Mutton Fish: The Surviving Culture of Aboriginal People and Abalone on the South Coast of New South Wales

by Beryl Cruse, Liddy Stewart, Sue Norman

The story of the Aboriginal people of the south coast of New South Wales, the book explores the relationship of Aboriginal people to the coast and what has happened to them as their access to the coastal resources has been progressively restricted by European competition.

Genres: Australia

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Mandy Partridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read about the delicious Abalone or Muttonfish, and the history of Indigenous management, then white exploitation of this resource. When I lived in West Australia, I paid $25 for a licence and was allowed to take 10 of the shellfish, over the legal size. These new licensing laws attempt to do what Aboriginal people around southern Australia (Cruse is from New South Wales), did for tens of thousands of years, eat sustainably. Terrific family stories about the seasons for eating different foods, with a glossary at the back for their Aboriginal, English and scientific (Latin) names.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learnt so much from this book and I’m really glad I read it on location down the south coast of NSW. I particularly appreciated the explanation of the way that legal requirements for evidence of cultural use and practice is racist because written accounts of Aboriginal practices by white settlers cannot possibly have covered everything and they were not written with the view to preserving cultural practice. Even though this book is focused on abalone (mutton fish), it is about so much more than that. Highly recommended.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting look and first hand experiences of the history and importance of abalone or 'mutton fish' to the indigenous population on the south coast. Stories about family, community and cultural tradition but also inevitably a reminder of the racism and inequality that indigenous people face, as well as the environmental damages the industry have. An important read and start to invasion day. Seeing as this was written in 2005, will be interesting to see how much of this will have changed almost 20 years later.

[Sarah Ensor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book first published in 2005 that's available again thanks to print on demand technology. It was originally written because Beryl Cruse interviewed her husband Ossie about fishing, hunting and gathering for her Certificate of General Education assessment. It became clear that he and many others in the community were mines of historical and cultural information that needed to be captured for the next generations. 

The authors note that from archaeological digs into middens people ate all sorts of species from the sea and the coastline plants and trees. They made fishing spears, hooks, fish traps and various implements to extract food. This culture still runs deep into local aboriginal families. 

The Koori or Koorie people have lived from the sea in the area that's now New South Wales in Australia for a very long time, possibly thousands of years.

As the sea level rose at the end of the last Ice age, south coast people made canoes from bark sheets folded at the ends and fished with multipronged spears, nets and traps.

Europeans in 1796 recorded that Aboriginal people had helped shipwrecked travellers with mussels and “shellfish". 

Women hunted, fished and gathered most of the people's food. Lizards, birds, crabs, shellfish - muscles, walkun (haliotis ruber, (abalone)), pipi or pippi, Plebidonax deltoides and small octopus. They caught groper, parrotfish, leather jackets and rock fish with fishing lines made from plant fibre that was heated, soaked then beaten or chewed. A two-ply string was formed by rolling the fibre on the thigh.

Men typically hunted larger, less reliable game such as kangaroo.

The interviews here show how important their sea culture still is to these communities and the obstacles they faced from the settlers and squatters and now face from racist local and national fishing and legal authorities to capitalist development. 

The interviewees are strongly aware of needing to preserve sea resources and want Aboriginal communities to be able to take from the sea while preventing poaching or abuse of the resources. They want to be able to teach the next generation to respect their traditions and understand their place and responsibilities in their environment. 

Since this book was published there has been some progress in legislation for Aboriginal rights but it's a constant struggle. This book is part of the history of pioneers who refused to be parted from their culture, history and “a good feed”.

[Bear Mcbearington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Neat

[Amanda Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but informative book, with first hand accounts and stories of people's experiences at diving along the coast for these food items and how the laws have changed over the years.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the Koori culture told through the words of people within. It addresses a number of concerns surrounding indigenous rights and sustainability of fishing practices.