AUSTRALIA – TWEED HEADS

OCTOBER 9, 2025

We needed to buy some groceries and we came upon a Woolworths at a shopping mall. We bought what little supplies we needed but also spent some time just wandering up and down the aisles. I like to see what subtle differences there are between countries; grocery stores are always a pleasant surprise.

Some groceries are really cheap compared to ours back in Canada, while other stuff is really expensive. For instance, Canadian Maple Syrup was cheaper here than back home. WTF??

but dishwashing tablets were stupid expensive.

Just a short distance from the shopping centre was the MINJUNGBAL MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTRE. I always like to learn about the culture of a people. However, in the case of the Aboriginals in Australia, there is a two part non-existence of relics and history.

#1 The Aboriginals left zero footprint. They lived off the land, as there was a variety of food just outside their thatched homes. They had no metal tools.

The weather was warm enough they did not even need clothing. Every once in a while they used ochre paints.

#2 What may have been left by the natives, the English settlers quickly destroyed it to built over top.

What we did learn:

As with North American Indians, the arrival of settlers brought disease which wiped out a huge portion of the population. Those left were often used as slaves, mostly for the growing sugarcane industry. When the numbers of slaves began to diminish, between 1863-1904 about 62,000 workers were brought in, either by kidnapping or coercion, from neighboring Pacific islands in a practice known as Blackbirding.   As often happens when the immigrant population gets too large for the white settler’s comfort, the settlers decided that the Pacific Islanders needed to go back. But many Islanders had already married locals and had families. About 6000 returned to their home islands, where they were now strangers in their own lands.

The Aboriginals had 6 seasons, which had them moving to where the best hunting and gathering could be found.

The men and women each had their own “business” (coming of age). The “making of a man” required taking the boys and cutting welts into their backs, arms and chest. To dull the pain, they would dunk the boys in cold water or beat them with nettles. To make sure the markings stood out, clay and charcoal were rubbed into the deep gashes. The boys were banished until the wounds healed.

For women, being married required removing half of the little finger on the left hand. It was not chopped off; instead, a string was wrapped around the knuckle until it fell off.

Semi-precious stones were used by the “clever fellows” (medicine men).

Boundaries between tribes were set up using large pieces of quartz. There was usually no excuse and little mercy for trespassers. However, to balance out the distribution of necessary and desirable items between territories, trading with neighbouring tribes was essential. Much of the barter and exchange went on during organized festivals, where tribal differences were temporarily set aside amidst the excitement of dance and spectacle.

“Invitations” were sent out, which was a notched stick that looked like a cork screw. The invitation stick was probably not necessary since the invitees also came decked out in their finest feathers.

One of the more popular gatherings were “food fairs” where they would trade food items. An example of this was at the mouth of the Ballina River, which has a rich supply of oysters. A pile of shells dating back to 1650 was found, measuring 400 metres long and 4 metres high. Now THAT’S a party!!

All that said, there was still jealousy between men over their women. Hand to hand combat was the way to resolve the situation. Oddly enough, there were strict rules regarding the fighting – no blows to the back or thighs. Once first blood was drawn, the fight was usually over.

Now you may be wondering how all this information is known, since there are nearly no artifacts. Margaret Kay was proud of her Aboriginal heritage. She and some others formed a local history group. She gathered what little artifacts and oral stories remained and formed this little museum. She is also responsible for clearing and maintaining the nearby Bora Ring.

A BORA RING was a ceremonial site for Aboriginal people. It consisted of two circular rings connected by a sacred path. It was uses for initiation ceremonies and other important events.  It is considered sacred ground and we were not allowed to enter.

We took a walk through the forest path before jumping back in the car and making our way to Gold Coast.