BELIEFS
Aboriginal deities have many roles and no single description or term can describe all of these. Each has a primary role and has been categorised as
A key belief in Aboriginal culture is: what comes from the land must be used and given back to the land. This is a sacred belief that demonstrates the care and respect Aboriginals have about Australia and are linked to the land.
Kurunpa – Spirit, Soul, Psyche
Walytja – Family, Kinship
Ngura – Land, Home, Place or Mother
Aboriginals also believe in their association with particular animals through totems and that The Dreaming continues to control the natural world.
- Creation Beings: with many involved in the creation of landforms, aspects of the environment and people
- Ancestral Beings: are considered direct ancestors of Aboriginal people and taught the first people to make tools, weapons, hunt and gather food, created the laws and guided them in ceremonies.
- Totemic Beings: is a representation of the original form of animals, plants and other objects in the Creation Period.
A key belief in Aboriginal culture is: what comes from the land must be used and given back to the land. This is a sacred belief that demonstrates the care and respect Aboriginals have about Australia and are linked to the land.
- Kanyini underpins Aboriginal life as it is the principle of connectedness through caring and responsibility. It connects beliefs, aboriginal spirituality, land and family The word Kanyini means responsibility and unconditional love for all of creation and it envelops the four principles of aboriginal life:
Kurunpa – Spirit, Soul, Psyche
Walytja – Family, Kinship
Ngura – Land, Home, Place or Mother
Aboriginals also believe in their association with particular animals through totems and that The Dreaming continues to control the natural world.
MYTHS and SACRED STORIES
Myths and sacred stories are passed and taught to others orally. The stories of The Dreamtime form the basis of Aboriginal religion, behaviour, law and order in society. It is through the stories that beliefs are passed on as well. Dreaming stories pass cultural values, important knowledge and belief systems of the Aboriginal. Aborigines have fostered and maintained a link with the Dreaming creating a deep and strong cultural heritage through song, dance, paintings and stories.
The Great Creator
In many tribes from all areas of Australia, Dreaming legends revealed that almost all traditional groups believed in a Supreme Creator. The Great Creator was known by many different names in each different area of Australia. Today, the Great Creator may be recognised as Byamee, Wandjina and Nargacork.
The stories tell us that this Creative Essence emerged from a cold to for the earth's, seasons, light and dark and the plants. It then says that the Creator created men and women
Creation Story// The Rainbow Serpent
There are many variations of the Creation Story with the different Aboriginal tribes. Almost all different tribes throughout the land had a link with the great, mysterious being from the Dreaming. The most common story of the Rainbow Serpent occurs in the Dreaming. The world was once flat, bare and cold. The Rainbow had arrived in this land shortly after the great initial creation of the earth. The Rainbow Serpent slid along the flat surface of the earth from place to place and created deep gouges, rivers, mountains and valley with its body.
In other stories, the Rainbow Serpent is believed to have created everything.
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The Great Creator
In many tribes from all areas of Australia, Dreaming legends revealed that almost all traditional groups believed in a Supreme Creator. The Great Creator was known by many different names in each different area of Australia. Today, the Great Creator may be recognised as Byamee, Wandjina and Nargacork.
The stories tell us that this Creative Essence emerged from a cold to for the earth's, seasons, light and dark and the plants. It then says that the Creator created men and women
Creation Story// The Rainbow Serpent
There are many variations of the Creation Story with the different Aboriginal tribes. Almost all different tribes throughout the land had a link with the great, mysterious being from the Dreaming. The most common story of the Rainbow Serpent occurs in the Dreaming. The world was once flat, bare and cold. The Rainbow had arrived in this land shortly after the great initial creation of the earth. The Rainbow Serpent slid along the flat surface of the earth from place to place and created deep gouges, rivers, mountains and valley with its body.
In other stories, the Rainbow Serpent is believed to have created everything.
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- SACRED TEXTS and OTHER RELIGIOUS WRITINGS
In Aboriginal Spirituality, there is no sacred text and other religious writings as their culture, tradition, spirituality and stories of the Dreaming is passed through the generations orally; it is spoken and retold. Elders speak of the sacred stories to the youth in the Aboriginal community such as the creation, rainbow serpent and answer the big questions which many young may have about spirituality.
- RITUALS
Aboriginal rituals follow the same basic pattern of preparation of the ritual place, creating the ritual objects, and the preparation of the participator. Rituals are usually very structured and organised consisting of songs, accompanied by Indigenous musical instruments and dances. Those involved with the ritual are usually painted with designs connecting them to their spirit ancestors.
The 5 main types of Aboriginal rituals include:
The 5 main types of Aboriginal rituals include:
- Rite of Passage
- Rituals celebrating the spirits of the ancestors
- Rituals which "increase" the care of natural species and food sources
- Reconciliation rituals which settle social conflicts between two groups or with outsiders
- Healing and harming rituals
Birth Ceremonies
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Initiation
- occurs once the child has reached maturity of adolescence or adulthood. Initiation proves the boys and girls who are worthy of the responsibility of adulthood mentally and physically. Only those who are able to prove themselves are initiated. Girls are initiated through the skills in caring for the land as well as procreative and social functions. Boys enter manhood and are tested with several prolonged and painful tasks. Initiated members tested physically, sometimes with permanent scarring of marks, tooth removal etc.
Death
- At death, spirits return to their original site in the country which they originated from. Rituals performed at this stage are purposed to speed the spirit's journey without harming the living. Death rituals also unite the grieving community. These rituals occur over a couple years and end with the final disposal of bones and the abandonment of taboos of names
Smoking Ceremony
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SYMBOLS
Symbols are a used by the Aboriginal to tell stories of the Dreaming and are an essential part in the artist tradition. These remain the visual form to retain and record significant information. Symbols have been used to indicate sacred sites, locations of important landmarks such as waterholes, a place where animals inhabit which signify possible hunting grounds and are used to illustrate stories. Symbols may also indicate totems, spirit ancestors and marks from different clans. They are used in caves, on objects during rituals and even on people during rituals. |
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
- Each clan governed by a system of Elders and has an important and religious specialist who has the ability to initiate and foster contact with the spirits and divinities.
- The male elders are responsible for men's business and female elders are responsible for women's business
- Each Elder has a role in resolving conflicts, disputes and offences concerning sacred things and matters within their community. Elders also teach and educate people into aspects of religion and spirituality
- ETHICAL PRINCIPLES or ORAL AND WRITTEN CODES OF BEHAVIOUR
Aboriginals believe that all land is sacred and it can be shared among anyone. This is the basis of Aboriginal spirituality. The land takes care of them and provides and they in turn give back to the land what they have used. All people are equal, belong to the land and are part of it.
- RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE and SPIRITUALITY
- being involved in a Smoking ceremony
- for aboriginals, a religious is dreaming and feeling the presence of spirits. It gives them wholeness and enriches their lives with holiness
- travelling to Uluru and learning about Aboriginal spirituality