The Point of Spinifex: Aboriginal uses of spinifex grasses in Australia

Abstract

fall and drought where they can survive in a state of dormancy until favorable conditions return.Spinifex species are usually divided into two informal groups based on their different growth forms, distributions and physiology. The so-called 'hard' species (which include, among others, Triodia basedowii E.Pritz., Triodia irritans R.Br., Triodia longiceps J.M.Black and Triodia wiseana C.A.Gardner) have closely packed, rigid leaves which are almost impossible to touch, while 'soft' species (which include, among others, Triodia bynoei (C.E.Hubb.) Lazarides, Triodia helmsii (C.E.Hubb.) Lazarides, Triodia microstachya R.Br. and Triodia pungens R.Br.) have relatively loosely arranged, less rigid leaves that can be comparatively more easily handled. Soft species tend to be more common in the northern half of the continent where they form a more or less continuous cover, rather than the discrete, rounded hummock habit of the hard species (Moore 2005:210; see Figure 1). The primary difference between the soft and hard spinifex groups relates to their ability to produce resin. As detailed by Burbidge (1946), The Point of Spinifex: Aboriginal uses of spinifex grasses in AustraliaHeidi T. Pitman and Lynley A. Wallis Research AbstractFor thousands of years spinifex grasses were utilized by Indigenous Australians, most commonly for the production of resin that was then used as a hafting adhesive. While varying levels of knowledge about this particular use are retained in Indigenous communities, museum collections serve as a valuable repository of little known information about a multitude of other uses of spinifex including ornamental, medicinal, structural and ceremonial functions. In this paper we describe the range of uses of spinifex, based on examinations of objects and photographs held in various museum collections, coupled with reviews of the ethnographic and ethnohistoric literature. This study (1) brings together disparate sources of knowledge about Indigenous uses of spinifex that are not well known among the scientific community and (2) demonstrates the value of museum collections for Indigenous communities seeking to 'reconnect' with aspects of socalled 'lost traditional culture'.

Harvesting as an Alternative to Burning for Managing Spinifex Grasslands in Australia

“…The harvested biomaterial (e.g., resin and fibre) could be used in small-scale industries in remote Australia [7]. While localised harvesting has potential benefits to local communities, undesirable effects of harvesting may include the loss of species that require fire cueing for seed germination and the removal of essential nutrients with the export of biomass.…”

“…Indigenous Australians have long burned and locally harvested spinifex grasslands for the purpose of hunting and obtaining materials, food, and medicine [5][6][7][8]. This practice creates small-scale mosaics of burned and unburned patches at different serial stages [9].…”

Built structures in rockshelters of the Pilbara, Western Australia

“…In this particular instance, various ethnographic accounts from elsewhere in the arid zone routinely refer to spinifex being used as padding (Pitman and Wallis 2012), and its deliberate placement along with the presence of a spear in site P4349 seems more in keeping with that particular built structure being used as a cache, contrary to Bindon and Lofgren's (1982) conclusion. As such, a more detailed consideration of the specific evidence in each situation is required.…”

Chemical characterisation of museum-curated ethnographic resins from Australia and New Guinea used as adhesives, medicines and narcotics

“…Around twenty-eight of its sixty-nine species are resinous, the most common species referenced for resin-use being T. pungens and T. irritans [16,17]. It is noted by Pitman and Wallis [9] that these two species along with T. basedowii appear to be the only species mentioned in early ethnographic accounts of spinifex use. The species within this genus are again very difficult to distinguish botanically and there is much geographical crossover between species, each having a fairly wide geographical distribution.…”

“…The focus of instrumental resin analysis for archaeological research is often centered on the hafting of composite tools [7,8], which although extremely important, has been criticised for being too dominant, leading to the exclusion of the study of other functions of such resins [9].…”