Wrapt with string

In Australia Aboriginal people have always been "wrapt" in string, conceptually and practically in historical and Ancestral times. This article has a geographic focus on Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, and a temporal concentration on the 1930s and early 1940s. The Donald Thomson collection from the region will be the main source of images and objects relating to string. His collection provides a representative view of life during those times. Donald Thomson (1901-1970), anthropologist and photographer, was a man holding great interest in material culture and its role in the social lives of people. String in its various forms is a strong element of his Collection, beginning with the making of string to its final inclusion in objects of both ceremonial and everyday use. The raw materials, bundles of string and objects made from string such as nets, bags and items of body adornment were all collected. String worn on the body, part of bodywear, will be at the core of the discussion for this article. Past context plays an important role in understanding the contemporary use of string. The relevance of the items to contemporary fiber practise in Arnhem Land is essential. This article will examine continuity and change in the use and thoughts about bodywear made primarily from string.