Kodja

The kodja is a lightweight single or double bit multi-purpose traditional axe of the Noongar people of the South West of Western Australia. It is comprised of a wooden handle, with stone flakes hafted to it using an adhesive mix made of balga (Xanthorrhoea) resin, which is also known as kadjo. The axe head is double purposed, one edge would be blunt for hammering or pounding whilst the other would be sharp for slicing and chopping. Other renditions of the term kodja could be kadjo, kodj, kodjer or codger.

To make a kodja, first we source a thin wooden handle with a pointed end, usually this would be a tea tree or wattle wood, approximately 30-40cm in length.

For the head of the tool, we knap a hard stone material to create the flakes or scrapers. It should be noted that workable stone in South Western Australia continues to be extremely difficult to source, however dolerite, basalt or hard granite were most commonly used by the local people. These materials were often traded between groups given their regional scarcity. What makes the kodja unique is the resinous adhesive used to affix and set the stone scrapers to the handle. This adhesive was carefully prepared by finely grinding a mixture of balga resin, charcoal and a binding agent such as possum fur or dried kangaroo dung. The semi-green handle would be stripped of its bark, then heated over the fire and rolled into the powder, which would stick to the handle. The handle and initial layer of adhesive can be heated briefly again over the fire, then rolled back through the powder. As you repeat this process, you build up layers of the adhesive mixture on the handle until you reach a suitable thickness. To proceed, you then lightly heat the adhesive mixture till it becomes malleable. At this stage, the stone scrapers would be inserted and worked into the warm resin at each end of the ball. With the resin still in a malleable state it would be pressed around the scrapers to further secure them and then left to cool. This was an exact process and the subtleties of making this adhesive are challenging and are a real testament to traditional scientific methods. Also noteworthy is that from one account, indigenous people preferred the Barro (Xanthorrhoea) over the Balga, which grows in high and dry situations compared to the Balga that prefers the low damp areas. This claim is hard to back up, as I can find no other historical references with this in mind, and all current literature points to balga being commonly used. Perhaps a call for some further experimentation?

A multi-purpose tool

The blunt side of the kodja was commonly used as a hammer for pounding animal bones, to source the fat rich marrow stored within. It was also used for beating plant fibres for food and medicinal purposes. The sharp end of the kodja was used to make hand holds in trees when individuals or groups were searching for wild foods such as birds eggs, honey, possums or other tree dwelling/edible marsupials and birds. They would also use the tool to break open hollow trunks or logs, where prey may have sought refuge. One specific example I heard about was that the blunt side was used for cracking open shellfish, and the sharp side was used to scrape them from their shell. As an aside, Noongar people did not use the kodja in collection of mussels as this food was once a taboo. The reason for this is undocumented.

In transport, the kodja mounted between the skin and a belt called a Nool-burn, either lengthwise across the small of the back or off to one side on the hip. The belt was traditionally made from spun or plaited possum fur.

Thanks to Ken Macintyre and Barb Dobson of Anthropology from the Shed for their assistance with this piece and to Bob Cooper, who holds this replica kodja photographed as part of his personal collection.

References

The Salvado Memoirs, Dom Rosendo Salvado, E.J. Stormon, P148
Prehistory of Australia, John Mulvaney & Johan Kamminga, P294
Western Australian Museum, Aboriginal Cultures Collection, Kodj – Accessible here.
Derbal Nara, Technologie and Techniques  – Accessible here.
The Grass Tree: Its Uses and Abuses, Phil Watson, Australian Native Plants Society (Australia) – Accessible here.