The Australian aboriginal

Aboriginal warfare might be divided into two classes, according to whether it is of the nature of a true and bloody inter-tribal fight, or of a feud arising between two tribal groups or parties. In any case, the hostilities might be of long standing and the enmity might have existed for generations past. The casus belli is as multifarious as are those of modern peoples. It might be on account of a natural treasure held by one tribe, such as a valuable ochre-deposit, which is coveted by another. Or it might be simply the result of an elopement or an abduction as between two groups or families belonging to different tribes. The cause frequently determines the method to be adopted during the fight.

When the arch-foe is to be faced, nothing is out of order in strategy, provided the plan is effective, and, above all things, as gruesome as possible. The main objective to be achieved is to make an assault as murderous as circumstances will permit, and to establish a record massacre, in order that the enemy might be thoroughly cowed and taught to long remember the affair.

In former days such battles were, according to all accounts, of fairly frequent occurrence, but nowadays, no doubt largely due to the interference by European settlers, and the smaller numbers of natives, one very rarely hears that any warfare is conducted on a large scale. Indeed, many of the one-time bitterest enemies, such as the Larrekiya and Ponga Ponga, Arunndta and Aluridja, Kukata and Wongapitcha, can now be seen living in close proximity to each other, and apparently on the best of terms.

Where inherited hatred sways, treachery brews. The aggressors know that the most radical method to extinguish the enemy is to take them unawares, and to slaughter them before they can retaliate. For this purpose it is best to either steal on them in the earliest hours of morning whilst they are sleeping unsuspectingly, or to lie in ambush at a place, like a waterhole, where the enemy is sure to call.

A council of war, consisting of the oldest and most experienced men, is held to discuss the modus operandi at length. Thereupon all eligible men are apprised of the decisions arrived at. Considerable time is devoted to the preparation of spears, sharpening of blades, and straightening of shafts over a fire. Any weak spots, where the spears are likely to break when put to the test in battle, are carefully bound with kangaroo sinew, and the blades or stone-heads re-embedded in porcupine grass resin. Quantities of red ochre are ground and mixed with emu fat, with which the bodies of all warriors are covered. Each man looks to his own spear-thrower, and makes sure that it has not warped or split, and that the handle and hook are secure; a warrior with a defective spear-thrower would be next to useless on the battlefield. The men tie their hair back tightly with human hair-string, and go absolutely nude. The work is all done in a thorough and conscientious way, yet there is every indication of humour about the camp, and nowhere does one see any sign of fear or nervousness on part of either the men who are going to fight, or of their near relatives. There is even an indication of frivolity, with much jabbering and laughter. The women assist assiduously while the preparations are in progress, and add considerably to the entertainment of their heroes, who are about to depart. Even when at length the expedition makes a start, some of the old gins run at the side of the men and keep on joking with the men at the expense of the opponents, roars of laughter every now and then announcing a particularly clever sally from the lips of an old hag barely able to control herself with excitement in her endeavour to incite the men.

Before leaving their camp in a body, all warriors congregate in a circle on parade, holding their weapons balanced in the spear-thrower. Two or three of the old men make a careful scrutiny of the group and their outfit and give final instructions as to how the campaign is to be conducted. Quite occasionally, indeed, a general discussion might take place, at which any suggestions of younger warriors are received and weighed by the seniors, prior to departure. Then the official start is made.

As the little troop advances, the men begin to gesticulate and brandish their weapons, whilst they dance, with their beards poked between their lips and teeth. Occasionally they send forth a loud, piercing yell resembling a war-whoop; then they poise their weapons, at the same time stamping and vibrating their legs, and deriding the enemy with a scurrilous tongue.

If the enemy is to be met in open battle, the place and time of the proposed encounter are arranged beforehand by means of carved wooden missives and special carriers.

Having arrived at the place, and vis-à-vis to the foe, vociferation and antics continue to the verge of hysterical jactitation. One or two of the most daring warriors, before hostilities have actually begun in earnest, rush to the fore, and, placing themselves in front of what might appear the strongest of the opposite party, continue their antics in contempt of them. Thus the patience of the enemy is harassed time after time; and in a similar way the enemy reciprocates.

The moment will, however, arrive when one becomes a little too daring or forward, and, with intention or otherwise, touches the person opposed to himself. The insulted warrior, who has thus been called out, responds with a tremendous roar, and drives straight at his opponent with his spear, using it as a lance.

In an instant the scene is changed. All participants retreat to a respectable distance, about fifty feet or more, towards their respective sides, amidst fearful yelling. The moment they reach the new positions, the air becomes alive with spears, and the fight has commenced in reality.

