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by Earl Ingleby
I was prompted to write this article after a discussion on
"ethnic" weaving. Most of us present were aware of
European, American, Chinese, Japanese and African weaving traditions;
none of us were aware of the extent of weaving and spinning that
is part of Australia's indigenous heritage. Part of that problem
is that weaving and spinning, being 'women's work', has not received
the attention from male anthropologists that it deserved.
Jennifer Isaacs did much to change that approach. As an educator,
administrator and writer on aboriginal culture. Much of this
article relies on her two books, "Australia's Living Heritage"
and "Australian Dreaming".
Dyeing
There is no evidence or tradition that suggests that dyeing
of fibres took place prior to the trading between the Macassan
traders and the people of Arnhem Land about 1400 AD. Batik dyeing
and resist dyeing of yarns were introduced at this time and adapted
to local conditions. Prior to this it appears many items were
painted with earth colours that occasionally resulted in staining.
Today many Aboriginal communities are producing dyes that span
the colour range: from yellow from the cabbage palm root parings
and purple from the roots of water reeds to blue grey from the
ink of boiled milk cartons.
Traditional formulas use naturally occurring mordents from
the locality and a red produced in one will be a deep purple
in another despite the fact that the same basic formula may be
used. In many cases it is almost impossible to duplicate colours
produced in one part of the country in another. In the early
days of white expansion aboriginal painting (and dyeing) gained
a new dimension in colour as locals adopted the new opportunities
available. Many of the internationally acclaimed 'batiks' produced
in the center and north Australia are produced with modern dyestuffs.
The art of dyeing fibres in Australia has at least a 600 year
tradition.
Spinning
Since long before history the Aboriginal people were spinning
fibre from their land. Traditionally all portable goods were
carried in "Dilly" bags that were knotted, woven or
laced from fibres that reflected the climate and conditions of
their homelands. From the south east comes the beautiful, soft,
inner bark and possum fur string. On the north coast of New South
Wales came such exotic fibres as string spun from native hibiscus.
From the Centre our very own design spindle that is still used
today to spin hair and fur into string which is plied into heavier
yarn.
Across the continent is a long way and there were many different
nations each with their own traditions and stories of spinning.
Some of those stories go back many thousands of years. In many
of the aboriginal communities the spinning of the landscape into
fibre takes on a different meaning when feathers, human hair,
water plants and other local products are spun together and worn
as a head band, necklace or belt.
Lacing and Knotting
Twisting twines together then tying knots to produce first
useable and later sacred objects is one of those things that
all races share. The Australian story is no different. The type
of goods produced are as varied as our climates and as beautiful
as our country. It would be impossible to give you an idea of
the diversity of design, structure or use of this type of work
in this article so I can only refer you to your local library.
Basket work
The impact of visitors blown by the winds onto the Australian
coast over many thousands of years has made a marked impression
on the on the basket work of the aborigines. Influences from
as far away as the other side of the Pacific and Indian oceans
and all the islands between have resulted in an art form that
is unique. From the elaborate fishing baskets of the Torres Straits
to the small intricate bird nets of the desert, all share a respect
for material and usage along with a pragmatic scene of colour
and design.
Modern legend has it that Catholic nuns introduced basket
weaving to the aboriginal people in order that the women could
have some form of occupation without moving away from the missions.
The legend is only partly true. The nuns reintroduced to the
dispossessed people of Arnhem Land an art form that been part
of the culture for many thousands of years. Today we know that
the basket weaving has continued without a break in many aboriginal
communities and continues to be a vital part of tribal culture.
Weaving
If by weaving we mean loom weaving then there is no evidence
that weaving was ever part of tradition among aboriginal people.
(There is an odd item recorded in the book "Australian
Dreaming" of the people called the "Baiini" who
lived on the north coast of Australia and who "Came to the
coast before the Macassans in lolperu or sailing ships"....
"The women were beautiful and were lighter skinned than
the aboriginal and wore coloured sarongs of many patterns"...
"They were often weaving on their looms which they brought
with them on their ships."..... "They knew the secret
of making cloth but never taught this to the Aboriginal people.
Their cloths were woven on these primitive looms with yarn dyed
in large pots with beautiful colours." I know nothing of
the Baiini people, not where they came from, what sort of cloth
they made nor where they went but I would sure be interested
to find out more.)
The illustration above is a rough tracing from a bark painting.
The reference is from Australian Dreaming.
"Bark painting of Macassan women weaving, by artist from
Yirrkala. The artist's father saw these women weaving when he
visited Macassa with trepangers last century, and he related
his experiences to his son. Painting in the Art Gallery of South
Australia"
This is the only aboriginal painting I have seen that shows
loom weaving. From the illustrations that abound in these books
and from my own experience it is clear that the Aboriginal people
have a textile history that is rich in diversity, reflects the
aspirations and needs of its people, and deserves to be better
documented.
Further reading:
Jennifer Isaacs Australia's Living Heritage 1984
Australia's Dreaming 1980
Lansdowne Press, Sydney, NSW
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