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dalyi (fighting stick). Also called nawulu.

Wayne Edgar
2018
Overview

A dalyi (fighting stick) made from yirrgili (Hakea arborenscens)

Historical information

This dalyi (fighting stick) was displayed in the Bugarrigarra Nyurdany exhibition first held at the National Native Title Conference in Broome 5 - 7 June 2018 at the Cable Beach Club and then again at the opening of the Liyan Ngan Nyirrwa Centre, Nyamba Buru Yawuru in 2019.

Dalyi were referred to as dowak by Maitland Brown in May 1865: `a short distance in front of me, were about 70 natives, men, women, and children, they all jumped to their feet and greeted me with a war cry. The fighting men, about 25 in number, danced forward trebly armed, quivering their spears and flourishing their kilies and dowaks.'

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-26-MN0004
Material
Wood
Width
20 mm
Height or length
800 mm
Depth
20 mm
Themes
First Peoples
Contextual Information

`Wattles are used for spears all the time. You make a fire to straighten it. All you need is a bit of wire and a small axe. Some are for hunting kangaroo, some are for fishing. We make them in all different sizes. We use the dalyi (dowak) for hunting and fighting.' William Peters Ngarda

Keywords
dalyi, nawulu, dowak, Maitland Brown, fighting stick, hunting, yirrgili, hakea arborescens,
Place made
Broome
Western Australia
Australia
Year
2018
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Social or spiritual significance
Comparative significance criteria
Interpretive capacity
Well provenanced
Copyright category
Life of creator +70 years
Attribution requirements

Copyright Nyamba Buru Yawuru/Wayne Edgar

Copyright holder
Nyamba Buru Yawuru/Wayne Edgar
Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY)

Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY)

Organisation Details
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dalyi (fighting stick)
dalyi (fighting stick), also called nawulu, made from yirrgili (hakea arborenscens)

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