A study into artefacts found in a dry creek bed near the South Australian town of Innamincka four years ago has shed a light on the ancient practices of First Nations people in the area.
The four boomerangs and a wooden fragment, found at Cooper Creek (Kinipapa) were revealed to be around 190-370 years old.
A new analysis of the artefacts has found that the boomerangs were likely used for fighting, hunting, digging, fire management and possibly in ceremonies.
Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Owner Joshua Haynes, who co-authored the findings, said it was important to understand the old ways.
"The finds provide another example of how their Country continues to tell the stories of their ancestors, as well as affording a tangible connection to the knowledge passed down from their families," he said.
The artefacts were first uncovered by Mr Litherland, who works at National Parks and Wildlife SA, and Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Owner Katheryn Litherland.
The boomerangs were dated in the age range from 1650-1830. Source: Supplied: Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Land Owners Aboriginal Corporation.
There's concerns climate change may impact the condition of other wooden artefacts still in the environment.
Ms Litherland said preservation was key.
“We will continue to protect and preserve our artefacts on Country, that’s what our ancestors would want us to do,” she said.
“When you see them old people in whirly winds you know they are here watching and protecting our Country.”
Flinders University Professor Amy Roberts said the study helped gain an insight into Aboriginal society at the time.
The boomerangs were found in a remote and dry river bed in the South-Australia's north-east near Innamincka. Source: Supplied: Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Land Owners Aboriginal Corporation.
“The assemblage reveals a variety of form and function representative of the diverse cultural activities and daily lives of the Aboriginal people who lived near significant waterholes in the Cooper Creek region during this period,” she said.
The study was undertaken by the Yandruwandha Yawarrawarrka Traditional Landowners, Australian Heritage Services, Flinders University and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation.
