Macassans
Macassans • In the 18th and 19th centuries, fleets of boats came to the waters of Northern Australia from Makassar in Indonesia, to fish for sea cucumbers.
• There were between 30-60 boats in each fleet. • The journey took between 10-21 days. • Approximately 2000 men came each season. • The journey was 1600kms. • They used the monsoonal winds to travel by sail. • They arrived each December, fished over the summer months and returned home in March. • They caught the sea cucumbers by hand or with spears.
Sea Cucumbers • Sea cucumbers are also called trepang in Indonesian. • They live on the sea floor, but are exposed at low tide. • They are used in cooking and for their medicinal properties. • They keep oceans healthy by filtering sea water and eating decomposing organic matter.
Praus (or perahu, prows) is the name for the sailing vessels used by the Macassan trepangers.
Changing Perspectives • Trepang fishing brought the Macassans into contact with many Aboriginal people, in particular the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land in Northern Australia.
• Some Aboriginal dug out canoes are based on Macassan designs. • There are Macassan words in the Aboriginal language. • Some Muslim references survive in Aboriginal ceremonies and dreamtime stories today • The Macassans greatly influenced the way that Aboriginals lived.