Murlapaka is a broad shield made from the bark of a tarma ribbon or karra river red gum tree used for defence against projectile objects such as spears and rocks. The paka bark is taken from a gum tree and dried on a fire to flatten, harden and season the bark.
The shape and size of the shield’s body can vary depending on family territories from a wide round body in the southern Fleurieu Peninsula region, to a narrow oval shape body on the Adelaide Plains but both styles of murlapaka have parrying wings at the top and the bottom of the shield.
A murlapaka shield has a wooden handle made for a green wattle stick. The shield is typically painted with white pipeclay with red ochre bands. The shield can be carved with bands and zigzag patterns. The shield design has cultural significance for Kaurna people but it also acts as an optical illusion to help to distract the opponent and impede their accuracy with throwing spears.