Coolamon (vessel)

This article is about the Aboriginal carrying vessel. For the Australian town, see Coolamon, New South Wales.
The coolamon in this picture is at top left. It is lined with paperbark, often done when used as a cradle for newborns.
Women using coolamons

Coolamon is an anglicised version of the Wiradjuric word guliman[1] used to describe an Australian Aboriginal carrying vessel.

It is a multi-purpose shallow vessel, or dish with curved sides, ranging in length from 30 to 70 cm, and similar in shape to a canoe.

Coolamons were traditionally used by Aboriginal women to carry water, fruit, nuts, as well as to cradle babies. Today when women gather bush tucker, they usually use a billy can, bucket or flour tin. Coolamons were carried on the head when travelling any distance, or under the arm if used as a cradle. If carried on the head, a ring pad (akartne in Arrernte) was placed on the head, made out of possum and/or human hair string, twisted grass, or feathers.[1]

This helped to cushion and support the carriage of the coolamon; the same purpose as those used by women in traditional cultures around the world to carry vessels on their heads. The Pintupi of the Western Desert would attach a double strand of plaited rope (ngalyibi) made of hair or plant fibre to sling the coolamon over their shoulders.[2] They also wore smaller coolamons as hats, with the twine around the chin.[3]

Coolamons were used for winnowing grains in the traditional bread-making process, as well as a general heating and cooking vessel. They could even be used as an umbrella.

  1. ^ "Coolamon, NSW". Aussie Towns. Retrieved 2023-08-19.
  2. ^ Donald Thomson, Bindibu Country, Thomas Nelson, Melbourne, 1975, ISBN 0-17-005049-1, p101.
  3. ^ Thomson, op cit, illustration 13