25 Items Tagged

Aboriginal

Standing no taller than a 10-year-old, the Yara ma tha who watches from the forest canopy—always ready to pounce on its next victim.

The Child-Eating Bloodsucker of Aboriginal Australian Nightmares

The Yara ma tha who is more terrifying than any vampire.

April White May 1, 2024

Kariong, Australia

Bulgandry Art Site Aboriginal Place

Aboriginal artists carved these unique figures into sandstone.

Podcast: Law of the Tongue

Back when killer whales used to assist humans.

The Podcast Team March 14, 2024

No images of Tarenorerer have survived today: However, this portrait shows an Aboriginal woman from southern Tasmania, a contemporary of Tarenorerer, and perhaps the best example we have of what Tarenorerer might've worn and looked like.

The Fierce Female Warrior Who Fought Tasmania’s Colonizers

An Aboriginal woman from northwest Tasmania, Tarenorerer became one of the war's most feared soldiers.

Valorie Castellanos Clark March 13, 2024

Orca pods can develop their own cultures that result in distinctive behaviors, including cooperation with humans.

The Killer Whales of Eden and the 'Law of the Tongue'

Orcas and humans once hunted together in southeastern Australia, until their millennia-old relationship broke down.

Roxanne Hoorn October 11, 2023

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Generation Gaps

Alex Bellos June 12, 2023

There are many depictions of the bunyip, but one common iteration is a cow-sized, aquatic wombat-like creature.

The Child-Eating Bunyip Haunts Australia’s Wetlands

But its complex Aboriginal Australian origins have today been commodified and suppressed.

Sarah Durn May 1, 2023

The changing colors of Uluru at sunset. The famous gigantic monolith rock in the Australian desert.

The Explorer’s Guide to the Northern Territory, Australia

Stargazing, bush tucker, and wildlife from the Top End to the Red Centre

Sponsored by Tourism Northern Territory

Kakadu, Australia

Ubirr Rock Art

Kakadu National Park is known for its stunning beauty and its rock art, which represents the longest historical records of any continuous civilization on Earth.

Pastor Sir Douglas & Lady Gladys Nicholls Memorial

Melbourne, Australia

Pastor Sir Douglas & Lady Gladys Nicholls Memorial

This 2008 memorial commemorates two leading Aboriginal Australian rights activists.

This image depicts a lepa-lepa dugout canoe.

East Arnhem, Australia

Wurrwurrwuy Stone Arrangements

This small but unique site depicts part of an arguably underrepresented part of Australia's early connections to the seafaring communities to its north.

Brewarrina Fish Traps

Brewarrina, Australia

Brewarrina Fish Traps

These Aboriginal fish traps are among the oldest human constructions in the world.

"Mamu (Spooky Spirits)," a 2006 painting by Nura Rupert.

Mapping the Many Monsters of Aboriginal Australian Lore

A "terrifying pantheon" of ogres, sorcerers, and malevolent mermaids reflects a diversity in geography and environment.

Christine Judith Nicholls October 10, 2022

Wauba Debar’s Grave

Bicheno, Australia

Wauba Debar’s Grave

The burial place of this Tasmanian Aboriginal woman is a memorial that remembers the atrocities of colonialism.

Pearl meat is the ear-shaped adductor muscle in a pearl oyster.

How Pearl Meat Became Australia's Newest Luxury Ingredient

Once humble divers' fare, the meat of the pearl oyster now commands up to $200 per kilo.

Lizzie Pook June 24, 2022

Nornie Bero with her line of condiments.

This Torres Strait Islander Chef Wants You to Cook With Wattleseeds and Bush Tomatoes

Mabu Mabu, Nornie Bero’s first cookbook, is a celebration of Aboriginal culinary traditions.

Diana Hubbell February 18, 2022

Webb Bridge

Melbourne, Australia

Webb Bridge

This modern pedestrian bridge on the Yarra River was modeled after an Aboriginal fish trap.

Broulee Canoe Tree

Broulee, Australia

Broulee Canoe Tree

This tree, with its large oval-shaped scar, is a rare piece of Aboriginal cultural history.