Australia. The game was called meetcha boma (‘nut striking’) in the Perth area. A meeja or meetcha (red gum nut) was used as the ball and a piece of wood with a crooked root (bandeegurt) as the hockey stick. The stick was generally bent into shape with ...

Online

Yulunga: koabangan

A game called koabangan was a finding-object game observed being played in the early 1900s by the Kokominni boys of north Queensland. The object commonly used was a goanna claw, but other objects were also used. A player hides an object in a designated area and the other players attempt to find it. The Yulunga: Traditional ...

Online

Yulunga: brajerack

Many different types of hide-and-seek games were played in Australia and the Torres Strait Islands. A game played in one part of Victoria in the latter part of the 1800s was called brajerack (the wild man). It was essentially a game of hide and seek whereby a player would hide in a wombat hole and would need to be dug out ...

Online

Yulunga: paliwan

Hide-and-seek constituted a series of very commonly played games, even by adults. In some games either a person or thing was hidden. The Kokominni people in the northwest of Queensland had a game called paliwan, a version of hide-and-seek. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians ...

Online

Yulunga: thirring-nunna

This hide-and-seek game was described as being played by the Aboriginal children in an unidentified part of Queensland. It was called thirring-nunna (Where are we?). It is a hide-and-seek game where all players hide from a player who looks for them. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide ...

Online

Yulunga: kangaroo

Imitation activities were a favourite and popular activity for children everywhere. In one activity children would copy the actions of the kangaroo. This is a jumping relay race based on the actions of a kangaroo jumping. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a ...

Online

Yulunga: inkanyi

Although not a universal activity, athletic events were common. In a part of central Australia the children would have running races together. The race was a cooperative effort. According to age, running speed and fitness levels, runners started at different distances and all players attempted to finish together. This activity ...