Aborigines, one of oldest civilizations on earth, are the indigenous
people of Australia and have inhabited the continent for over 30,000 years. The
word aborigine, in Latin, means from the
beginning. On both trips Down
Under I had the good fortune to meet and talk to some of the indigenous
people. One was more
interested in telling about his experiences of which he was justifiably proud,
but we wanted to learn about the culture. The second time the couple was most
accommodating and freely explained their culture and answered questions.
There were a wide variety of
lifestyles among the aborigines. Hundreds of tribes had their own territory,
language, and customs, developing their culture free from outside influences.
Many were hunters and nomadic, living in temporary mud dwellings.
The boomerang originally was
meant as a throwing stick for hunting, fighting, making fire, or stoking coals
when cooking.
These people mastered the challenges
of living in a harsh environment. They passed on their spiritual practices,
planted crops, diverted streams, dug native wells, and maintained grasslands by
deliberate burning to attract game for food. The population continually
increased over the last 3000 years and across the continent the different
tribes traded with each other. Among the exchanged items were shells, ochre,
and wood.
During colonization, aboriginal life changed dramatically. Unfamiliar
diseases killed thousands. Arbitrarily displaced from the most fertile areas,
many were confined to reserves in the misguided effort to overcome widespread
poverty. They presently make up 2% of the country’s population, with about 90%
living in the cities. Many of the
cultural groups, similar to tribes or clans, are still present today, with over
50 languages surviving. Walpiri is the largest spoken language.
The Outback was home to many of the
native peoples. The area is dry and can go years without rain. It is an area of
red rock, ochre plains, purple mountains, and brilliant blue skies. Still
today, towns with only basic facilities are few and far apart.
In the aboriginal culture there
is men’s business and women’s business and neither touches the business
belonging to the opposite gender. This was made very clear.
Men’s business includes playing
the didgeridoo which is a long small hollow log-type instrument making a very
deep sound when blown into. Men’s work also included walking, hunting, spearing
game, and making spears.
Women’s business includes concerns about human rights, providing food
(the more wives, the better a man ate), digging for yams, digging for honey,
grinding flour, and digging for grubs under the witchery tree.
Common law does not recognize aboriginal law. Each tribe has a law
person. Respect for the elders is very
important. Traditionally teaching was
verbal in the form of storytelling. Aborigines are returning to this today.
Songs tell the story of Dreamtime. Tribal boundaries are crossed only by invitation. Breaches of aboriginal law bring severe
penalties.
One is born into a skin name group. Names beginning with the same
letter, such as N are for women, and those with another letter are for men.
This is done for identity purposes and to avoid incest. Extended families are
large, and sex between family members is forbidden.
Men
are polygamous with many wives, but the women can only have one husband. A male
is not a man until he takes a wife. In the old days marriages were arranged,
and it was common for a girl to be promised when about 13. Aborigine women had
children at a young age. Because aborigines had little in worldly goods, the
number of wives a man had proved his wealth, the more the wealthier.
Boys used to be taken on a walk-about for two years, but only go for six
weeks now, to learn lessons and culture. Then he was promised a wife; In-laws
do not fight, particularly a son and his mother-in-law. Avoidance is a show of
respect.
Aborigines were not allowed to vote until 1962, and were not allowed to
own land until 1976, when a land council was established to negotiate with the
government. Now where rights have been established, the land cannot be altered
in any way. In 1979 aborigines were granted title to 144 former reserves.
In the 1970s the art world
started to take aboriginal art seriously. Their art depicts religious and daily
life. The carpet in the Sydney airport is in an aboriginal print as is the
carpet in the Ayers Rock Hotel. Each has a different design. Dances communicate with their ancestors.
Men wear headbands made of hair. After eating kangaroo, the remains are
covered with dirt and a burial is held. Yet, aboriginal children learn to
endure pain at an early age. When death occurs, men show their grief by cutting
themselves. Widows hit themselves on the head or are beaten by another woman
because it is believed she caused the death. The mourning continues for three
days to a week. All such mourning is done in the respective men’s or women’s
camp.
It was an interesting evening and we all
enjoyed learning about this unique culture.
