Living in this country for more then 60,000 years, Australia’s aborigines are the oldest continuous culture on earth. They follow traditions of ceremony, music, song, performance and dance, which date back over thousands of years and have created enduring works of art, worshipping the land and the mysterious ancestral beings that created it. The purpose of this research task is to take an in depth look at their musical traditions, covering the aspects from instrumentation to the history which shaped the culture, and beliefs which influenced the spiritualistic music. Like many religions, Aboriginal religion is characterized by having a god or gods who created the environment and people through a certain creation period marking the beginning …show more content…
of time. Although being extremely religious and spiritual, aboriginal people do not pray to a single god like many other religions. Instead, they believe in many numbers of deities or supernatural being whose image is often depicted in a recognizable form. The form may be landscape feature, an image on rock walls, plant or animal. This however is not to be confused with animism. Animism is the belief that all natural objects posses a soul, aboriginals do not believe that however they do believe that a particular deity created natural objects within the creation period. Living in small groups, these groups wander the territory determined by their spiritual beliefs, in search of food, and water. There is no one deity which covers all of Australia, however different areas of land with different rules and beliefs, which were left by aboriginal ancestors, passed down through generations, which highlighted the correct responsibilities and behavior that the group must follow to protect their sites. For example, in the northern Kimberley of Western Australia the Ngarinyin, Worora and Wunambal tribes believe and follow the Wandjina spirits. The Wandjina spirits are responsible for the wet season and the rain, whilst laying down the law for many people. There a many different spirits which different tribes follow, however there are many roles, which the deities have, and no single description can describe all of these. These roles fall into three main categories, however one deity may belong to multiple or all. a) Creation beings The creators of people, landscape and aspects of the environment. b) Ancestral Beings Regarded as the ones who are direct ancestors of the people living today. Ancestral beings taught the first people how to live life and survive with crafted tools and weapons. They implemented laws that govern society and showed how ceremonies should be correctly conducted. Although regarded as being ancestors of the people, they still may be plant or animal. Aboriginal religious belief is that a person’s spirit may return human form, however could also return as an animal or plant after death. c) Totemic Beings Represents the original form of an animal, plant or other object. The totemic being overlaps with the creation beings and ancestral beings as the totemic being may create many species and people associate themselves with that being. There are hundreds of ancestral beings throughout Australia that have been recorded through aborigines in their stories, songs, art and paintings. This includes rock carvings, which date back thousands of years. Early Europeans even recorded and published some stories in children’s books. Ancestral beings are always in mind when walking through particular landmarks or spearing particular animals, they lead their lives based on the myths and legends left behind from the ancestral beings. Similar to other religions, there was a time where everything was created. Known as the creation period, this was the time the above mentioned ancestral beings created landforms and life. Aboriginals often interpret dreams as being memories of what happened during the creation time, the linking of dreams and the creation period has become better known as the ‘Dreamtime’, which is a strong belief in their religion as being a time in the creation period. There are many legends and myths, which surround the dreamtime, with each tribe having stories with a valuable lesson or moral tale. These stories are told to children, discussed around campfires and sung and acted out in plays, rituals and ceremonies. Ceremonies to this day play an important role in aboriginal life. Rituals and small ceremonies are still practiced across remote parts of Australia, to ensure a supply of plant and animal foods. To ensure a good supply of food and rain these rituals include chanting, singing, dancing or ritual actions, which acknowledge the ancestral beings. The most important ceremonies are connected with the initiation of going into adulthood from kids. These ceremonies can last for weeks, with singing performed nightly and dancing alongside storytelling of the dreamtime. Another important ritual is a ceremony for a funeral. This involves being painted in white, and even cutting their own body to show remorse for the loss of there loved ones. Songs, dances and rituals will be performed to ensure the spirit of the person leaves to return to its birthplace, to where it can be reborn. Burial practices change through Australia, with varying stages of ritual and ceremony. The primary burial is when the corpse is laid across a wood platform, covered in leaves and branches then left for several months so the flesh may rot away from the bones. The secondary burial is when the bones are then collected from the platform, painted red and kept with the tribe, either carried around with a relative or in a cave shelter left to disintegrate in time. Rock art suggests ceremonies date back tens of thousands of years, yet still continue today. The importance of music through the aboriginal way of life is crucial to their ceremonies, beliefs and dreamtime. It holds a lot of meaning to their culture and is used throughout ones life to teach what must be known about their culture. It represents ones place in the land, and the beauty of