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The boomerang is a distinctive emblem of Australia, with a history that dates back thousands of years. While boomerangs are traditionally associated with Australia, they have also been discovered in ancient Egypt, Europe, and North America. In Australia, boomerangs have been used by Aboriginal groups for various purposes, including hunting, digging, and ceremonial practices. They are also considered a symbol of cultural endurance and a link to the continent's long Indigenous history. The materials used to craft Australian boomerangs have evolved over time, with traditional wooden boomerangs made from tree limbs and modern boomerangs crafted from plywood or plastics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Material | Wood, mammoth tusk |
| Shape | L-shaped, hooked, cross-stick, pinwheel, tumble-stick, Booma-bird |
| Use | Weapon, hunting, digging, ceremonies, toy |
| Symbolism | Aboriginal cultural endurance, Australian national symbol |
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What You'll Learn
Boomerangs can be made from plywood, plastics, or mammoth tusks
Boomerangs are an internationally recognised symbol of Australia. They are also used in other parts of the world, including ancient Egypt and ancient Sumeria. The oldest boomerangs discovered in Australia were found in Wyrie Swamp, South Australia, and have been dated to about 10,000 years ago. However, the earliest evidence of boomerangs in Australia is found among the Bradshaw/Gwion Gwion rock art paintings in the Kimberley, dated to about 20,000 years ago.
Boomerangs can be made from a variety of materials, including plywood, plastics, and mammoth tusks. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from plywood or plastics such as ABS, polypropylene, phenolic paper, or carbon fibre-reinforced plastics. The choice of material depends on the intended function and geographic or tribal origins of the boomerang.
Mammoth tusk boomerangs have been discovered in archaeological sites around the world, including in southern Poland and the Carpathian Mountains in Poland, where a boomerang made from a mammoth's tusk is believed to be about 30,000 years old.
Wooden boomerangs have also been discovered in archaeological sites, including in Little Salt Spring in Florida, USA, where a wooden boomerang was found to be about 9,000 years old. Aboriginal groups in Australia exchanged wooden boomerangs across the continent for thousands of years, and this trade continues today.
The boomerang is a symbol of cultural endurance and a tangible link to the long presence of Aboriginal people on the Australian continent. It is featured in Aboriginal creation mythology and is considered to be as old as the continent itself. The boomerang is also used as a weapon, tool, for hunting and digging, and in ceremonies.
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They come in many shapes and sizes
Boomerangs are an internationally recognised symbol of Australia. They come in many shapes and sizes, depending on their geographic or tribal origins and intended function. The shape of a boomerang is critical to its flight properties. While the curve of a boomerang is essential, the surface shape of its arms is also important.
The oldest Australian boomerangs yet discovered were found in Wyrie Swamp, South Australia, in 1973, and have been dated to about 10,000 years ago. The oldest images of boomerangs in Australia are found among the Bradshaw/Gwion Gwion rock art paintings in the Kimberley and are about 20,000 years old.
There are two main types of boomerangs: those that come back and those that don't. The former is the type most commonly associated with Australia. The latter, which is often used for hunting and fighting, is known as a 'throwing stick'. The Aborigines used non-returning boomerangs for hunting and fighting "by design".
The different types of boomerangs include the traditional Australian type, the cross-stick, the pinwheel, the tumble-stick, and the Booma-bird. Some boomerangs were not thrown at all but were used in hand-to-hand combat by Indigenous Australians.
The boomerang's popularity as a souvenir helped transform it into a national symbol, and it has branded a range of products as distinctly Australian.
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Some boomerangs are designed to return to the thrower, while others are not
Boomerangs are one of the most internationally recognised symbols of Australia. They are also one of the earliest heavier-than-air human-made flying machines. The oldest Australian boomerangs discovered were found in Wyrie Swamp, South Australia, and have been dated to about 10,000 years ago. However, the oldest images of boomerangs in Australia are found among the Bradshaw/Gwion Gwion rock art paintings in the Kimberley, and are about 20,000 years old.
The boomerang's distinctive curved shape is not the main reason for its ability to fly. The surface shape of its arms is more important. Boomerangs were originally used for hunting and warfare. They were designed to stay in the air for as long as possible and travel in a straight line, allowing hunters to strike their targets from a distance. The oldest boomerangs were non-returning boomerangs, used by humans as far back as 20,000-30,000 years ago. The oldest boomerang ever discovered was made from a mammoth's tusk. Non-returning boomerangs were also used by ancient Egyptians and many other cultures.
