Aboriginal Art
Created | Updated Sep 23, 2003
The aboriginal cultures of Australia are the oldest living cultures in the world. One of the reasons these cultures have survived for so long is their ability to change over time. Goods and other things such as songs and dances were often exchanged at large ceremonial gatherings when many people collected together. These gathering often occurred at a time and place when there were plenty of particular foods. This would have happened all the way through the Indigenous occupation of Australia, which lasted for at least 60,000 years.
Before 1788 only the Indigenous people of Australia - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, populated Australia. The form and expression of spirituality differs between Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. Aboriginal spirituality mainly derives from the stories of the Dreaming, while Torres Strait Islander spirituality draws upon the stories of the Tagai.
The Dreaming has different meanings for different Aboriginal people. It is a network of knowledge, faith and practices that originate from stories of creation, and which dominates all spiritual and physical aspects of Aboriginal life. The Dreaming sets out the structures of society, the rules for social behaviour and the ceremonies performed in order to maintain the life of the land. It was an unwritten law. It governed the way people lived and how they should behave. Those who did not follow the rules were punished.
For Aboriginal people, showing and telling other people is more important than writing instructions or books. If you were a young Aboriginal person you would hear many stories. Dreaming stories vary throughout Australia and there are different versions on the same theme. Stories cover many themes and topics. There are stories about creation of sacred places, landforms, people, animals and plants.
There were no books and so the elders would pass on the knowledge by talking with the younger people and children, and through songs, dance, art and storytelling. In Aboriginal Australian society storytelling makes up a large part of everyday life. Storytelling is not only about entertaining people but is also vital in educating children about life.
The elders use every opportunity to educate the children about the way of life of their people. Stories are told at every available opportunity like while walking down to the waterhole or sitting around the campfire at night. As children grew older more information is passed on about their culture, and the cycle would repeat.
Storytelling ensures that Aboriginal heritage is passed on to the younger people. This is how Dreaming stories have been passed down for thousands of years and continue to be passed on today. Dreaming stories have been also illustrated on objects such as bark paintings to make sure the knowledge would never be forgotten.
Before 1788 only the Indigenous people of Australia - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, populated Australia. The form and expression of spirituality differs between Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. Aboriginal spirituality mainly derives from the stories of the Dreaming, while Torres Strait Islander spirituality draws upon the stories of the Tagai.
The Dreaming has different meanings for different Aboriginal people. It is a network of knowledge, faith and practices that originate from stories of creation, and which dominates all spiritual and physical aspects of Aboriginal life. The Dreaming sets out the structures of society, the rules for social behaviour and the ceremonies performed in order to maintain the life of the land. It was an unwritten law. It governed the way people lived and how they should behave. Those who did not follow the rules were punished.
For Aboriginal people, showing and telling other people is more important than writing instructions or books. If you were a young Aboriginal person you would hear many stories. Dreaming stories vary throughout Australia and there are different versions on the same theme. Stories cover many themes and topics. There are stories about creation of sacred places, landforms, people, animals and plants.
There were no books and so the elders would pass on the knowledge by talking with the younger people and children, and through songs, dance, art and storytelling. In Aboriginal Australian society storytelling makes up a large part of everyday life. Storytelling is not only about entertaining people but is also vital in educating children about life.
The elders use every opportunity to educate the children about the way of life of their people. Stories are told at every available opportunity like while walking down to the waterhole or sitting around the campfire at night. As children grew older more information is passed on about their culture, and the cycle would repeat.
Storytelling ensures that Aboriginal heritage is passed on to the younger people. This is how Dreaming stories have been passed down for thousands of years and continue to be passed on today. Dreaming stories have been also illustrated on objects such as bark paintings to make sure the knowledge would never be forgotten.
