Wiktionary
n. An indigenous Australian container with curved sides, typically used for collecting berries.
Wikipedia
Coolamon may refer to:
- Coolamon (vessel) - an Indigenous Australian container
- Coolamon, New South Wales - an Australian town
- Coolamon Shire - an Australian local government area
- Syzygium moorei - an Australian rainforest tree
A coolamon is an Indigenous Australian carrying vessel.
It is a multi-purpose shallow vessel, or dish with curved sides, ranging in length from 30–70 cm, and similar in shape to a canoe.
Coolamons were traditionally used by Aboriginal women to carry water, fruits, 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 India and Africa 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. They also wore smaller coolamons as hats, with the twine around the chin.
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.
Usage examples of "coolamon".
When they returned to their camp, they saw that the droving team were moving slowly westwards, so the desert nomads walked quickly to the well and drank their fill, then replenished their wooden coolamons with water for the trip.
The only time their drink was varied was during the warm winter days when the flowers from the desert oak, a type of grevillea, were picked and soaked in coolamons of water to make a sweet drink like cordial or lolly water.
The women gathered their coolamons and what was left of the food, and a new and most important gift of a canvas water bag, still half filled with water.
The only time their drink was varied was during the warm winter days when the flowers from the desert oak, a type of grevillea, were picked and soaked in coolamons of water to make a sweet drink like cordial or lolly water.