Native peoples lived in Australia long before British settlers arrived. They are known as Aborigines.
Aborigines hunted wild animals and gathered wild plants for food. They practiced “firestick farming.” They burned dry grass so that new grass would grow back. Then they hunted the animals that came to eat the fresh grass.
Aborigines used a famous hunting weapon called the boomerang. A boomerang is a curved, flat piece of wood that spins when thrown. Aborigines also painted beautiful designs on rocks and bark, made music, and told stories. They played a unique musical instrument called the didjeridu. It’s a long, decorated horn made from a tree branch hollowed out by termites.
British settlers caused great hardships for the Aborigines. Many Aborigines died fighting the settlers. Many more were killed by diseases brought from Europe. Today, few Aborigines maintain their traditional way of life. Most live in cities and towns.
