The Sydney Swans today hosted representatives from the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council as part of the lead-up to Marn Grook at the SCG.

Swans player Abe Davis accepted the gift of two traditional fishing spears on behalf of the Club.

The spears were made by men from the La Perouse community and will be given to North Melbourne on Friday night, as part of a gift exchange ahead of the opening match of Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.

Chief executive of the La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council, Chris Ingrey, says the spears were common in the coastal Sydney environment.

“Every young man or boy would have a fishing spear as it was their livelihood and one of the primary tools to feed the family,” Ingrey said.

“Right up until the 1950s in Botany Bay, men were still fishing using a spear on their way home from work.

“Luckily today the Elders in the community, who have the knowledge to make these spears, are passing that knowledge onto our younger people.”

The stems of the spears are traditionally made from the stalks of the grass tree as it’s light and waterproof, while the prongs are made from the roots of the mangrove and bound with grass tree resin.

“In traditional times, the more prongs, the less experienced the fisherman because the experienced fisherman only needed one prong to spear a fish,” Ingrey explained.

The Swans take on North Melbourne in Marn Grook at the SCG tomorrow night.

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