The re-emergence of nganaparru

The introduction of new animals into huntergatherer societies produces a variety of cultural responses. This article explores the role of rock art in western Arnhem Land, Australia, in helping to mediate contact-period changes in Indigenous society in the nineteenth century. The authors explore etic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antiquity 2021-10, Vol.95 (383), p.1298
Main Authors: May, Sally K, Tacon, Paul S.C, Jalandoni, Andrea, Goldhahn, Joakim, Wesley, Daryl, Tsang, Roxanne, Mangiru, Kenneth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archaeology
Book publishing
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Summary:The introduction of new animals into huntergatherer societies produces a variety of cultural responses. This article explores the role of rock art in western Arnhem Land, Australia, in helping to mediate contact-period changes in Indigenous society in the nineteenth century. The authors explore etic and emic perspectives on the 're-emergence' of water buffalo into Aboriginal cultural life. Merging archaeological analysis, rock art and ethnographic accounts, the article demonstrates how such artworks were used as a tool for maintaining order in times of dramatic social change. The results of this research have significant implications for understanding how cultural groups and individuals worldwide used rock art during periods of upheaval.
ISSN:0003-598X
1745-1744
DOI:10.15184/aqy.2021.107