Summary
Harpooning a dugong and turtle was a highly skilled undertaking and used by a man standing upright in a canoe. The metal head would be attached to a long wooden harpoon shaft that would be launched at the animal as it surfaced. The head would detach from the harpoon while remaining attached to the rope and the lightwood float that enabled the animal to be tracked and finally caught.
Local Name
Mungariu'kur
Physical Description
Harpoon made of rope and a float. Dugong rope wound around a circular section of light wood. A metal point is attached to the other end of the rope.
More Information
-
Object/Medium
Harpoon
-
Maker
-
Cultural Groups
-
Locality
Groote Eylandt, Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
-
Date Produced
-
Collector
-
Date Collected
-
Object Measurements
530 mm (Length), 280 mm (Width), 140 mm (Height)
-
Classification
-
Date Made
-
Maker
-
Clan/Language Group
-
Place Made
-
Indigenous Region
-
Keywords
-
Acquisition Information
Long-term Loan from The University of Melbourne, 28 Mar 1973
-
Collection Names
-
Type of item
-
Discipline
-
Category
-
Acknowledgement
The Donald Thomson Collection. On loan to Museum Victoria from The University of Melbourne.