R&BSAP1945CAP - aboriginal spirituality as determined by the dreaming Flashcards
kinship (central to all indigenous communities)
Defines where a person fits and rights and responsibilities associated with community
a term characterising a highly sophisticated network of relationships governing interactions and responsibilities (who can marry whom, who is tasked with caring for the sick/old or conducting religious ceremonies)
Is expressed through skin name
the extended family/kinship
Family roles are not necessarily determined by biological relationships.
In some Indigenous cultures the roles are determined by matriarchal or patriarchal lineage.
In other cultures the roles are defined through social relationships.
Understanding family roles is essential when identifying an appropriate next of kin
moieties (half)
Refers to splitting of a group into two.
determined by their mother’s side (matrilineal) or father’s side (patrilineal), and can alternate between each generations.
People who share the same moiety are considered siblings, so individuals cannot marry within their moiety.
The two different moieties in a kinship group also have a reciprocal responsibility to support each other.
totems
Usually, each person has at least four totems representing their nation, clan family group and a personal totem.
Nation, clan and family totems are preordained
Personal totems recognize individual’s strengths and weaknesses.
Totems link a person to the world around them.
You are accountable to a totem, but you don’t own it.
Each person has a responsibility ensuring their totems are protected and are passed on to the next generation
Totems are split between moieties to create a balance of use and protection.
Indigenous Spirituality is animistic, meaning the people, land and animals are all connected with the spirits.
Responsibilities to a totem provide purpose for one’s identity within kinship.
skin names
Conveys information about how generations are linked and how they should interact.
Unlike surnames husbands and wives don’t share the same skin name, and children don’t share their parent’s skin names.
Each nation has its own skin names and each name has a prefix or suffix to indicate gender. There are usually 16-32 sets of names in each cycle.
the concept of ceremonial life
Physical representation of different aspects of their culture such as connection to land, connection to ancestral beings and connection to their spirituality.
Reinforces ancestral beings purposes for indigenous heritage as its using what the ancestors indicated what was expected for ceremonies.
The different ceremonies require different roles to be completed.
The practices such as rite of passage, information, personal support and spirituality involve ceremonies in their execution
Initiation ceremony:
Teaches young people about the law and spiritual beliefs. Purpose is the allow the young people to take the place of elders in the community
Men’s law and women’s law:
gender specific roles and thus specific ceremonies for the respective genders
Funeral ceremonies
similar to the traditional Christian funeral service
Celebration ceremonies:
can be to celebrate the telling of a dreaming story or the visiting of relatives or friends
Balance Rites
connects to the tribes totem, ceremony to make sure resources are sustained
ceremonial life connection to the dreamtime
The ceremonies are keeping their culture alive through their representation of dreaming stories and beliefs.
When a story is being told it is a continuation of the story instead of a recreation.
The ceremonies are the catalyst for the elders to pass down dreaming principles to the younger generations.
Since white settlement the ceremonies that have been practised have been altered due to the influence of western religions such as Christianity.
obligations to the land and people
The Aboriginal people classify themselves as being descendants of ancestral beings, linked closely together with the spiritual land in which they live in.
In order to survive it is thought that the aboriginal people have a particular purpose to look after the land in which they live.
Ancestors pass down responsibilities in order to make sure that following generations preserve the land to a remarkable standard, educating the young on God’s creations
obligations to the land and people connection to the dreamtime
Aboriginal people believe they’re related to the natural world.
Believe this connection/relationship they have with the land allows them to survive.
The Dreaming stems from land as dreaming stories explain why things exist within natural world.
Western society’s response to land is, it’s a commodity and is brought, sold and used for profit.
Aboriginals identify the land as something that needs to be spiritually looked after to allow it to exist forever with their spirit ancestors.
Aboriginal artwork, songs, dances and ceremonies are ways in which Aboriginal maintain their connection with the land as well as maintaining its resources. Simple art symbols creating a powerful indentation to the land and indigenous.
Morals of stories can be conveyed through these types of activities
Believe the land is sacred and alive with spirits, animistic
