wawa biik guests huddle around a gnarly old Greybox that has a ‘scar’ present on the south-east section of its trunk.  This tree is likely to have stood for hundreds of years and is the keeper of deep stories. wawa biik cultural tour guides Uncle Shane and his nephew Ashley stand proudly alongside it ready to share its cultural story with the group. Uncle Shane places his hand to the tree while Ashley pauses for a moment, showing their respect for this tree, before explaining that this is a culturally modified tree and holds enormous cultural significance for the Taungurung People. Ashley explains that Taungurung Ancestors have culturally modified this tree by taking a piece of bark that the women then used as a sled for transporting their harvest back to camp.  As they begin to share the stories that this tree holds, you can’t help but imagine the women standing knee deep in mud, hauling their load of freshly picked tubers, berries or other foods slowly through the flourishing floodplains, hundreds of metres back to camp where their family awaits. It’s a visual that stays with you.

Not only does this tree tell the story of the movement of Taungurung People through this landscape, but it holds the stories of what the landscape would have been like – the water flows, the availability of food, the forest type.

This single tree is more than just a survivor of colonisation, climate change and environmental degradation, it is a piece of a larger puzzle that helps archaeologists and the Taungurung community to awaken more of the overall biocultural story of Country.    

The word ‘scar’ for describing these trees is an unfortunate colonial term which has stuck. First Peoples prefer to call these trees ‘Culturally Modified Trees (CMTs)’ – an umbrella term that references the value of trees for multiple cultural practices.  For some tree lovers, the idea of ‘scarring’ can elicit concerns that the tree has been killed in the process. This is not the case. There is minimal harm done to the overall health of the tree.  First Nations People live by a cultural lore that prevents them from unsustainable use of any natural resources.  

When referring to ‘scar trees’ this references a tree that has had bark removed to the level of sapwood to create a useful item such as a coolamon (daanak in Taungurung language) or canoe (gurrong in Taungurung language) or for other purposes. First Peoples are taught by their Elders the ‘art’ of scarring a tree to ensure the tree can heal. There are particular processes, preferred times of year, and species of trees that are taken into consideration, as well as methods for looking after the tree to aid with the quickest healing time possible. Evidence of healthy scarred trees dated at 700 years old have been found on Taungurung Country with their scars almost fully sealed over, which proves that this cultural practice has been sustained and perfected for generations. 

Once people understand the cultural significance of these trees, they realise the enormous value they provide us all in understanding the history, human geography and sustainability of these living cultural landscapes.

Taungurung Elder and wawa biik guide Uncle Shane explains what cultural heritage means for him as an Elder:

“It helps us re-build our stories. A lot of information was dormant when our Ancestors were put onto missions and forced to give up their culture. We are slowly waking these stories to find travel routes, Dreamtime stories and information to start linking stuff together. Cultural heritage can also reveal how much our Country has changed over a couple of hundred years so can give us vital information on how to live more sustainably. The way the current process works, unless there’s a development happening on Taungurung Country, we may never get the opportunity to find important sites. Doing a Cultural Heritage Management Plan (CHMP) gives us a chance to put a story together for future generations – so they know where mob have been camping and collecting resources from. It’s waking up our culture, our ways, our knowledge that we can all learn from”.

Protecting CMTs is so important yet so challenging.  CMTs are chopped down or vandalised at an alarming rate in Australia, there is also the issue of natural ageing and decay, timber cutting and environmental problems such as salinity and fires[1]. Whilst it’s a cultural practice that more people should know about, it’s a fine line between sharing this cultural knowledge with the public while trying to protect culture, for the risk of this information getting into the wrong hands.

Jonah Honeysett – Cultural Heritage Advisor tells us how the Taungurung Land and Waters Council has responsibility for looking after these CMTs:

“The Taungurung Land and Waters Council as the official Registered Aboriginal Party has statutory obligations for the preservation, protection, and conservation of Taungurung traditional cultural materials and cultural heritage sites within Taungurung Country. TLaWC is also responsible for conducting archaeological surveys that inform Cultural Heritage Management Plans (CHMPs) and Cultural Heritage Permits and has the capacity to investigate, protect and register the cultural heritage sites identified on the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register (ACHRIS).”

We are the Knowledge Holders, the experts and the community that has the rights and responsibilities to look after our cultural objects, our cultural knowledge and our Country. It’s empowering for our People. It is important that there is self-determination for us as Traditional Owners in handling and protecting Taungurung Country/cultural objects. I find it liberating. It’s about acknowledging the antiquity in the Country and showing that we had so much more than a nomadic lifestyle”.

Many may think that ‘scarring’ a tree is something of the past, but it is still a cultural practice that has continued to this day.  For young Taungurung people, it’s an honour to scar their first tree alongside an Elder.  There are many contemporary scar trees in the landscape many of which tell their own story of the passing down of cultural knowledge to the next generation.  This passing on of knowledge is what is referred to as ‘intangible cultural heritage’ – it’s the knowledge, the language, the stories, the beliefs that are all as important as the tangible cultural heritage.

Taungurung Elder and artist Uncle Mick Harding tells us about the cultural practice of scarring a tree and why this is still a significant cultural practice today:

“Back before invasion, bark vessels were used for collecting foods, building rooves for homes, holding water, canoes, and as a cradle for our babies. Although we might not be scarring a tree for the same reason as our Ancestors did, the stories and the meanings are still the same. We are connecting with our Culture and Country. Although we are using modern tools, we are continuing our cultural traditions. For Culture to stay alive, we must adapt to new technology. Human beings are storytellers – it is our story that stays alive, it is not just about the axe you are using, it is the story you are telling”.

For an Elder, there is a cultural responsibility to hand down knowledge to their children and community. Uncle Mick Harding runs an art business called ‘Ngarga Warendj’ – it’s a family business with his wife and two sons.  He took on an art commission as a way of teaching his sones how to ‘scar a tree’.  They spent 10 weeks on Taungurung Country, over a 6–7-month period creating a series of scar trees as part of the ‘Art on the Great Victoria Rail Trail’ project on Taungurung Country. They found over 200 trees they could scar but scarred and carved 20.  Uncle Mick says “Being able to be on Country with my sons, teaching them how to scar a tree is something I just cannot explain. Being with each other as a family, bonding and learning, it is just something that today’s society doesn’t allow for anymore, so this was really nice to complete, and at the end of the project both my sons were really confident in scarring trees.”

CMTs are part of a living landscape and living story that we should all be proud of as Australians. The work that the Taungurung cultural heritage team does to protect these trees for current and future generations is often challenging but necessary and rewarding work.  wawa biik believes education plays an important role in cultural heritage protection too. The more people that know and care about culture, the more advocacy and support there will be for cultural heritage protection.

If you’re interested in learning more about the living cultural landscape of Taungurung Country, join our upcoming wawa biik small group experiences which are led by Taungurung Elders and guides.  

Image: Uncle Shane pictured with a CMT

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