The Native Dreamers The Aboriginals is a blanket term that refers to about 600 tribes of people that are natives to Australia. These peoples are known for their beliefs in "The Dreamtime", and their unique system of ritual. They literally live "Dreaming"; the term refers to the tribe's customs. Their Dreaming governs their life; it tells them their laws and their rituals. However, not all rituals were public. A member of the tribe could be killed if they overheard a secret ritual, and they had specific rituals for men and women. The most common example of a gender-specific ritual is the playing of a didgeridoo, a horn that is nearly 5 feet long and is made of bamboo. The didgeridoo, according to the Dreaming customs, can only be played by males. (This tradition has lasted even until today.) The Aboriginal tribes each have different gods and goddesses, but they all share a belief in The Dreamtime. The Dreamtime was the "time before time", where the Ancestor spirits wandered the Earth. The Ancestor Spirits were the creators of the animals and plants, and the sculptors of the terrain. They wandered the Earth, bringing forth creatures and naming them; stopping to create new water sources or hills; leaving whole rivers in their wake. When the Ancestors were finished with their work, they changed into hills or stars or other features that are still seen today. The rituals of the Aboriginals entail enacting the actions of the Ancestors who walked the ground of the tribe, complete with song and dance. The tribe would (and could, according to their laws) re-enact only the events that happened in their area. Tribes might come together to act out larger parts of the Ancestors' journey, but no one knew the whole path, as the Ancestors walked all of Australia. Getting all of the tribes together to re-enact such a long journey would be impossible. The Ancestors are not dead, according to the Aboriginals. They still work their powers. All events can be traced back to the Ancestors. Jiva or guruwari is a common theme found in their culture. It meant that everything that happens will resonate within the Earth forever.The Ancestors' trails still exist today; they left all kinds of landforms. These trails are Songlines. Ancestors, humans, animals, and plants alike all have souls. The souls existed before they took a solid form, and souls, after their current form is gone, are said to take a new form. The website http://www.ourpacificocean.com/australia_aboriginal_mythology/index1.htm lists nearly every aspect of Aboriginal mythology. The information on this page is only what is general to all of the Aboriginals. |  Above Right: Map of the Dreaming world. Below: Aboriginal playing didgeridoo  Below: A ritual dance  |
