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Yulunga: moka bandi

This guessing game was observed being played by young and old at Cape Bedford in north Queensland. It is a guessing game similar to ‘I spy’. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture by celebrating the games ...

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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 ...

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Yulunga: pucho-pucho tau-i-malle

This stone rolling and stopping game was originally described as ‘stick-and-stone’ and was played by men in the Boulia district of Queensland. The Pitta-Pitta people referred to it as pucho-pucho tau-i-malle. This is a ball rolling and stopping activity involving two groups of players. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous ...

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Yulunga: thepan

Large, heavy wooden swords were used by males in the rainforest areas of north Queensland, around Tully and neighbouring areas. These swords would be straight or slightly curved in shape. Swordplay was a popular ceremonial and recreational activity, and two contestants with a wooden sword and shield would compete. Each ...

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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: parndo

This ball game was played by Aboriginal people in the vicinity of Adelaide (Kaurna language) in South Australia. The parndo (ball) was made with a piece of possum skin and was fairly flat in shape. This is a game of kicking the ball high into the air and attempting to catch it. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games ...

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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: wana wana

This is a version of a game played by the young Noongar girls in the southwest of Western Australia. A girl used her wana (digging stick) to stop the other girls hitting a short stick placed on the ground. Players practise their throwing, catching and hitting skills. (This is a practice activity version of the game called ...

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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 ...

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Yulunga: yangamini

The game of ‘holey’ or yangamini is an object-throwing game played by the Tiwi people of Bathurst Island. Other versions of the game are found elsewhere in Australia among Aboriginal people. For example, the children at Maningrida, Arnhem Land, threw small Anadara bivalve shells into a hollow in the sand and applauded the ...

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Yulunga: jirrakayi-ku

This rope-skipping game was played by Aboriginal children inhabiting the Riverina area between Victoria and New South Wales. This is a skipping game suitable for a large group of players. The Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource was developed to provide all Australians with a greater understanding and appreciation ...

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Yulunga: kal boming

The Kal boming (fire-hitting) game was played by the Noongar people in the southern districts of Western Australia and called for both agility and strength. A fire was lit either on the ground or the top of a Balga or Xanthorrhoea (‘grass tree’). The players divided themselves into two teams. One side tried to put the fire ...

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Yulunga: purlja

This was a popular and enjoyable ball game of the Walbiri people of central Australia and was usually played in spring. A purlja (ball) was made of hair-string with the inside containing crumbled pith — the stems and leaves of small soft plants and shrubs. The game was played by males who had reached puberty. Two teams ...

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Yulunga: wana

The young Noongar girls in the southwest of Western Australia played many skill games. In one of these a short stick was placed on the ground and girls attempted to hit the stick while one girl defended it using her wana (digging stick). Players use an underarm throw to hit a target, which is defended by the player with ...

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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 ...

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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: turi turi

In the northwest-central area of Queensland, the Maidhargari children made a type of skippingrope (turi turi) from the long roots of the Bauhinia (Queensland bean tree), or white-gum, which grew near the water’s edge. A vine rope was used in the same way by Wogadj children on the Daly River in the Northern Territory. This ...

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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 ...

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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 ...

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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 ...