Aboriginal spirituality Flashcards
sprititual and physical, metametatemporal
Defenition of the dreaming:
The Dreaming is the spiritual aspect of the Aboriginal religion that encapsulates both the spiritual and physical dimensions, giving meaning to all aspects of life. The dreaming is the fundamental tenet that influences life, creation and identity, as well as this it incorporates the past, present and future as one consistent reality making it Metatemporal.
What is Aboriginal spirituality?
Aboriginal spirituality = the absence of any short boundary between the spiritual and natural world.
Origins of the Dreaming story: Tiddalick the frog -
Tiddalick the frog is a Dreaming story that originated from the Guna Kurnai peoples of South Gippsland, Victoria, it is usually aimed at and told to children.
What is the story of Tiddalick the frog?
Tiddalick the Frog is about a large frog who wakes up on a particularly warm day and drinks all the water in the land. This worries the different Australian animals greatly as they realise that no one will survive because of his actions. They come up with a plan to make him laugh so that hopefully he opens his mouth and the water flow out and back into the creeks, rivers and lakes. Many animals try and make him laugh but are unsuccessful, finally, the snake tries, she tries to wriggle about but gets herself in a knot and is struggling to undo it, this make Tiddalick laugh and the water spills out of his body and back into the land.
What is the morals of Tiddalick the frog:
The moral of Tiddalick the frog is three-fold, one to share and not be greedy or selfish, two the preciousness of our environment and the preservation of the environment, and three the result of bad decisions on other people.
Where did the Dreaming story: the Rainbow Serpant originate?
The rainbow serpent first appeared in Arnhem land rock art between 6000 to 8000 years ago.
What is the story of the Rainbow serpant?
In the Dreamtime, the Rainbow Serpent emerged from beneath the earth, shaping the landscape by creating rivers, mountains, and valleys. It is a protector of the environment and a source of life, teaching the first people to live in harmony with nature. However, the Serpent can become angry if people disrespect the land, leading to droughts or floods as a reminder of the need for balance. Ultimately, the Rainbow Serpent symbolizes the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of respecting the earth.
What are the morals in the Rainbow Serpant?
The Rainbow Serpent is a symbol in Aboriginal Dreamtime stories that conveys messages about respect, balance, and environmental stewardship.
where did the dreaming story: Dinewan the emu and Goombleguggon the turkey originate?
Dinewan the emu and Goombleguggon the turkey originated from the Noongahburrah tribe of NSW.
what is the story of Dinewan the emu and Goombleguggon the turkey?
In the Aboriginal Dreamtime story “Dinewan the Emu and Goomblegubbon the Bustard,” Dinewan, the Emu, is considered the king of the birds due to his size and speed, but Goomblegubbon, the Bustard, is jealous of his status; Goomblegubbon tricks Dinewan into believing that other birds will think he is the cleverest if he appears wingless, leading Dinewan to cut off his own wings, ultimately solidifying Goomblegubbon’s plot to undermine the Emu’s dominance. In return the emu tricks the turkey by saying that her children are not big enough, the turkey then kills her other children so two may have enough food to grow bigger.
what are the morals in Dinewan the Emu and Goomblegubbon the turkey?
The Dreamtime story of Dinewan the Emu and Goomblegubbon the Bustard teaches that jealousy can lead to attempts to undermine another’s success.
Metatemporal defenition:
a concept which incorporates the past, present, and future reality as a commplete and present realilty.
what is totemism?
the belief that an animal or a feature of the natural world is an embodiment of the individual in his or her primordial state (from the beginning). The loss of land results in the inability to fulfil ritual responsibilities.
what does the dreaming include?
- The dreaming includes explanations of creation, different aboriginal groups have different versions of the same stories.
ancestors, ancient, stone, arrived
origins of Aboriginal spirituality (5)
- Supernatural ancestors created the world and emerged from well-known landmarks
- Each group has an ancestor or totem, the totem represents their personal beliefs and identity
- Australia is one of the most ancient lands on earth, for tens of thousands of years the indigenous people have felt that the land is sacred ground.
- First Australians were semi-nomadic with stone age technology
- Arrived from Southeast Asia at least 60,000 years ago
other sacred sites as well
what is the most sacred site in australia?
- Uluru is the most sacred site in Australia, other sacred sites are significant because of their different uses. E.g. burial grounds, ceremonial meeting places.
importance of sacred sites (2)
- Each group has the responsibility to care for the sites where the rituals are performed.
- It was the responsibility of the guardian elders to ensure that the site was cared for properly so that the spirit would continue to live there.
gender, teach, knowledge
importance of stories of dreaming (4)
- Teach about rights and wrong and about the natural world with reference to the spiritual world.
- Groups come together for ceremonies and knowledge passed down to members of group
- Male and female elders were custodians t tribal knowledge, most knowledge was taboo of opposite sex
- Some knowledge passed on through life and some was only available during ceremonies.
what is the immportance of aboriginal symbolism and art
- Aboriginal art is sacred with many sacred symbols and images being passed on from one generation to another through artistic expression.
- All elements of the Dreaming are incorporated in traditional Aboriginal Art.
provide, used as, family ties
what can art and symbols in Aboriginal spirituality be used for and what types are there?
- Many symbols are used in Aboriginal Art including body art, painting, carved trees, rock art, bark painting and funeral poles
- It can be used for rituals or to identify the ownership of Dreaming’s and to strengthen kinship ties (family relationships)
- Art provides a map of country, food types, water, behavior and beings to avoid, essential bush skills, knowledge of life cycles of plants and animals, rituals and secret sites.
what is the diversity of the dreaming for the Aboriginal people? (4)
- 900 aboriginal nations
- Each aboriginal group has its own dialect and interpretation of stories
- Those close to each other geographically with share common elements
- Each nation is referred to as my country.
How does the land relate to the dreaming?
- The Dreaming is inextricably linked to the land (cannot be separated) because the land contains the Dreaming and is the medium through which the Dreaming is lived and communicated.
- The land is where the Dreaming stories take place and forms the resting place for their ancestral spirit beings. These sites are regarded as being of sacred significance and carry with them ritual responsibilities for the Aboriginal communities.
- Thus, the identity of an Aboriginal person can be said to be inextricably linked with the land. Hence, a critical part of learning about the Dreaming includes knowing the features of the land, which they regard as a mother, in intricate detail.
what is the importance of the dreaming for the aboriginal people?
it is important as it shapes their ethics and the way they live their lives as they try to live them according to the messages and moral told in the dreaming stories.
