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Listed under:  Society  >  Culture  >  Recreation  >  Games
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Yulunga: gunane

Skipping with a vine was an amusement for the Jagara (or Jagera) people in the Brisbane area. Some of the people were excellent skippers. A popular place to skip was on the hard sand near the water at the beach. The kind of vine used was the one that was handiest at the time — either those of the scrub or a creeper that ...

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Yulunga: Munhanganing

The game of Munhanganing was played by children of the Arnhem Land area in northern Australia. Children played this, and other running games, in the flickering lights from firebrands of the grownups, sitting about a camp site. A running-and-chasing team game in which players attempt to touch players on the opposing team. ...

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Yulunga: jumpinpin

This activity is based on a description to Troy Meston by Uncle Ronny Ahwang of Brisbane, who told of his days fishing off the jetty on Stradbroke Island and how it was similar to a game they played. This is an adapted game loosely based on the essential components of traditional spear fishing. This activity is similar ...

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Yulunga: wadai

In the 1890s, children in parts of the Torres Strait were observed playing a ball-catching game in the water called udai (wadai) or doamadiai. This is a throwing-and-catching game in which players compete for possession of a ball. The versions outlined here use the original water game (udai) and adapt it for use on land. ...

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Yulunga: kwatye

Water games and contests were played in all areas of Australia. In some parts of central Australia a frequent expression of ‘opposition’ between the generation groupings in a camp takes the form of light-hearted abuse and spectacular waterthrowing battles. The aim of the activity was to saturate certain kin in the opposite ...

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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 ...

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Yulunga: Garumba

Teams from far and wide gathered at a ‘place of wrestling’ (at Dingulami) in Kabi Kabi territory in south Queensland each year at the time when the bunya nuts were ready. Tingalpa near Brisbane was also a wrestling place. Only one team represented each group attending. Two players came from each totem of a group. Each pair ...

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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 ...

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Yulunga: ilye

A boomerang game was played by the Wogadj people of central Australia. This was a keep-away type of game that encouraged a lot of running. A boomerang was thrown along the ground in the game. The older men usually played against the younger men. The game is one of running and throwing using a disc (frisbee) in place of ...

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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 ...

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Yulunga: woggabaliri

Aboriginal people in places such as the Bogan and Lachlan River areas of New South Wales played ball games with a ball made of possum fur. This was usually spun by the women and made into a ball about five centimetres or more in diameter. The various types of games required great agility and suppleness of limbs to play ...

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Yulunga: diyari koolchee

This ball-throwing and hitting game was played by the Diyari people from near Lake Eyre in South Australia. The balls were called koolchee. The aim of the activity is to roll a ball to rebound off a wall in order to hit a skittle. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians ...

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Yulunga: kandomarngutta

In some parts of Australia children were allowed to use the bullroarer (whirlers), or small versions of it, as a source of amusement. In other areas the bullroarer had a special significance and was not used as a ‘toy’. In parts of Victoria a bullroarer called the kandomarngutta was used. This was a thin piece of wood, ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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Yulunga: Bondi

The Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had many water and diving games, which were often indulged in at any convenient creek, waterhole or at the beach. In various parts of Australia, contests in diving, floating, remaining beneath the water, and many other aquatic activities, were undertaken. They ...

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Yulunga: kari-woppa

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 ...

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Yulunga: bunbuja

Spin-tops were made from the gourds of the Benincasa vacua, in an area of north Queensland. The people in the Cape Grafton area called them bunbuja. A spin-top was made by passing a stick through the gourd and then fixing the stick into position with twine and beeswax. Spin-tops were used only by the men, and spun by twirling ...

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Yulunga: marn-grook

The marn-grook or ‘game of ball’ was played by some Aboriginal groups in Victoria. The men and boys would joyfully assemble when the game was to be played. The ball was often made of twine formed using the twisted hair of the possum. It was of a good size, somewhat elastic but firm and light. The ball was given to the ‘best’ ...