Australian Aboriginal culture: Difference between revisions
m Reverted edits by 79.79.132.119 (talk) to last revision by Gnowor (HG) |
Tag: references removed |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
'''[[Indigenous Australians|Aboriginal Australia]]''' contains a large number of [[List of Indigenous Australian group names|tribal divisions]] and [[Australian riginal language|language groups]], and, corresponding to this, a wide variety of diversity exists within cultural practices. There are some similarities between cultures however. |
'''[[Indigenous Australians|Aboriginal Australia]]''' contains a large number of [[List of Indigenous Australian group names|tribal divisions]] and [[Australian riginal language|language groups]], and, corresponding to this, a wide variety of diversity exists within cultural practices. There are some similarities between cultures however. |
||
ur fuckin me off u heard that i wanna cum on urface |
|||
==Practices and ceremonies== |
|||
*A [[Bora (Australian)|Bora]] is an initiation ceremony in which young boys called Kippas <ref>{{cite web |url=http://seqhistory.com/tom-petrie/105-part1chpt5?start=1 |title=Tom Petrie's Reminiscences of Early Queensland |accessdate=2010-06-30 }}</ref> are changed into men. They receive one gift. |
|||
*A [[Corroboree]] it is a ceremonial meeting for Australian Aboriginal people. |
|||
*[[Fire-stick farming]], identified by Australian archeologist Rhys Jones in 1969, is the practice of regularly and systematically burning patches of vegetation to facilitate hunting, to reduce the frequency of major bush-fies, and to change the composition of [[plant]] and [[animal]] [[species]] in an area. "Burning-off", as it is often called, reduces the fuel-load for a potential major bush fire, while fertilising the ground and increasing the number of young plants, thus providing additional food for kangaroos and other fauna who are hunted for meat. It is regarded as good husbandry and "Looking after the Land" by Indigenous people.<ref>''Kakadu Man'', by [[Big Bill Neidjie]], Stephen Davis, and Allan Fox, 1986, ISBN 0-9589458-0-2</ref> |
|||
*A [[Smoking ceremony]] is a cleansing ritual performed on special occasions. |
|||
*[[Tjurunga]] or churinga are objects of religious significance by Central Australian Aboriginal Arrernte (Aranda, Arundta) groups. |
|||
*[[Walkabout]] refers to a commonly held but unverified belief that Australian Aborigines would undergo a rite of passage journey during adolescence by living in the wilderness for six months.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} |
|||
==Belief Systems== |
==Belief Systems== |
||
Revision as of 12:41, 22 December 2010
Aboriginal Australia contains a large number of tribal divisions and language groups, and, corresponding to this, a wide variety of diversity exists within cultural practices. There are some similarities between cultures however.
ur fuckin me off u heard that i wanna cum on urface
Belief Systems
Indigenous Australians' oral tradition and spiritual values are based upon reverence for the land and a belief in this Dreamtime. The Dreaming is at once both the ancient time of creation and the present day reality of Dreaming. There were a great many different groups, each with their own individual culture, belief structure and language.
These cultures overlapped to a greater or lesser extent, and evolved over time. The Rainbow Serpent is a major Ancestral being for many Aboriginal people across Australia, whereas Baiame or Bunjil are regarded as the primary creator-spirits in South-East Australia. Dingo Dreaming is a significant Ancestor in the interior regions of Bandiyan as Dingo formed the songlines that cross the continent from north to south and east to west.[1] The Yowie and Bunyip are other ancestral beings.
In principle, census information could tell us how widespread are traditional Aboriginal beliefs compared to (for example) Christianity, but the results may be misleading because the census form does not include traditional Aboriginal beliefs as a religion. For example, the 2001 census form listed Catholic, Anglican (Church of England), Uniting Church, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Islam, Greek Orthodox, Baptist, "No religion", "Other - please specify", and Buddhism.[2] The following census information is therefore likely to over-represent the listed beliefs compared to traditional Aboriginal beliefs.
