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• TLF-IDM006590

The throwing of the play-stick, commonly called the weet weet (‘wit-wit’) was a popular activity among Aboriginal people in some parts of Australia, and various contests were held. The weet weet was often referred to as the ‘kangaroo rat’, because when thrown correctly its flight resembled the leaping action of this small ...

• TLF-IDM006596

Various types of toy boats and canoes are found in parts of Australia and the Torres Strait Islands. On Sunday Island in northern Australia, small models of the raft (kaloa) were made for children to play with. In other areas of Australia small replicas of dugout canoes were fashioned. In parts of the Torres Strait simple ...

• TLF-IDM006599

A wrestling game was played by the people in the Torrens area of South Australia. The contests were generally held on the meeting of groups from different areas. Players wrestled for a tuft of emu feathers called a kari-woppa. Komba burrong or kambong burrong (the game of ‘catching hold’) was the name of a similar game ...

• TLF-IDM006612

The Lake Eyre women made small gypsum balls to spin. The game was played by several players at once. The player whose ball spun the longest was the winner. Sometimes two women competed against each other. In another form of the game two balls were spun in a large bowl (pirrha) and there was excitement when the balls collided. ...

• TLF-IDM006625

Various hockey-type games were played in many areas of the Torres Strait and Papua and New Guinea. A hockey game called kokan was played on Mabuiag Island. The kokan (or ball) was struck with a rough bat or club, baiwain or dabi, which was usually cut from bamboo. On Mabuiag Island the game was played by both genders. This ...

• TLF-IDM006631

This game comes from the Aurukun Aboriginal community in north Queensland, where it is known as ‘bat and ball’. It is a modern game that has links to traditional hitting games of Aboriginal people in the area. It is the most popular of all the games played at Aurukun and can usually be seen being played at lunch time in ...

• TLF-IDM006637

The emu and kangaroo dance (play) games among the Bibbuluk kening (Bibbulum people’s dances) were performed in Western Australia in the Vasse, Augusta, Bunbury, Murray and Swan districts and probably further north and east. The game was called yongar ngardongin by the Vasse district people. Almost all large animal and bird ...

• TLF-IDM006617

A popular ball game of keep-away was played by adults in camps on Mornington Island in northern Australia. Grass and/or leaves were rolled into a ball and bound with hair-string or a piece of fishing net. The adults formed two teams and energetically threw the ball to each other until they tired. This is a keep-away throwing ...

• TLF-IDM006620

The boys of the Aranda and Luridja of central Australia played a hitting game. A small cylindrical stick, sharpened at each end, was laid on the ground. A longer stick was held in one hand. The player hit one end of the stick to make it bounce into the air and as it rose it was hit with considerable force. A hitting and ...

• TLF-IDM006655

A spear game was played by Aboriginal people in the Lake Murray, Lake Alexandrina and Lake Albert areas of southern Australia. A prize such as a newly made shield was offered to the winner. The contest was in two parts: distance throwing and target throwing. This is a distance-and-accuracy throwing contest using a woomera ...