HSC Task 1 - Aboriginal Spiritualities Flashcards
What is the Dreaming?
A whole system of spirituality and the basis of all life for adherents.
The Dreaming is the lens through which everything is experienced
What is moiety?
People and the environment are split into two halves, individuals aren’t full human beings without the other half
What are totems?
Aboriginals have 4 totems that represent their nation, clan, family group and personal totem
Effect of moiety?
Aboriginals are born with the responsibility to care for the land and conserve the environment
What is skin names?
Indicates a persons blood line, a sequential system of 8, 16 and 32.
Effect of skin names?
Allows families to have many support networks
Responsibility to care for many generations
What is the seven sisters story about?
- Orion chased them to marry the sisters
- Couldn’t marry due to the wrong skin name
- The chase: shaped the land as they ran away (the sisters + the rainbow serpent
Shows the connection between dreaming and spiritual realm and how they impact Indigenous people’s lives.
What is a corroboree?
A generic name for an Aboriginal dance
What is a walkabout?
A ritual process where adolescent males learn to survive on their own
Whats is the sunrise ceremony?
Symbolically reflected in the flag
Connect spirituality with the supernatural dimension
Obligations to land
Stewardship of the land means a responsibility to care and nurture it
The land and all its forms are sacred, and need to be preserved and passed on in a timeless cycle of mutual dependence
- Bob Randall was taken by police → but has come back to the land
The effect of dispossession
Spiritual separation from the land → Land is intricately influential on their identity
“The spirits don’t recognise us” says Yolngu man Dr Gawirrin Gumana (totems, moiety)
Benefits of living on the land
- Constant physiological fulfilment: purpose, duty is achieved
- A feeling of belonging, connectedness
- Identity
- Fulfilling responsibilities
Dispossession policies
- Non-recognition
- associated with Terra Nullius
- no one cared about their spirituality
- Protection
- began in mid 1880s
- ‘Aboriginal protection act’ - made WARDS of the
state - not ‘capable’ of protecting themselves
- Assimilation (Stolen Generations)
- INTEGRATED into white soceity
- loss of culture → conforming children into
European culture
What was the Mabo decision?
1992: Eddie Mabo + other Torres Strait Islanders - wanted to claim ownership of Mer Island
- Overturned Terra Nullius
- Progressing native title rights
What is Native Title?
1993: Provided more legislation on the precedent that was set by the Mabo decision
- Have to be continuing their practising traditions
What was the Wik decision?
1996: Australian high court case between Wik peoples and Queensland
- The high court ruled that the Wik people could co-exist with pastoral leaseholders
- new category of native title → shared rights
Impact of the stolen generation?
- Concept of kinship was lost
- Separation from land and family destroys sense of belonging, impact on emotional and spiritual wellbeing
- Inability to learn relevant dreaming stories
What is the Uluru Statement from the heart?
A statement put together by a group of First Nations peoples:
- Invitation asking Australians to walk together to establish a First Nations voice to parliament ENSHRINED in the constitution
- Sets a precedent for a relation between policy-making and indigenous connection to land, spirituality, etc
What is the bringing them home report?
1997: Recognising that all Indigenous children will never come home
Dreaming quote
‘The Dreaming is always; forever; it circles around and around. It never ends.’ - Kate Constable
Contemporary example: Voice to Parliament - Uniting Church response
“I encourage Uniting Church members, and all Australians… let’s do whatever we can to show support and care for First Nations people right now.” - Uniting Church Australia
