The Big Aboriginal Hunter
The Big Aboriginal Hunter stands 17 metres tall on a hill in Anmatjere, a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia, about 150km north of Alice Springs. The eight-tonne sculpture was erected in 2005 along the Stuart Highway at the Aileron Roadhouse overlooking the town.
The sculpture of the Big Aboriginal Hunter depicts a man from the Anmatjere tribe, the earliest settlers in the area. On the day of its unveiling, the Anmatjere community named it after a rainmaker called Charlie Quartpot, hoping that he would take up his role.
Before civilization, Aboriginal tribes were primarily hunters and gatherers, a tradition perfectly portrayed by the statue of the Big Aboriginal Hunter. The men and women of the tribes played different roles to sustain their communities. Women were mainly gatherers of fruits, herbs, vegetables, nuts, eggs, honey and small land animals while men hunted large animals, including Emus and Kangaroos.
According to a 2016 census, 3.3% of Australia’s population comprised Indigenous Australians, with 91% of these identifying as Aborigines.
Mark Egan was the brains behind the sculpture; he was contracted by Greg Dick, the owner of the Aileron Roadhouse. Egan took one year to sculpt the hunter; however, he had thought about the concept for years after continuously being interested in the history and lifestyle of the Aboriginal people from a young age.
Other Big Things in Northern Territory of Australia
The Northern Territory prides itself on being home to many other Big Things such as:
- Big Dinosaur in Yarrawonga
- Big Buffalo in Winnellie
- Giant Jumping Crocodile in Northern Territory
- Big Beer Can in Ghan
- Big Barramundi in Katherine, Daintree and Normanton
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