nature and the deity’s who live within it. The involvement in dance and singing is encouraged as a young child in everyday tasks. At puberty, they will learn the first karma songs about totemic plants and the animals of his/her clan and the history and myths of the group. Karma songs are a central part of an aboriginal’s identity, where he/she finds spiritual strength and education. Music is learnt by imitation and passed on without written reference or notations. When one marries, they enter the further group of responsibilities; this is when the karma songs, which are central to their education, become sacred to the land. Music is understood naturally and is an integral part of life for an aboriginal, with instruments constructed be resources found at hand. Most of the instruments used in ceremonies are rituals consist of two separate parts stuck together giving a percussive sound, better known as idiophones. This instrument takes many different forms throughout Australia; such as the skinned drum types (membranophone) and a wind instrument (aerophone). Aboriginal ceremonies are dramatic representations, which are presented in mime and song of the mythical history of the tribe. Representations of these events will usually be accompanied by percussive instruments, dance and chanting from adult men. Instruments that are used within these ceremonies are; • Sticks – Each singer will hold a pair of wooden sticks in each hand providing a percussive rhythm. Generally, these sticks will be slightly flattened and long grasped in the middle, and the other rounded and held towards the end, however can vary considerably. • Boomerang Clap sticks – much like the sticks, however can be shaken to provide a rattle • Hand clapping – used by singers of both sexes and used on various parts of the body • Skin drum – made from lizard or goanna skin, it is a one single headed hour glass shaped drum. • Didgeridoo - Originating on the northern coastline of central Australia, the Didgeridoo has close similarities between instruments developed in other cultures, such as bamboo trumpets or even bronze horns. The purpose of the didgeridoo is to provide a constant drone note To understand the purpose of aboriginal music and how it’s important for the culture, it is essential to cover historical moments, which shaped the aboriginal society and way of life today.
Thought to have had the longest continuous cultural history on earth, the traditional aboriginal people of the land faced near extinction of the their culture and identity when European settlers arrived in the late 1700’s. Officially founded in the late 18th century by the first British settlement, Australia is the sixth largest country in the world located in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean. It has been home to the traditional inhabitants of the land for thousands of years, with scientific research continually changing the ancient history that lies within the …show more content…
land. When European settlers first arrived they changed the culture and lifestyle of the land, posing a threat to indigenous way of life.
The European world tarnished and diminished aboriginal culture, with aboriginals today trying to regain an understanding of their cultural identity. The most notable being the ‘stolen generation’. The stolen generation was the removal of aboriginal children from their original families, to be brought up in institutions or fostered to white families. Although this became official government policy in 1969, the early days of European settlement saw the likes of the same policies as well as children being used as servants, guides and farm laborers. A statement of regret was passed in 1999 however the damage had already being done with a high number of depression and mental illness within the community. Former high court judge, Ronald Wilson said that ‘”Children were removed because the Aboriginal race was seen as an embarrassment to white Australia. The aim was to strip the children of their Aboriginality, and accustom them to live in a white Australia. The tragedy was compounded when the children, as they grew up, encountered the racism which shaped the policy, and found themselves rejected by the very society for which they were being prepared” (National sorry day website) For thousands of years aboriginals have constantly adapted and co-evolved to sustain life in the harsh Australian environment. One of the most important aspects of understanding
the aboriginal culture is the spirituality that Aboriginals possess with the land. Within each different area of land there were strict laws and rules left by aboriginal ancestors, passed down through generations, which highlighted the correct responsibilities and behavior that the group must follow to protect their sites. The aboriginal culture stressed continuity over change. Today, only a small number of aboriginal cultures still exist due to the stolen generation and effects of European settlement & colonization. Through music and dance aboriginals have evolved ancient chants and rituals, which encompass the past, present and future bringing health to the sick, love to the land or death to the enemies. Their ancient culture gives them the Knowledge to survive, wisdom to preserve it and are the custodians of the dreamtime, encompassing the past, present and future.
The Australian Aborigines society is relatively well known in Western society. They have been portrayed accurately and inaccurately in media and film. Dr. Langton has attempted to disprove common myths about the infamous Australian society, as has her predecessors, the Berndt’s, and National Geographic author, Michael Finkel; I will attempt to do the same.
Its meaning is paramount to traditional Aboriginal people, their lifestyle. and their culture, for it determines their values and beliefs. their relationship with every living creature and every characteristic. of the landscape of the city. Through a network of obligations involving themselves, the land, and the Ancestors, traditional Aboriginals.
