Who are the Aborigines?

Aborigines

Aborigines Indigenous people of Australia Have occupied Australia for at least 40,000 years Arrived from Southeast Asia The word aborigine means “people who were here from the beginning”

Aborigines Developed efficient ways to adapt to the harsh Australian environment Built containers for storing water and built wells to collect water underground They were hunters and gatherers: ate animals, wild nuts, fruits, and berries They were nomadic – moved from place to place in search of food

Aborigines Archaeologists have found early Aboriginal inventions: rock art, boomerangs, ground axes, and grindstones There is no written record of prehistoric Aborigines Kept their history by telling stories that were passed down from generation to generation

Social Structure Consisted of a tribe or “language group” A tribe included bands called “hordes” of 10 to 20 people Hordes joined for daily food gathering and hunting

Where? Settled in the same places as present-day Australians Climate was mild and water was available In the tropical north, most lived along the coasts and river Before Europeans arrived in 1788, around 500,000 people lived in Australia

Arrival of Europeans Aborigines lived on Australia’s coast, which is where the Europeans wanted to settle Europeans waged war against the Aborigines in order to take their land

Advantage of Europeans Guns, soldiers Diseases More than half of the Aborigines in Australia died Entire population died in Tasmania (Sound familiar???)

What happened to the remaining Aborigines? Forced to live on reservations in the Outback Were forced to work for Europeans on sheep and cattle ranches Laws were made to limit where Aborigines could live and work The British hoped to end all Aboriginal culture with their policies

Aborigines Today… 300,000 live in Australia today In the 1960s, policies were changed to be in favor of Aborigines Can hold a seat in Parliament Can have their own schools which teach their culture, language, and art Live modern lives, some are teachers, lawyers, nurses, and politicians

Aborigines Today

Religion Aboriginal religion is called “Dreamtime” “the Dreaming” is what Aborigines call the beginning of life on Earth During the Dreaming, spirits created the land, people, and animals Most of the spirits disappeared, but some live on in objects

Religion Believe the earth is a link to the spiritual world The land itself is sacred to Aborigines Aborigines have Dreamtime legends that describe how the earth was created…

Dreamtime

Your Task Create your own Aboriginal Dreamtime Legend You may choose to write about Why certain Australian animals look/act the way they do How one of Australia's physical features was created Why certain events in nature happen There is no length limit, but your story must have at least 3 paragraphs. Be Creative!!!!

Your Task Create your own Aboriginal Art Use the symbol charts as a guide Remember that all Aboriginal Art revolves around nature Be Creative! Be Colorful!

Credits Google Images http://www.google.com/. Discovery Education Images Aboriginal rock painting of a kangaroo..  2005. Image. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. The Aboriginals: Australia's First Inhabitants. EMI, 1988. Video Segment. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. Three Legends of Australian Aboriginals. EMI, 1992. Full Video. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. Mystic Lands: Australia: Dreamtime. Duncan Group, 1997. Full Video. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. Mullins, E. R., Jr. (2009). CRCT Test Prep, 6th Grade Social Studies Teaching the Georgia Performance Standards. Clairmont Press, Inc. Lilburn, GA.