BEESWAX
Traditionally, native beeswax was used in Australian Aboriginal culture.
The wax shown here is from European bees.
Honey and wax produced by native bees today is rare due to a number of factors including habitat loss from land clearing, fierce competition for food from introduced feral honeybees, the impacts of climate change and extreme weather, and widespread use of harmful chemicals.
Native beeswax harvested from Australian stingless bees has been used for thousands of years. It is heated to make it soft and easy to use especially as a strong adhesive, as a waterproof sealant for tools and canoes, and the wax can be used as a fixative for Emu feathers, body art and ornaments, as mouthpieces for didgeridoos, and a medium for ancient rock art.
Tool Making and repairs
Hafting and Adhesives:
By heating beeswax, it acts as a strong glue used to attach stone heads to axes, spears, and knives.
Especially over string binding.
Didgeridoos: First Nations people use native beeswax to shape and mold mouthpieces to make them comfortable and airtight for playing.
Artifact Maintenance: Patching cracks in wooden shields, weapons, and implements.
Waterproofing and containers
Sealing Containers to make them watertight: Applied to water containers, like Coolamons to plug holes.
Canoe Upkeep: Used as caulking on bark canoes to waterproof seams.
Art, culture and decoration
Rock Art: Pressing and shaping warm beeswax onto rock walls creating distinct motifs, patterns, and figure stencils.
Body Adornment: Acts as a fixative to attach decorative feathers, plant materials, or teeth (such as kangaroo teeth) to hair, skin, and ceremonial regalia.
Children's Toys: Wax is shaped into small figures and toys.
Stencil Art.
Work in progress for "Sandsong". Performance art of the plays background painting, created during the performance of the show.
Written by Walbira Murray and produced by InsiteArts..Toured China, Japan, Italy, Comm Games...
To maintain and fix cracks
Bark Canoe I made for the Qld Maritime Museum 30 years ago or so.
For hair decorations
From the Australian Bush
For jewellery
From the Australian Bush
Quandong Seeds for Jewellery etc...
Painted Quandong Seed Necklaces
A few ideas...
Painted with ordinary paint and sprayed with clear varnish.
Easy to make and beautiful to behold!
These were drilled and threaded with string or thin leather...