Fishing on Valentine’s Day in Aboriginal Australia

Hunting and gathering food from the land, is a major and daily activity amongst Aboriginal people in northern Australia. Everyday, family groups go in various directions, sometimes to the saltwater and mangroves, other times to freshwater billabongs, flood plains or into the bush hunting for kangaroo or buffalo.

At dusk, everyone would return back to the campfires on the beach, or travel back to the community, and all the food would be shared equally amongst family groups.  After dinner they would perform a dance ceremony and singing would begin, followed by Aboriginal story-telling around the campfire at night.  There was always food kept to one side to give to the community elders, to show their respect and food brought to ill relatives to show their concern and compassion.

One of the Aboriginals, who was attracted to a friend who worked in the community was asked what he was going to give her on Valentine’s Day? He knew nothing about Valentine’s Day, so he went off and caught her a large fish. So Happy Valentine’s Day everyone….most girls like salmon.

© Stuart Wilde 2013 – www.stuartwilde.com