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The Significance of Murray Cod to Aboriginal Communities Alan Ginns Gondwana Consulting Pty Ltd

The Significance of Murray Cod to Aboriginal Communities · The Significance of Murray Cod to Aboriginal Communities ... Great abundance = major traditional food resource with

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The Significance of Murray Cod to Aboriginal

Communities

Alan Ginns Gondwana Consulting Pty Ltd

Project Objectives To review and collate existing published

information on the significance of Murray Cod to Aboriginal people.

To record the oral and contemporary significance of Murray Cod for a number of Aboriginal communities.

Project Method - Publications Literature and existing resources search and review Explorers‟ accounts Anthropological works – 1800s (eg Taplin), early 1900s

(eg Tindale, Berndt) and recent (eg Bell, Brock) Autobiographies/biographies Oral histories (eg Aust National Library Aboriginal oral

history collection) Indigenous publications and organisations Research institutions and collections (eg museums,

AIATSIS) Local histories Web research (everything from dreaming stories to

fishing tours, and all points in between)

Project Method - Consultation 8 target communities or locations across the entire Basin

Sampling a cross-section of: Aboriginal nations known Murray cod cultural “strongholds” river systems and environments geographic spread and states

Project Method - Consultation Aboriginal community consultation Both organisations (LALCs, Aboriginal Corporations, etc) and individuals Cross-section of ages and gender Assisted by Dave Watts – a Ngiyampaa Aboriginal man originally from Brewarrina Telephone/mail contact followed up by in-person meetings Some reluctance - “it’s well known”, “we told the

museum”, embarrassment Consultation continuing, especially for current cultural

associations

Pre-Contact Cultural Significance A Dominant Murray River Dreaming

Murray cod – pondi, ponde, goodoo or guddhu – as a central entity in traditional Aboriginal culture and creation stories.

Most prominent along the Murray River, and the lower Murray region – the Ngarrindjeri lands – in particular.

Dreaming Story of the lower Murray River „s creation by Ponde, a giant Murray Cod, pursued by the creation hero Ngurunderi, and widening the river with sweeps of its tail. Ponde was finally speared in Lake Alexandrina and cut-up by Ngurunderi to create a new fish, both fresh and salt water species, from each piece.

Based largely on Albert Karloan‟s 1939 account focusing on the lower Murray. Most probably a “sanitised” version for European consumption.

More recent researchers suggest multiple versions of the Ngurunderi dreaming along the Murray and Lower Darling, and SA coast, with regional biases or variations.

Also regional variations in the Murray Cod‟s role in the dreamtime creation of the Murray River .

Known as Boorinawa in parts of the upper Murray in Yorta Yorta country, and elsewhere as Otchocut and Guddhu.

But consistently a central creation being along the Murray. Connections to coastal clans and saltwater cultures. Also represented in the night sky, as the Delphinus constellation, with links to breeding and no-take season.

Darling River Associations

Darling River cultural associations not as copiously documented, especially the upper Basin areas in Queensland.

Murray Cod still an important entity, but less pre-eminent as one among several. Ngiyaampaa creation story of Murray Cod helping the Water Serpent to create the Darling “down from the north” - “Old Pundu, the cod, it was

his duty to drag and create the river known as the Darling River today”, with assistance by “Mudlark, his little mate“.

Associations with “Biame” dreaming trail, central creation-being over much of inland NSW.

Cultural Gradient or Anthropological Artefact ?

Observable “significance gradient” with Murray Cod‟s cultural prominence (traditionally, as well as post contact and contemporary) increasing from east to west and, more strongly, from north to south. Focused on the cultural stronghold of the Lower Murray Region. Or is this an artefact of the density of anthropological

studies/research and accessible Aboriginal informants, combined with the influences of the patterns of European settlement and cultural disruption ?

Traditional Utilisation & Management Great abundance = major traditional food resource with

few cultural limitations. Traditionally taken by spear (most often from bark

canoes), nets (fixed and dragged), stone and stick fish traps, hook/gorge and line, and water poisoning/deoxygenation.

Fishing usually a group activity, mainly by men and

youths (but this view increasingly challenged). Spring to Autumn preferred fishing seasons.

Baked on coals, streamed or smoke-dried. Few food taboos. Some regional variations, mainly restrictions on eating by male initiates and age courtesies (preferred food for older people in some circumstances). “Increase ceremonies”, but little evidence of direct use in

magic/sorcery. Smoke-dried Murray Cod traded widely from Lower

Murray. Food value persisted post-colonisation, despite declining

abundance.

Post-contact Culture and Significance Continuity Despite Dislocation and Diminution

Cultural associations and significance maintained – overtly and, increasingly, covertly despite population decimation and social disruption.

Murray Cod populations reduced by settlers‟ exploitation (“there was plenty … before the Europeans lived around here”, Karloan), or scared-off by paddle steamers (which people considered “made the big one [Cod] run”), and traditional fishing access dislocated.

Riverside missions and stations allowed continuity of “river” culture - but Murray Cod cultural, harvesting and management traditions disrupted.

Introduced technologies adapted, slowly, but opportunities exploited (eg collaboration to supply the 1850s Bendigo gold miners)

Cod of continuing subsistence importance, sometimes recognised by governments. Increasing economic exploitation of the late 1800s –

government supported fishing ventures, “official” canoes and fledgling boat building.

Fishing income supplementing mission “wages” late 19th and into the early 20th Century throughout the Basin, from Brewarrina to Barmah.

20th Century - Loss and Change Generational loss of knowledge, stories and significance

– recording key informants (eg. Karloan in SA) Sharing and convergence of symbolism – Aboriginal “Ngurunderi‟s tree” and settlers‟/bushmans‟ “skin map” beliefs Gradual shift from creation stories and cultural centrality to epic fishing stories and “big ones”, but with underlying respect (eg Cummerangunja stories) “Old Man Murray Cod” – giant long-lived individuals linking generations on specific sections of river Important food and supplementary income source –

notably during WW1 and the Depression.

Today Pondi becoming a default totem or dreaming for Aboriginal

people linked with the Lower Murray - “We come from the river so we must be Pondi, the Murray Cod”.

Symbolic of continuing links to country and “strength of culture”. Reconnected/rediscovered cultural symbolism, and to a lesser degree significance, expressed most strongly through art (mainly painting, but also in other forms such as literature and drama eg Yorta Yorta play “Yanagai ! Yanagai !”).

Associations under threat, being eroded, for many younger Aboriginal people – especially in more remote areas – competing interests and population shifts.

Significant recreational fishing species, for Aboriginal people as for the wider community, with traditional tucker values for some.

Economic values, especially art/cultural ventures and cultural/ecotourism (eg Ponde Tours out of Mildura).

Part of the encompassing shared “riverscape”, as perceived by the Aboriginal and wider community.

No apparent resentment of the wider community‟s appropriation of Murray Cod imagery.

Aspirations Shared symbolism – Murray Cod as the river‟s soul and a

key/indicator species – “If you stop the Murray Cod from flowing and doing his business up and down the river … [bad] things are going to happen. That’s what is happening now”.

Shared healthy rivers goals, larger and more widespread Murray Cod populations.

Recognition and role in management decision making. Recognition of cultural connections and continuing

importance - including on-going oral history, research and documentation.

Greater economic opportunities – aquaculture and eco-tourism – with assistance.

Harvesting/utilisation privileges. Greater community awareness, appreciation and respect.