Indigenous Australians

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Aboriginal Spirituality Aboriginal spirituality originally derives from the stories of the dreaming. The dreaming is the knowledge and a sense of belonging that the Aboriginals had of the beginning of life and the relationship to the land and sea (Australian Museum, 2011). The dreaming stories are passed on from one generation to the next orally. These stories teach the following generations how to behave towards the land and other people. The dreaming stories give them a sense of duty to protect the land and appreciate it because the dreamtime stories indicate that the spirits have not died but are still alive in different forms as animals or humans, therefore the ancestor’s power is still felt through the landforms (Clark, 1963), (Australian Governement, 2008) An example of a dreamtime story is the story of Tidlick the frog symbolizing the breaking of a drought. This dreamtime story once passed on to the next generation helps them gain an understanding of why the land should be appreciated and cared for and the secrets and culture of the past are preserved (Gard, 2000). Cultural Heritage 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... ... middle of paper ... ... Aboriginal Struggle for justice and land rights. [On-line]. Available: http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/23550 - Dunn.C and McCreadie. M. (2010). The First Fleet. [On-line]. Available: http://www.australianhistoryresearch.info/the-first-fleet/ - Clark, M. (1963). A Short History of Australia. Victoria: Penguin Books Australia Ltd. - Gard, S. (2000). A history of Australia. The Colony of New South Wales. South Yarra: MacMillan Education Australia Pty Ltd. - Keith. V. (2001). Bennelong. [On-line]. Available: http://www.bennelong.com.au/articles/bennelongbio.php - Reconciliation. (2007). Stolen Generations Fact Sheet. [On-line]. Available: http://reconciliaction.org.au/nsw/education-kit/stolen-generations/ - Screen Australia Digital Learning. Australian Biography Neville Bonner. [On-line]. Available: http://www.australianbiography.gov.au/subjects/bonner/

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