The Stolen Generations refers to the forcible removal of Aboriginal, mostly those who were not full blooded taken between the 1830’s and the 1970’s. They were removed due to their mixed heritage, consisting of Indigenous mothers and European fathers. The Stolen Generations have had a damaging effect on the native owners of Australia, their culture, their identity and most importantly, their sense of belonging,
Reynolds, H. (1990). With The White People: The crucial role of Aborigines in the exploration and development of Australia. Australia: Penguin Books
The Stolen Generations was a time period roughly between 1910 and 1970, in which countless Indigenous Australian children were forcibly removed from their families and homes under the implementation of government policies. Thus, many have been separated from their origins, and have sought to understand their identity, despite their estranged relationship with their Aboriginal history. The struggle to understand one’s Aboriginal identity has been one of the most prominent results of Australia’s colonial history, especially as the Australian government at the time, primarily deemed Aboriginality to be defined
Watson, I 2002, Looking at you looking at me: Aboriginal culture and the history of the South-east of South Australia, vol. 1, Nairne, South Australia.
The indigenous Australian culture is one of the world’s oldest living cultures. Despite the negligence and the misunderstanding from the Europeans, Aboriginals were able to keep their culture alive by passing their knowledge by arts, rituals, performances and stories from one generation to another. Each tribe has its own language and way of using certain tools; however the sharing of knowledge with other tribes helps them survive with a bit easier with the usage of efficient yet primitive tools which helps a culture stay alive. Speaking and teaching the language as well as the protection of sacred sites and objects helps the culture stay...
The colonisation of Australia occurred throughout 1788-1990. During this time, Great Britain discovered Australia and decided that it would become a new British colony (“Australian History: Colonisation 17-88-1990”, 2014.). It was decided that convicts would be sent to Australia and used for labour to build the new colony. There are many health determinants that are effecting the health of Indigenous Australians including; poor living conditions, risk behaviours and low socioeconomic status. Many of these determinants have an effect on the Indigenous Australians due to the colonisation of Australia.
The Stolen Generation is seen as a grave chapter in our countries history and in Aboriginal History. Stolen Generation didn’t come to light until the 1960s and early 1970s with public shock and anger. The rights of Aboriginal peoples during this point were increasingly low as many were forced to live on reserves or missions and their children were taken at a young age. The rights of the stolen generation were somewhat better than their previous generation as they had a right to have a good job, health care and have and raise children as their parents had none of these rights. The assimilation program was a way to turn these Aboriginal children and essential “turn them white”; this can be seen as a violation of human rights and international law. The Aboriginals had virtually no rights when it came to starting a family and the stolen generation was used to show Australia the atrocities that have been happening in this country for two hundred year...
“Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human History. We reflect on their past mistreatment. We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations—this blemished chapter in our nation’s history. The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future. We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians” (apology by Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, 16th November 2009, Parliament House, Canberra.)
The Stolen Generation has left devastating impacts upon the Aboriginal culture and heritage, Australian history and the presence of equality experienced today. The ‘Stolen Generation’ refers to the children of Aboriginal descent being forcefully abducted by government officials of Australia and placed within institutions and catholic orphanages, being forced to assimilate into ‘white society’. These dehumanising acts placed these stolen children to experience desecration of culture, loss of identity and the extinction of their race. The destructive consequences that followed were effects of corruption including attempted suicide, depression and drug and alcohol abuse. The indigenous peoples affected by this have endured solitude for many years, this has only been expressed to the public recently and a proper apology has been issued, for the years of ignorance to the implementation of destruction of culture. The Stolen Generation has dramatically shaped Australian history and culture.
Australia’s Indigenous people are thought to have reached the continent between 60 000 and 80 000 years ago. Over the thousands of years since then, a complex customary legal system have developed, strongly linked to the notion of kinship and based on oral tradition. The indigenous people were not seen as have a political culture or system for law. They were denied the access to basic human right e.g., the right to land ownership. Their cultural values of indigenous people became lost. They lost their traditional lifestyle and became disconnected socially. This means that they were unable to pass down their heritage and also were disconnected from the new occupants of the land.
• Amnesty International: Australia- governments dismissal of UN criticism undermines hard earned credibility in human rights diplomacy.
Australia is a very unique place, along with our multiculturalism there is also a strong heritage surrounding us. At first thought of Australian heritage we think about such landmarks as Uluru, The Sydney harbour bridge and The Sydney opera house, The Great Barrier reef and other internationally recognised places. But our heritage goes much deeper than that; it is far more than outstanding icons. Along with these icons there are also unsung places like the old cattle stations, Aboriginal missions, migrant hostels, War memorials, our unique wetlands and the towns and cities we have built. Adding all of these things together, helps to tell the story of who we are and how we have shaped this land in the unique identity it has today.
What is the connection between official education policies and key events in Aboriginal Australian history? How have Aboriginal people responded to these policies?