Australian Aboriginal Culture: Society, Religion & Change

Introduction

Like the indigenous peoples of many continents and countries, the Australian Aborigines faced a dramatic change in lifestyle with the arrival of British colonists. Some of these changes still manifest themselves today in the form of oppression and discrimination. Indeed, because of these injustices, the beauty and depth of this culture is more often than not lost upon the Western world with its technology- and money-centered existence. The current paradigm of intercultural global understanding is increasingly prohibiting discrimination on any grounds. As such, it is unlikely that discrimination against the Aboriginal nations will continue indefinitely. Anthropological study of both traditional and modern lifestyles opens doors toward intercultural understanding.

For the Aboriginal people of Australia, various traditional connections exist, the most important of which are the connection with family and the connection with land. The former, social paradigm is closely connected with the latter, economic paradigm (Zierott 29). This connection between the economic and the social, as well as the connection among all people and everything around them, demonstrates the fundamentally holistic worldview of Aboriginal tradition. Everything is connected to everything else.

Social and Economic Organization

All people in the Aboriginal tradition are connected to each other and function within the group as relatives to all other group members. The health and well-being of the group is held in higher regard than individual achievement. This group paradigm is also closely connected to the traditional survival paradigm: groups have a higher likelihood of survival in crisis situations than individuals. Although Aboriginal society is seen as a coherent whole, social divisions exist in the form of clans.

In addition to connections with people and land, the Aboriginal people also cultivate traditional connections with their ancestors. This connection further demonstrates the integrated nature of the culture. Religious organization is not separated from economic or social organization and lifestyle. Indeed, religion forms another very important aspect of Aboriginal identity — one that has been displaced by the arrival and subsequent actions of the settlers.

Aborigines are a deeply religious people. As noted above, religion is highly integrated into all aspects of their lives. According to the Aboriginal Culture website, the religion of these people is based upon a system of deities represented by the physical world around them. They therefore worship their deities through elements of nature such as plants and rocks. While different Aboriginal groups recognized different deities, each deity could generally be placed into one of three categories: Creation Beings, Ancestral Beings, and Totemic Beings.

Religion and Ritual

According to Aboriginal belief, the time of creation is known as the "Dreamtime." Each group interprets this time differently, with its own stories and theories on the subject. At its foundation, dreams are understood as memories of the creation time (Aboriginal Culture). Dreamtime events are celebrated during ceremonies through song, dance, and performance. These stories also serve in initiation rituals: the young are told only part of the stories, with the secret portions revealed during initiation when an adolescent reaches a certain age. Religion is also deeply integrated into cultural expressions such as art and craft, including weapons, utensils, body painting, and rock art.

The Dreamtime religious experience, like other aspects of religion, is deeply integrated into all aspects of society, with behavior, law, and order all shaped by the stories and experiences of this sacred time. Ceremony has always played — and continues to play — an important role in the lives of Aboriginal people (Aboriginal Culture).

Many rituals are focused on ensuring that ancestral beings provide the tribe with a sufficient supply of sustenance. Chanting, singing, and dancing form part of these rituals. Initiation ceremonies could last for weeks, involving singing and dancing, storytelling, body decorations, and ceremonial objects. Some stories are open to all members of the tribe, while others are secret and meant only for initiates.

During funeral ceremonies, members of the tribe would often paint themselves white and mourn by cutting themselves. Rituals might involve songs and dances focused on helping the deceased leave the body successfully and return to the place of birth for eventual rebirth. Burial occurs in two stages: in the first stage, the deceased is laid on a platform and covered with leaves and branches. After several months, the secondary burial involves collecting the bones, painting them with red ochre, and dispersing them — sometimes by carrying them around or leaving them in a cave shelter.

Since the arrival of the settlers, many injustices have been perpetrated against Aboriginal people. Some political organizations did not, until recently, even recognize the Aboriginal people as people with rights. Even today, many Aborigines in Australia suffer myriad forms of injustice and oppression. One way to instigate social change is by targeting the youth and integrating Aboriginal social, political, and religious structures in bringing about that change.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it could be suggested that not only youth groups, but other Aboriginal organizations as well, be used to empower Aborigines in Australia. These groups can work collectively to instigate targeted social change — and this can be done without requiring Aborigines to give up the foundations of their culture and heritage. Too often in Australian history has that been the case: in order to build prosperity, it was deemed necessary to integrate into Western society and abandon the traditional way of life. Instead, the traditional way of life can be integrated so as to not only strengthen the Aboriginal spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, but also to bring the knowledge and beauty of this culture to the rest of the world. This could cultivate mutual understanding and respect, and benefit all citizens.