Returning boomerangs were created by accident when someone was trying to carve a non-returning boomerang. Returning boomerangs have two or more aerofoil section wings. When spinning, these wings create unbalanced aerodynamic forces that curve its path into an ellipse, returning to its point of origin when thrown correctly. Returning boomerangs are not used for hunting because they are difficult to aim accurately and will not return if they hit their target. Instead, they are used for sports, recreational activities, and scaring game birds out of underbrush.
Throwing a boomerang and making it come back still takes skill, and not everyone can do it. The trajectory of the boomerang should be parallel to the ground or slightly upwards. Little to no wind is preferable for an accurate throw. The boomerang can return without wind, but even slight winds must be taken into account.
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Boomerangs are a symbol of Australia and its Aboriginal people
The boomerang is a symbol of cultural endurance and a tangible link to the long presence of Aboriginal people on the continent. It features in Aboriginal creation mythology and is considered as old as the continent itself. The Dreaming, which extends from the past into the present, recounts how significant features such as rivers, rock formations, and mountains were created when Ancestors threw boomerangs and spears into the earth.
Boomerangs have been used by Aboriginal people for various purposes, including as weapons, tools for hunting and digging, and in ceremonies. They come in different shapes and weights depending on their intended use. While some boomerangs are designed to return to the thrower, the vast majority do not. The returning boomerang, also known as the "Australian type," has become internationally recognised as a symbol of Australia.
The popularity of the boomerang as a souvenir has contributed to its status as a national symbol. It has been featured on a range of products, from brandy to cigarette papers, and has been incorporated into military emblems and gifts associated with visiting dignitaries. The boomerang's ability to return has made it a favourite symbol for the tourism and transport industries, representing the wish for travellers to return safely.
The making and trading of boomerangs by Aboriginal people continue today, fuelled by ongoing European fascination with the returning variety. The boomerang, with its unique design and cultural significance, remains an enduring symbol of Australia and its Aboriginal heritage. Australian boomerang-throwing competitions and world records further highlight the boomerang's association with the country.
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They are used for hunting, fighting, and as tools
Boomerangs are an internationally recognised symbol of Australia. They are also used in other parts of the world, including ancient Europe, Egypt, and North America. The oldest Australian boomerangs discovered were found in Wyrie Swamp, South Australia, and have been dated to about 10,000 years ago. However, the oldest images of boomerangs in Australia are found among the Bradshaw/Gwion Gwion rock art paintings in the Kimberley, and are about 20,000 years old.
Boomerangs are used for hunting, fighting, and as tools. They were historically used as hunting weapons, percussive musical instruments, battle clubs, fire-starters, decoys for hunting waterfowl, and as recreational play toys. Some boomerangs were used in hand-to-hand combat by Indigenous Australians. They are also used to decoy birds of prey, thrown above long grass to frighten game birds into flight and into waiting nets. The shape and elliptical flight path of the returning boomerang make it useful for hunting birds and small animals.
The boomerang is a symbol of cultural endurance and a tangible link to the long presence of Aboriginal people on the continent. Aboriginal creation myths recount how the ancestors formed the landscape of Australia. In the Dreaming, many significant features—rivers, rock formations, and mountains—were created when ancestors threw boomerangs and spears into the earth. Boomerangs are also used in hand-to-hand combat by Indigenous Australians.
The boomerang's ability to return has made it a favourite symbol for the tourism and transport industries. Australian military emblems have featured the boomerang, as have gifts and memorabilia associated with visiting royals and other celebrities. The boomerang's popularity as a souvenir has helped transform it into a national symbol, and it has branded a range of products as distinctly Australian.
Modern boomerangs used for sport are made from plywood or plastics such as ABS, polypropylene, phenolic paper, or carbon fibre-reinforced plastics. Boomerangs come in many shapes and sizes depending on their geographic or tribal origins and intended functions.
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Frequently asked questions
Australian boomerangs are made of wood.
There are two main types of Australian boomerangs: hooked or 'number 7' boomerangs, and heavy, carved boomerangs. The hooked variety is from north central Australia and was traded across a large area from the Kimberley to Queensland and south to the MacDonnell Ranges. The heavy, carved boomerangs were made by people in the Darling and Cooper river systems and traded widely to the east and west.
Australian boomerangs have been used for hunting, fighting, and in Aboriginal creation mythology.