The 1996 census reported that almost 72 percent of Aborigines practiced some form of Christianity, and 16 percent listed no religion. The 2001 census contained no comparable updated data.[3] In the 1991 census, almost 74% identified with Christianity, up from 67% at the 1986 census. The form of the question changed in the 1991 census, and as the religion question is optional to answer, reducing the percentage of people who did not answer.[4]
The Aboriginal population also has a small but rapidly growing number of Muslims.[5] This Islamic community has also seen high profile members such as the boxer, Anthony Mundine.[6]
See also: Islam in Australia.
Music
Aborigines are developed unique instruments and folk styles. The didgeridoo is commonly considered the national instrument of Australian Aborigines, and it is claimed to be the world's oldest wind instrument. However, it was traditionally played by Arnhem Land people, such as the Yolngu, and then only by the men.
It has possibly been used by the people of the Kakadu region for 1500 years. Clapping sticks are probably the more ubiquitous musical instrument, especially because they help maintain the rhythm for the song. More recently, Aboriginal musicians have branched into rock and roll, hip hop and reggae. One of the most well known modern bands is Yothu Yindi playing in a style which has been called Aboriginal rock.
Art
Australia has a long tradition of Aboriginal art which is thousands of years old. Modern Aboriginal artists continue the tradition using modern materials in their artworks. Aboriginal art is the most internationally recognizable form of Australian art. Several styles of Aboriginal art have developed in modern times including the watercolour paintings of Albert Namatjira; the Hermannsburg School, and the acrylic Papunya Tula "dot art" movement. Painting is a large source of income for some Central Australian communities such as at Yuendumu today.
Astronomy
 | This section includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (April 2009) |
For many Aboriginal cultures, the night sky is a central repository of stories and law. Songlines can be traced through the sky as well as through the land, and the stories and songs associated with the sky underpin many cultural tenets.
This cultural astronomy is said to predate the origins of European or Asian astronomy, so that Indigenous Australians have been called 'the world's first astronomers'.
Traditional recreation
The Djabwurrung and Jardwadjali people of western Victoria once participated in the traditional game of Marn Grook, a type of football played with possum hide. The game is believed by some to have inspired Tom Wills, inventor of the code of Australian rules football, a popular Australian winter sport.
Similarities between Marn Crook and Australian football include the unique skill of jumping to catch the ball or high "marking", which results in a free kick. The word "mark" may have originated in "mumarki", which is "an Aboriginal word meaning catch" in a dialect of a Marn Grook playing tribe.
Indeed, Aussie Rules has seen many indigenous players at elite football, and have produced some of the most exciting and skillful to play the modern game. Approximately one in ten AFL players are of indigenous origin. The contribution the Aboriginal people have made to the game is recognised by the annual AFL "Dreamtime at the 'G" match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground between Essendon and Richmond football clubs (the colours of the two clubs combine to form the colours of the Aboriginal flag, and many great players have come from these clubs, including Essendon's Michael Long and Richmond's Maurice Rioli).
Testifying to this abundance of indigenous talent, the Aboriginal All-Stars are an AFL-level all-Aboriginal football side competes against any one of the Australian Football League's current football teams in pre-season tests. The Clontarf Foundation and football academy is just one organisation aimed at further developing aboriginal football talent. The Tiwi Bombers began playing in the Northern Territory Football League and became the first all-Aboriginal side to compete in a major Australian competition. The aborigines have very signicant culture and decline teasing.
See also
- Australian Aboriginal avoidance practices
- Jindyworobak Movement, a white Australian artistic movement inspired by Aboriginal culture.
- Totem and Taboo by Sigmund Freud
References
- ^ Andrews, M. (2004) 'The Seven Sisters', Spinifex Press, North Melbourne, p. 428
- ^ "2001 Census form, published by ABS" (PDF).
- ^ "2901.0 - Census Dictionary, 1996". Australian Bureau of Statistics.
- ^ "Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people". 4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, 1994. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 1994-05-27. Retrieved 2006-11-02.
- ^ Mercer, Phil (2003-03-31). "Aborigines turn to Islam". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
- ^ Marks, Kathy (2003-02-28). "Militant Aborigines embrace Islam to seek empowerment". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2007-12-12.