h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Aboriginal Art - A953345
Author: Tishura - U202719

This is my first entry so be gentle...

Hi

I like the article. Aboriginal culture fascinates me (if you haven't read The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin I highly recommend it)

A few points:

The title is a bit misleading. It made me think of visual art at first, which only gets a small mention. So, this should maybe have a different title (Aboriginal Culture?) Aboriginal art could form a whole new entry in itself.

It's also maybe quite sparse and could be bulked out a bit with examples of Dreaming stories, differences between Torres Islanders and Aborigines, etc. {Not that I think there's anything wrong with it being sparse. Rather very informative and short (as yours is) than ten screens long and full of speculation and one fact every four sentences!}

But regardless, I enjoyed it!

deemikay

thanx for the comments
how will i be able to change it to ur recommendations?

Hi

You don't have to take my advice! If you want something one way, you stick to it and fight for it!

One suggestion for a change in the first paragraph: I would suggest that one of the reasons they have survived so long is probably their geographical isolation.

Maybe set out in sections like this:

Introduction - what do you mean by aborigines? State where they are.
History - your first couple of paragraphs plus a bit more background on modern aborigines.
The Dreaming - what does this mean? give examples of how it affects everyday life (for example: a tiny little hillock in the middle of Alice Springs is fenced off as a sacred site. It is part of the Caterpillar Dreaming and no one is allowed in. It's just a small hill... why should it be that important?) Also, some aborigines don't like the phrase "dreaming", there are lots of definitions available.
Art - how does aboriginal art reflect the culture, religion and the history of the people. Modern aboriginal painting may just be for tourists, but it says something about the culture and its survival over 60,000 years that other indiginous art does not.
Summing up

I found this good, personal article that may be some help... http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A793352

deemikay

here I go quibbling. The title should maybe be Australian Aboriginal Art. To me, Aboriginal Art means Norval Morriseau, Alex Janvier, and anonomous Inuksuit dotting the arctic landscape. It means Totem Poles and Haida or Algonkian masks. Further afield, it means Hopi Kachina dolls and Maya stucco relief. But I'm going on and on and on.

I like your entry

anhaga

I would recommend adding in some visuals ... not only break up the text hither and thither with headers and stuff, but find some pictures to which to link.

I see anhaga's been posting here ... he/she knows what's what in this field ... have a look at A939530 which he/she wrote ... the format is easy on the eye don't you think? And it gives details on where we the reader can see a real piece of the art.

DMT

thank you, Dr. Trout.

anhaga

Hmm. In post number 3, was Tishura asking a technical question about how to edit the entry? Is that why there have been no posts from that quarter for a bit?

anhaga

Tishura, you can go back in to edit your entry by opening it up. If you are logged in, you should see "Edit Entry" somewhere on the page.

Then you can just fiddle around with it.

DMT

Tishura,

<./>UserEdit953345</.> is a handy clickable link for editing the entry!

RhoMuNuQ

Just make sure you're logged in when you click it.

DMT

I would second the high recommendation of Chatwin's "The Songlines". And, if this is to be an entry about visual art, there must be links to some images of that art. If it is about the storytelling art, there should be stories. In either case, I would like to see some analysis of what about Australian Aboriginal Art sets it apart from the Aboriginal Arts of other continents (how an Australian bark painting differs from a Hopi or Navajo sandpainting). In other words, if it is visual arts we're discussing, how is it made, what are the symbols, as well as what it's about.

I think there's huge potential for this entry, and I think it's an entry necessary to the guide.

anhaga

Tishura? Where are you? Are you intending to make amendments to this entry?

refoating...

Tishura? Are you still playing with this Entry?

HELL

I am sorry for not paying attention to my h2g2 account, I have been busy in coursework and i am warning you that I am now preparing for revision for my upcoming exams.

I am apologising because I probably wont be paying attention to my page here and i wont be changing the entery for a while... but still post your thoughts, as they will be usefull when i come back to this entry and start my changes.

Thankyou for your thoughts

Tishura

OK.

HELL

Anything to report yet, Tishura? Pity to let this one die from lack of attention!

Hiya Tishura.

I know as well as any how much revision you're doing at the moment (or was it art coursework...and graphics ) but the suggestions here are all good. Phone me if you need more help with this. It's good, well done. Oh yeah, please have a look at my entry (currently in peer review) about Ellen Macarthur and tell me what you think.

I posted a message on your personal space have you seen it yet?

Sorry to everyone else that this is mostly irrelevant.

See you on Monday Tishura!

Hey...

Ok so my exams are starting like tomorrow...and i am really nervous. My art-work isn't good enough and i am stressing about revision, however, i am glad to see what a responce i have recieved on this... and trust me i will make the changes neccessary...but you will have to wait untill june, or so to see dramatic improvements.

but...

Don't let it stop you from reading this...

All comments are welcome.

Tishura

Good Luck in the exams, Tishura. Came across your entry in Peer Review, while trying to track down something else, and couldn't resist it. Endorsing all of the positive comments above, I'd love for you to include some stuff about the essence of Aboriginal Australian spirituality, particularly the role of the very painful initiation rites ( subincision etc.) and "walkabout" which seems to have been instrumental in creating a direct link between the initiates and the "Dreamtime."

Until June, then,

Chai.