giddea

Gidya, or Gidgee

adj.aboriginal word of New South Wales and Queensland for

1) a species of Acacia, A. homalophylla, Cunn. Theoriginal meaning is probably small, cf. gidju,Warrego, Queensland, and kutyo, Adelaide, both meaningsmall.

2) A long spear made, from this wood.

1878. `Catalogue of Objects of Ethno-typical Art in NationalGallery, Melbourne,' p. 46:

« Gid-jee. Hardwood spear, with fragments of quartz setin gum on two sides and grass-tree stem. Total length, 7 feet 8inches.»

1885. R. M. Praed, `Australian Life,' p. 51:

«Gidya scrubs.»

1889. J. H. Maiden, `Useful Native Plants,' p. 357:

« A. homalophylla. A `Spearwood.' Called `Myall'in Victoria. . . . Aboriginal names are . . . Gidya, Gidia,or Gidgee (with other spellings in New South Wales andQueensland). This is the commonest colonial name . . . muchsought after for turner's work on account of its solidity andfragrance. . . . The smell of the tree when in flower isabominable, and just before rain almost unbearable.»

1890. Rolf Boldrewood, `Colonial Reformer,' c. xvii. p. 211:

«I sat . . . watching the shadows of the gydya trees lengthen,ah! so slowly.»

1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 37:

«Kind of scrub, called by the colonists gydya-scrub, whichmanifests itself even at a distance by a very characteristic,but not agreeable odour, being especially pungent after rain.»

1896. Baldwin Spencer, `Home Expedition in Central Australia,'Narrative, p. 22:

«We camped beside a water-pool on the Adminga Creek, which isbordered for the main part by a belt of the stinking acacia, orgiddea ( A. homalophylla). When the branches are freshlycut it well deserves the former name, as they have a mostobjectionable smell.»