The native cottonwood (Hibiscus tiliaceus) is a member of the family (the marshmallows) and can be found in coastal and estuarine habitats from Port Macquarie to the Pacific Islands. The grows up to 8m high and is usually found on the banks of estuaries.

The cottonwood hibiscus, known locally Did you know? as maluga, in the springtime. The flowers are yellow with a red The native hibiscus centre. There are three other species making or fishing has been adopted of native hibiscus in Gumbaynggirr country; nets. To make as a national these have white, yellow, pink, purple and instantly-usable emblem for the red flowers. Cottonwood hibiscus flowers fibre, the inner Stolen Generation, the Aboriginal are edible, and they can also be used for bark can be and Torres Strait medicinal purposes, while the liquid obtained chewed to Islander children from the the inner bark has traditionally remove the slimy who were taken from been used to relieve dysentry. The inner mucilage that their families and bark of the maluga (malu) can also be used is common to communities to strap wounds that have first been treated many in during the with an antiseptic solution made from either the Malvaceae last century. the malu or sapwood of the tree. family.

In the t Photo Gumbaynggirr language, maluga means ‘good The bud of the bark-tree’. The -ga tag, which translates as cottonwood ‘-tree’, is added to the end of describing hibiscus , words. The string that is made from the which flowers in bark is called malugundi yurruun. spring. Cottonwood Hibiscus on Arrawarra Headland Several large cottonwood hibiscus Malu is recognised, too, as a strong, high- can be found on the northern side of quality fibre. The bark is stripped from the Arrawarra Headland, close to the ancient tree, cleaned, and soaked in water for a stone fish traps. The presence of these number of days. Each strip is then separated trees, so far away from an estuary, into thin strands which can be woven to suggests that they were transplanted create strings that are suitable for basket- here by ancestors of the Garby Elders.

FACT SHEET 11 Maluga Making Malugundi Yurruun Lingo Instructions for right-handed people malu: bark for string : hibiscus 1. Loop two strands of fibre (A & B) so they interlock. maluga tree : 2. Hold strand A in your left hand near where the strands malugundi yurruun interlock, and then, with the fingers of your right hand, string twist strand B three to six times away from you. 3. Bring strand B towards the front, over strand A, and hold Photo with your left hand. q 4. Twist strand A three to six times away from you with the Fibres stripped from fingers of your right hand. the cottonwood hibiscus tree are 5. Bring strand A towards the front, over strand B, and easily separated move your left fingers along to hold the forming string. to create string suitable for making 6. Twist strand B away as before and then bring to the front. baskets or fishing nets. 7. Continue steps 2-6 until the string is long enough.

Please note that all native flora (dead or alive) is protected in National Parks estate. Photos: Adam Davey; Margie Mohring; Dee Murphy. www.arrawarraculture.com.au Illustration: Dee Murphy and Kathryn James.