Aboriginal Spirituality By: Erika Lawson 10/54

The Land For Indigenous Australians the land is the core of all spirituality and one of the most important parts of there religion. Indigenous people have occupied Australia for thousands of years and have evolved with the land. The land was not just soil or rocks or minerals, but a whole environment that sustains, and is sustained, by people and culture.

Land Rights When European colonisers first arrived in Australia they encountered an unfamiliar land occupied by people they didn't understand. For the past 200 years, the relationship the aboriginals have with the land has been deeply misunderstood and has become a constant struggle. These struggles too were often resolved through violence as Indigenous people and the White settlers had such different views.

Views of the Land Whiteman’s ViewAboriginal View - Disregard, not important.- Relationship like mother. - Used and cultivated it.- Community ownership. - Private ownership.- Spiritual connection. - Visible manufactured- Sacred. boundaries (fences).- Natural boundaries - Legal title. (landmarks). - Land for individual gain.- Title deeds = rituals, songs, - Real estate, materialism, stories, sacred objects. urbanism.- Respect and nurturing of - Deforestation, clearing. the land. - Belong to the land/live in harmony with the land.

The Dreamtime/Dreaming For most Indigenous people religious and spiritual beliefs are derived from a sense of belonging to the land, to the sea, to other people and to one’s culture. The dreamtime of dreaming is connected to the land. In aboriginal society, people did not own the land. It was part of them and it was part of there duty to respect and look after mother earth.

Dreamtime Stories The purpose of dreamtime stories vary throughout Australia but there a are often stories with the same theme. Most stories are about creation of sacred places, landforms, people, animals and plants. There are also stories of language or the first use of fire.

The Rainbow Serpent For example, the rainbow serpent is one of the most famous dreamtime stories. The rainbow serpent s represented as a large, snake-like creature, whose dreaming track is always associated with watercourses, such as billabongs, rivers, creeks and lagoons. It is the protector of the land, and the source of all life.

Bibliography Spiritualityhttp://australianmuseum.net.au/Indigenous-Australia- Spirituality Landhttp://australianmuseum.net.au/Indigenous-Australia-The- Land