The Huntsman and the Magic Spear

The Aboriginal people were traditionally hunters and gatherers. Therefore, hunting equipment was serious business for them. The boomerang and the woomera, mentioned in this story below, are some of their inventions.

In that time before time, there was a hunter who made himself a spear. Along with the spear, he made a woomera, which is used to throw the spear. The woomera can also be used as a weapon or a shield or a tool to cut the game that is caught.

But this was no ordinary spear. It was a very special one, made from the magic of the trees. The wood for the spear came from magic trees and the sap from the trees was used to bind the spear to the spear head. The magic spear had the power of seven ordinary spears. With one throw, it could kill seven fish. And when you threw it, the spear cast seven shadows so it was hard to know which the real one was. It was a prized possession of any hunter, for it was a spear with which he guarded his family and hunted.

Everyone knew the hunter was the guardian of the sacred spear and respected him for it. The huntsman was brave and responsible too. He would go out to hunt every day, bringing back plenty of fish, kangaroo and emu to eat for all his people. Naturally, the tribe had great respect and regard for him. But among them was a witch doctor who was jealous of our huntsman’s popularity. More than anything else, he coveted the magic spear. I will have that spear for myself, come what may, he thought to himself and one day came up with an evil plan.

One morning, as usual, the huntsman went out with his magic spear to find some food so that his people could eat. The witch doctor, in the meantime, stole a dilly bag from one of the old women in their village. A dilly bag is a woven bag made from plant fibres that womenfolk carry to collect yams, berries and roots. But this particular bag, like the magic spear, had special powers.

Having seized the dilly bag, the witch doctor put his gnarled hand inside and took for himself the great power that lay within. Now, the evil witch doctor had the entire tribe under his control and they were but prisoners to his will. Whatever he demanded, they had no choice but to obey. The witch doctor took over the tribe and appointed himself their leader.

When the huntsman returned to his camp after many days had passed, he was taken aback at the new situation. The witch doctor, confident that the powers he had acquired from the dilly bag would make him invincible, launched his attack on the hunter.

He could control the elements now. Magically, he created lightning and thunderbolts, which he sent hurtling towards the huntsman. But all the thunderbolts were deflected one by one by the huntsman’s woomera, which protected him.

The huntsman seized one of the thunderbolts with his bare hands and walked towards the witch doctor. The witch doctor had not expected this. Really? Did this young huntsman, who could create such a magical spear, have the blessings of the Great Spirit himself?

‘You think you can kill me so easily?’ asked the huntsman, raising his magic spear that cast its seven shadows. The witch doctor, like all bullies, was a coward and knew he could not win this battle. So he went down on his knees and begged for mercy. ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I really shouldn’t have . . .’

The huntsman was not a cruel man and he had it in him to forgive this evil witch doctor. But the witch doctor could not go unpunished for his misdeeds. The whole camp was watching now, relieved and happy that their ordeal was over at last. ‘You have to pay for this,’ said the huntsman, towering over the witch doctor who was crouching pathetically, quivering with fear.

‘Punish me any which way you deem it fit, but please don’t kill me,’ begged the witch doctor.

The huntsman struck the witch doctor’s legs with his spear and there were seven wounds that bled. With those wounds the powers that the witch doctor had acquired from the old woman’s dilly bag disappeared. A great light escaped his body and returned to the dilly bag from where it had come. The witch doctor was redeemed by law of the tribe now for he had served the punishment for his crime.

Order was restored in the camp and peace reigned once again, thanks to the huntsman and his sacred spear. He had also brought home a real feast for them that evening—a kangaroo, a wallaby and an emu. That night they celebrated with a corroboree, a song and dance ritual where everybody danced with painted faces, adorned with colourful feathers and twigs. They knew that with the huntsman and his magic spear by their side, they would always be safe and happy.