Aboriginal Spirituality Flashcards
Seven Aspects of Indigenous Religions
Sacred Stories Sacred Space Sacred Time Sacred Signs and Symbols System of Beliefs Sacred Rituals, Prayers and Festivals Sacred People and Social Structures
Five Characteristics of an Indigenous Religion
Firmly belong to a specific place
They belong to a small group/tribe/clan
They rarely leave their original geographic location and often destroyed by social/economic development
Haven’t developed into World Religions
Primal
First or original.
Indigenous Religions not Primitive because…
Some are complex
People find it satisfying
It suits the local environment
Aboriginal
Original inhabitants of a land
Term given by first European settlers*
*Invaders
Two Primal Religions in Australia
Aboriginal
Torres Strait Island
Why did Europeans think indigenous people had no Religion?
Because they couldn’t see any churches, priests or other religious organisations that they were used to.
Dreaming
Past, Present and Future
A timeless world where sacred stories take place
Rituals can connect the Spirt Realm to Earth
Dreamtime
Origin and Creation Stories of the Past.
Indigenous
Originating in a particular place.
Ancient Religions
A Religion that is no longer practiced.
Social Structure
A system of social levels in a community.
Sacred Time
The Dreaming Time when the ancestral spirit beings came into existence.
Identity
The sense of self, who you are in your community.
Flora and Fauna
The plants and animals in your environment. People who still still live traditionally, hunt and gather flora and fauna to survive.
Rite of Passage
A special ritual or ceremony to mark important life transitioning e.g, in Aboriginal culture, initiation is going from childhood to adulthood.
Love
Traditional knowledge, passed down in stories, dance and songs through generations in aboriginal cultures.
Myth
A traditional story or legend usually of an event or hero, it might be based on fact but can’t be proven. It’s used to explain the origins of the land, people and the Aboriginal way of life.
Mob
Family, kin or group of people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people refer to their extended family or community as ‘my mob.’
Ritual
Structure for important events e.g, personal transitions, changes in seasons or community values. They give structure and meaning to aboriginal peoples’ lives.
System of beliefs
A feature of a religion. This is expressed through the Dreaming of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Primitive
Early stage for human development, uncivilised. This is inappropriate for Aboriginal culture because they have a system of beliefs, rituals, rules or law developed over 40,000 years.
Primal religions
The first, original religions of a place or country. Aboriginal people being the first Australians, practiced the first religions.
Indigenous
Originating in a particular place.
Ancient Religions
A Religion that is no longer practiced.
Social Structure
A system of social levels in a community.
Sacred Time
The Dreaming Time when the ancestral spirit beings came into existence.
Identity
The sense of self, who you are in your community.
Flora and Fauna
The plants and animals in your environment. People who still still live traditionally, hunt and gather flora and fauna to survive.
Rite of Passage
A special ritual or ceremony to mark important life transitioning e.g, in Aboriginal culture, initiation is going from childhood to adulthood.
Love
Traditional knowledge, passed down in stories, dance and songs through generations in aboriginal cultures.
Myth
A traditional story or legend usually of an event or hero, it might be based on fact but can’t be proven. It’s used to explain the origins of the land, people and the Aboriginal way of life.
Mob
Family, kin or group of people. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people refer to their extended family or community as ‘my mob.’
Ritual
Structure for important events e.g, personal transitions, changes in seasons or community values. They give meaning to aboriginal peoples’ lives.
System of beliefs
A feature of a religion. This is expressed through the Dreaming of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
Primitive
Early stage for human development, uncivilised. This is inappropriate for Aboriginal culture because they have a system of beliefs, rituals, rules or law developed over 40,000 years.
Primal religions
The first, original religions of a place or country. Aboriginal people being the first Australians, practiced the first religions.
Sacred space
Burial ground/altar
