From decorations on artifacts to
contemporary aboriginal art

Aboriginal artifacts: the boomerangs, spears, dillybags and other things the nomadic Aborigines had to and could carry around, were devised to challenge the harsh living conditions in the Australian environment. The boomerangs could be used
as hunting or fighting weapons,
for digging,
as cutting knives,
for making fire by friction and
as percussion instruments - music sticks.

But sometimes the challenge overwhelmed both the people and their tools, so they needed an input from supernatural sources. Art was the mediator of these forces, not l'art pour l'art but practical strengthening of one's faith into oneself and the tool. Aboriginal art saturated these artifacts with sorcery and magic.

Where aboriginal art took off for a journey of its own is in the decoration of utilitarian objects. At the beginning the decorations filled the tools and weapons with sorcery and magic, but because these objects are imperishable, long-lasting objects the decoration on them lived on and took up a meaning similar to Western art concepts: it gave aesthetic pleasure to the beholder and an urge for artistic expression for the maker. The beliefs, that the magical puri-puri made it more powerful, put a higher economic value on the more pleasing weapon, but the aesthetic appeal of the artifacts left behind the magic and aboriginal "art for art" has been born.

The utilitarian objects: spears, boomerangs, dillybags, bullroarers, clapsticks, emu-callers, didgeridoos are rarely sacred, so the craftsman/artist is free from the sometimes very strong symbolism used on sacred objects, they can use easily recognizable forms, wider colour spectrum, the whole arsenal of artistic expression, styles and media.

Even todays, Aboriginal art is mostly sold as decoration on Aboriginal artifacts such as boomerangs, pottery; on Aboriginal musical instruments: didgeridoos, emu callers, bullroarers, clapsticks, and less on canvas, although aboriginal art on canvas can fetch much higher price.

But there are some exceptions: some tribal artefacts can be collector's items with very high price tag. Read more about collectibles and have free appraisals on your tribal artifacts.

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