Language, Physical Appearance And Religion

Similarly the cultural value of the aboriginal also puts a heavy emphasis upon the social power system through family relationship structure known as Kinship (aboriginal culture 2015). It governs the behaviour, marriages and action of everyday life of an aboriginal (Indigenous Australia 2015) and provide moral and action guidelines. Elders of the aboriginal community regardless if they are a tribe, totemic groups or clans, are treated with respect for they teach skills, knowledge and personal experiences (Australian Museum 2015). Although through the rapid economic development of Australia and the introduction of technology into the aboriginal communities, some elders are undermined or even ignored by the tribes, particularly young members, in some tribes, elders still held a great amount of power in the daily life amongst the life of tribe members (Korff 2015).

Aboriginal religion is based on land. Land is the heart of Aboriginal Dreaming and provides the assurance needed for the continuation of rituals and ceremonies (king, 2010, p.213). The effect of Dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities related to the separation from their land was enormous and overwhelmingly detrimental.

Once the base upon which the majority of cultural practices rested was removed, Aboriginal culture feel into disarray. People’s way of life and cultural practices outlined in the previous paragraph became extremely hard to uphold when access to their land was taken away. Firstly, the denial of physical resources led to depravation of the indigenous population, “encroachment onto Aboriginal lands had taken away food and water supplies, and the ability to survive.”[11] Secondly, cultural practices that were location specific, as talked about in the previous paragraph, could not be upheld. As Ronald Murray puts it “The conditions in which the Aborigines found themselves gave them little opportunity to keep their traditional practices, or to obtain more than a precarious foothold in the world which had supplanted theirs.”[12] Traditional obligations to their country, which defined each cultural group and their way of life, could not be maintained if they could not have access to the land. Ceremonies, songs, stories could not

It was these systems of kinship which determined who, and for which, members of the clan were responsible. In a society in which excess and wealth were not valued, in fact discouraged, this was a method of survival and insuran ce. These kin relationships were the foundation for all forms of reciprocity within the clan. For example, when a larger animal was caught in the hunt, it was pre-determined, depending on who captured the animal, who would receive which parts of the animal (Edwards 2005, p. 49). Sharing and reciprocity was not a friendly gesture within Aboriginal communities, it was an obligation which was to be taken seriously. It was a method for Aboriginal people to survive in a sometimes harsh and unforgiving land, which took the lives of many settlers.

All Aboriginal people believe that through walking and singing the land, they will one day find their tjurunga and their ancestor their dreaming matches up with. Even though many people disagreed with the way the Aboriginals lived, they have stood true to their beliefs since the beginning of time.

The Dreaming stories pass on important knowledge, cultural values and belief systems to later generations. This is done by song, dance, storytelling and painting. Indigenous Australians have maintained links to The Dreaming dating back from ancient times up to the present, providing a very rich cultural heritage. The role that The Dreaming plays in Indigenous Australian life is very important to this culture as it holds big significance of how Indigenous Australians and their culture came to be.

Kinship is relevant today due to the fact that Aboriginal people have lost virtually everything since the Europeans first colonised Australia. Kinship is the one thing that couldn’t be taken away. Kinship is all the Aboriginal people had left, and the most important, as it binds all their families and the wider community. Although kinship structure today is less formally elaborated than it was in the past, it is still relevant (Edwards, 1998. p.311). Some Aboriginal people draw strength from their traditional heritage. They still perform their ceremonies, sing their songs and do their dances; also they speak the language of their group, where they belong.

Source 1 displays a Indigenous prayer ceremony to prepare for Christmas. The ceremony is influenced by Aboriginal culture such as their connection with the land and the spirits of the First Peoples. For Aborigines “all objects are living and share the same soul and spirit as them”. Spirituality is heavily incorporated into the everyday lives of Aboriginals. Spirituality can be defined as the sense of a connection to something bigger than yourself and involves a search for the meaning of life.

it gives meaning to all aspects of life, including relationships with one another and the environment” (Australians Together, 2024). These values are at the forefront of their lives, which enable individuals to build on their everlasting connection with one another and their land. Aboriginal people establishing profound connections to the land are highlighted through their traditional smoking ceremonies. As portrayed

Reconciliation is a multi-layered complex process that encompasses steps towards recognising the split or the “gap” between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. These divisions have been caused by events in Australia’s history starting from the colonisation of the country in 1788 of the first fleet which held on board Christian denominations and variants. The land was thought to be as “Terra Nullius” and this misunderstanding caused a lack of respect, understanding and knowledge. The movement towards reconciliation is important because Aboriginal Spirituality is inextricably connected to the land.

A great sense of trust supports this mutual ‘give-take’ relationship. ‘If you take care of country, country will take care of you.’ These beliefs are totemist and animist, which basically means Aboriginals perceive all natural objects to possess a spirit or soul. While totems are quite significant within Aboriginal culture as they act as symbols in a system of beliefs, signifying a relationship between an individual or group and an animal or plant. Thus, creating a link between the human, natural and supernatural worlds. As the word ‘totem’ comes from a Native American language where it represents group membership; and literally means is ‘he/she/it is a relative of mine’.

Bobby is effectively the guide throughout the book, and a mediator between the European and Aboriginal cultures. Bridges the gap and creates understanding between the reader and author.

It is not easy to find what make people’s identity. The causes are sometimes visible and are sometimes invisible. People often say features of appearance can be identity such as skin colour, hair colour, eyes, and body frame. Other people, however, might say languages, lifestyles, beliefs, and families make identity. In the world, the differences of these things such as appearance and beliefs have been discriminated. Especially, Indigenous people often have been invaded their cultures and lands in the world and because of this, the number of Indigenous people have decreased. The main focus of this essay is Australian Aboriginal people’s identity. Dudgeon, Wright, Paradies, Garvey, and Walker (2010, p. 6) stated: ‘Aboriginality is about descent, culture, upbringing and life experiences. Thus there are many elements which impact on forming Indigenous identity. This essay will discuss that Indigenous Identity is influenced by various surroundings including government, family and cultures. Firstly, it will introduce the author and the book details and background. Secondly, this essay will explain family member impact on identity development. Thirdly, it will also describe the connection between identity and kinship ties. Then, it will explain the connection between identity and Cultural Interface. Finally, it will define the impact of land right on identity.

Australian Aborigines believe that to destroy or damage a sacred site threatens not only the present inhabitants but also the spiritual inhabitants of the land. Broome described that "Each tribe believed that its boundaries were fixed and validated by the stories about the movements of their ancestors, and therefore there was no reason to desire or try to possess the country of another group: it would have seemed meaningless to them since their creation stories only related to their own piece of territory" (14). Australian Aborigines traveled around a land that was a symbolic and religious world. There were not simply rocks, trees, and watering holes but they were objects and places that the great ancestors had created and places where they still lived. The Aboriginal culture stressed continuity over change.

Australian Aboriginals used danced to communicate stories of the cultural spirits and legends, along with tell stories of the past, present and future with those in their community (Cheeky Dancers, n.d.). There is a sense of pride when they dance and pass on their history and culture to the generations after them (The age, 2013). Aboriginal people are proud of their heritage and dance allows them to express their thoughts and views of the world the way they see