Aboriginal Religion

It involves the physical world, Sacred world and the human world

The dreaming is an important part of life for aboriginals. It is known as the ancient creation of land told through the ancestors. The stories of the dreaming are more myths , legends, fables, parables or quaint tales. They are definitely not fairytales for amusement of children. Down through generations the stories have been told orally.

When an Aboriginals child was born, he began to learn how to cope. They were born into a certain group which they were loved by all members of the group, as they grew they learnt how to hunt and defend for themselves, to become a full member of the group they had to have knowledge of how to keep alive and also the rules and traditions that governed his nomadic society.

Aboriginals celebrated many different ceremonies. For a girl growing up they celebrated simple ceremonies for the transition from childhood. For boys initiation ceremonies extended over several years, and were associated with the intensive training in the traditions and mythology of the clan. When they have had their last initiation ceremonies, he could marry, and it was only when he had a wife. Once he had a child the community then regarded him as an adult. Old people in Aboriginal society were cared for, and respected for their wisdom and knowledge. When a person died the mourning custom and burial rights were complex and varied from region to region.

Physical world

Aboriginals settled throughout the entire continent many thousands of years before the white man came and had evolved a way of living that was good with the environment. Aboriginals would survive with Australians harsh climate because they knew where there waterholes were. They also drained water from certain trees and roots. Animals were usually hunted but Aboriginals only took what they needed to make sure that there is enough of the specie reproduce and enough for the future. This is something the Europeans didn't understand.

Sacred world

Summary