Name: Rose-ann Kruger
Date: 02/07/12 Message: I was born in Mt Isa in 1965 but have only just heard of the story of the Kalkadoon and Battle Mountain....Planning to visit and tour the site.
Name: LyndallMarshall
Date: 11/24/11 Message: Would like to no more about ancestors history. My email address is lyndallmarshall05@hotmail.com
Name: Julie-Anne woodham
Date: 09/05/11 Message: Working at GidjiArt. Just checking out your info as we have some of your paintings in the shop. Very Good paintings. Proud to exhibit them.
Name: mark ,ronan family ,hull,uk
Date: 06/01/11 Message: keep the good work up mate, all the best to you all.
Name: Tom
Date: 11/30/10 Message: It would be interesting if they allowed dogs into Suncorp Stadium, so long as you scoop the crap up after them.
Name: Chris Smith
Date: 06/26/10 Message: Hi Sid,
Jenna was asking me about galleries in Melbourne that might interest you. I told her about Mia Mia Gallery info@miamiagallery.com on the Yarra River trail 22 min from city, check out the website and the galleries affiliates, love to see your art get wider exposure
Name: Florence Smith
Date: 04/17/10 Message: Your designs are great
Name: Anita Pryde
Date: 03/02/10 Message: Fantastic art. How fantastic that Syd can share what he's learnt about our wonderful Indigenous culture. Would love to see an exhibition.
Name: Jayne Wilson
Date: 03/01/10 Message: I am a descendant of Nelson Wilson of Pitta Pitta, brother of Aunty Alice James. I love knowing about my aboriginal history and am very proud
Name: Jill Wilson
Date: 02/23/10 Message: Love ur art work. thank goodness u finally found out who u are...we always knew and have always been proud of you...keep up the good work...ps the tshirt idea is a good one...we love it and would buy it....thnx
The Kalkadoons were nomadic people of groups/clans seldom no larger than 20 adults. Survival depended on conservation of water. They camped in one area and would stay until food resources became limited, normally only a few weeks; they would then move on. Travelling for 20-30 miles at a time, they would not return to an area for up to 2 years.
Kalkadoon men were tall, muscular, with magnificent physique and endurance. They towered over their European opponents. Men were nearly all bearded. They wore their hair long and wavey; in rope like coils with a band of red or the tail of a dingo attatched.
Kalkadoon were fierce, aggessive and independant people, and were great opponents to the whites.
FOODS
Kalkadoon land was rich in foods. Possum, bandicoots, birds, kangaroo, fish, ants, grubs, crayfish, frogs, reptiles, and caterpillars were plentiful. Combined with seeds, berries, vines, edible roots, capers and peas; they had a well balanced diet.
WEAPONS
Fighting poles, clubs, knives and tomahawks made of both stone and metal, fighting boomerangs, spears, woomeras and shields.
LAND
Kalkadoons occupied the area surrounding what is now know as Mt. Isa, in Queensland, Australia. The lands extended east to Cloncurry, west to the Georgina River, north to the O'Shanassy and Seymour Rivers, and south beyound the Selwyn Ranges and to Sulieman Creek.
The country was crisscrossed by many gullies, gorges and ravines, and little has changed to today. The environment was very rugged and mountainous. Water conservation was very important to the Kalkadoons' survival. This was to be one of the main causes of conflict between the white settlers and the Kalkadoons. It was a naturally defensive terrain for the Kalkadoons and it aided them in their 10 years of gureilla warfare (1874 - 1884) with white settlers and officials.
"Battle Mountain"
THE FINAL BATTLE
In 1884, on what is now know as Battle Mountain, there was an immense battle that almost wiped out the Kalkadoon people from history. Battle mountain is located approx. 80 km north of Mt. Isa. It is recorded that on the mountain were 1000 Kalkadoon men, women and children.
A paramilitary force was assembled by the white officials to break the back of the highly successful Kalkadoon war. The 600 Kalkadoon warriors certainly outnumbered the 200 troopers, but because of the superior weaponery of the white officials, the battle ended with a courageous but suicidal Kalkadoon charge down the mountain into 200 troopers on horseback with guns.
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Sid Domic Art 103 Walker Street Bundaberg West, QLD. 4670 ......AUSTRALIA...... Phone: 07 4154 3359 Email: siddomic@siddomicart.com
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