The throwing and aiming of the projectiles are good, but the ducking and dodging of the selected victims are equally so. During the whole term of the encounter, terrifying bawls are heard, which are emitted by the enraged fighters, and responded to by the excited women in the background. Thus the conflict may last for an hour or two, without a casualty being recorded. When a man is hit, the hideous yelling reaches its climax. The wounded fellow, unless he be mortally hit or falls to the ground unconscious, immediately backs out of the “firing line” under cover of his shield, and seeks shelter behind the warriors, where he is attended by the women, who still the flow of blood with a packing of clay, gum leaves, powdered bird excrement, and grease. Should a spear, or portion of such, still be lodged in the wound, the assistance of an old man will in all probability be called upon to extricate the piece. If, however, the spear-head breaks in the attempted removal, no further operation is undertaken then, and perhaps not until the natural suppurative processes force the fragment near to the surface of the body. The aborigines, although they use a knife freely in the mutilation of their bodies, are not sufficiently skilful as surgeons that they can make an incision into muscle or other tissue to extricate a foreign body, such as a broken spear-head, even if the point is pressing the skin outwards on the side opposite the laceration, and the barbs prevent it being pulled back.

When a man collapses on the spot, as from a mortal wound, a regular tussle ensues, in an endeavour to secure the body, between his friends and foes. The former run considerable risk while they expose their figures to the bombardment of spears; they are, however, covered by others, who come forth to specially shepherd them; often, too, a confused hand-to-hand skirmish follows, during which one or two more are wounded. Should it so happen that a man now falls on the opposite side, a compromise is effected, which permits either side to carry off their wounded in peace. In fact, if the disabled men happen to be of important position or particular valour, the casualty may lead to a permanent armistice.

The aboriginal of Australia does not bear chronic malice towards an ordinary or casual enemy, but soon finds a plausible excuse to throw a damper on his fighting ardour; very frequently, indeed, a bloodthirsty-looking crowd drown their enmity in a combined and convivial festivity, during which the late enemies jest, dance, and sing together. The past is soon forgotten; his revenge appeased, a native immediately reverts to his daily routine and peaceful life. With him revenge is not necessarily individual; the wrong-doing of one tribesman might have to be suffered for by another, maybe innocent, man of the same blood. This blood-revenge, which of course is practised by even the most civilized nations, is often the cause of the death of an innocent white man, who happens to be travelling through the tribal ground, where recently another white man has maltreated or assaulted the natives.

In districts where the boomerang is used, a number of these weapons is carried in the belts of the belligerents. When the parties are within seeing distance of each other, each side begins to throw its boomerangs, making them fly high in the air towards the enemy and return to their respective owner. The demonstration is repeated time after time, as the contending parties draw near to each other, until at length the boomerangs fly well over the opponents’ heads on either side. This is forsooth an awe-inspiring spectacle and has the desired effect of arousing the fighters’ ire to a very high pitch. At a later stage, boomerangs are employed in actual battle.

In place of the boomerang, the club or the waddy is not infrequently carried as an auxiliary weapon, but its use is restricted to fighting at close quarters.

During the various encounters, as here briefly described, shields are generally carried to parry the missiles directed against the bodies of the combatants. In the case of the light reed-spears, however, the wommera alone is used for such purpose. The fighters’ greatest safety is nevertheless in their wonderful skill at dodging the projectiles. In hand to hand fighting, with club or boomerang, the shield is invariably used to considerable advantage.

Whilst undertaking their reconnoitres, the scouts carry slippers, which they wear when it is necessary to hide the individual tracks of their party. These slippers are generally known as “kurdaitja-shoes”; they consist of a thick pad or sole of emu feathers, knitted together with string and clotted blood, and an “upper” of neatly plaited human hair-string. The wearer of such “kurdaitja-shoes” leaves shallow, oval tracks in the sand, which, if seen by any other natives, occasion much alarm, being immediately recognized as those of an enemy on a treacherous mission; if the enemy is not discovered, the tracks are regarded as those of the “Kurdaitja,” an evil spirit about to molest the tribe.

At the conclusion of a battle, it depends entirely upon the terms, under which arms were laid down, as to who appropriates the bodies of any fallen warriors. If friendly relations are established immediately after cessation of hostilities, a mutual exchange is effected, by means of which the relatives might come in possession of the bodies of any warriors who fell. If, on the other hand, the hatred has not abated after the battle, whatever bodies were captured during the affray belong to that party who were fortunate enough to secure them.

The natives, who have been in the meantime joined by the women, retreat towards their main camp, and carry the corpse or corpses of their fallen upon their shoulders to a place decided upon. There elaborate obsequies are instituted. It is, moreover, the custom to cut portions of the soft parts from a dead warrior’s body, whether he be friend or foe, and to eat them. The belief is that by so doing the brave qualities of the departed soldier will be kept among the tribe and will not all be taken away by the spirit when it migrates to the ancestral hunting grounds. The pieces which are most commonly consumed by the mourners (or victors) are the kidney fat and the marrow of the long bones; the Gulf of Carpentaria tribes eat pieces of the muscle and occasionally of the liver. This is another reason why the Australian aborigines are often referred to as cannibals; but the title is unmerited. The native of Australia does not go head-hunting and does not organize expeditions, whose object is to slay people upon whom they can feast. We are not justified in calling him a cannibal; the most we can say of him is that opportunity might make him an occasional man-eater.