Culture, Spirituality, & Kinship Flashcards
Define Aboriginality
An Aboriginal is a person of Aboriginal descent, who identifies as an Aboriginal person, and is accepted as such by the community in which he/she lives, or formerly lived. Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of the land and reside in various locations across Australia. There is an array of diversity of language, culture, and traditions among Aboriginals. However, a deep relationship with the land is an essential component.
Define culture
Culture is a system of shared ideas, beliefs, attitudes, and practices that defines a social system of a group. It includes rules, beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviour shared by a group over many generations. It is relatively static but capable of change across time.
Explain Aboriginal spirituality
Aboriginal spirituality is defined as at the core of Aboriginal being, their very identity. It gives meaning to all aspects of life including relationships with one another and the environment. There is a belief that everything is inextricably linked, sharing the same soul and spirit as Aboriginals. Aboriginal spirituality can be expressed through art, music, dance, language, traditions, ceremonies, and more.
What is kinship?
Kinship is a classificatory system encompassing rules and roles, complex structures, and relationships relating to location and affiliation (within and outside of family, clan, or tribe).
Kinship is the system of law governing social interaction, particularly marriage, in traditional Aboriginal culture.
Why is kinship important?
Kinship is an important part of Aboriginal life because it is the determining factor as to how people relate to members within the group.
Kinship provides understanding of:
Roles - affiliated position, bonds, and behaviour
Status - elders
Obligations - family rights, responsibilities, and reciprocity
Who they are/were related to
Explain skin groups
When aboriginal people are born, they are born into their skin group and/or given a skin name by their community. It is not like a surname. This becomes a part of their identity within the community. Aboriginal marriage law prevents people from marrying another from the ‘wrong’ skin group. This tradition dates back generations and comes from awareness of genetic mutations that can occur when two people who are closely related by blood have a baby.
What is dreaming?
A set of beliefs of spirituality that relate to an individual or group. It is a complex network of knowledge, faith and practices that informs all spiritual and physical aspects of life.
