PART 1: The Dreaming

Important Words Dreaming beginnings when ancestral beings formed the land, its features, animals, plants, the laws that kept everything in existence. The Dreaming is an ever-present reality Totem animal or natural species considered related though the spirit ancestors to an individual or group of people, and taken as their symbol Traditional Aboriginal Life Australian Aboriginals and Torres strait islanders have occupied Australian land for the past 50,000 years (Approx.) Estimated around 300,000 aboriginal people and over 500 languages at the time of settlement 1788 Due to great distances between tribal groups, did not share a uniform set of beliefs or carry out the same rituals or ceremonies, although did have some similarities Similarities could be due to common challenges (dry arid land, droughts, difficult cultivation of food, drought, flood)

The Dreaming Dreamtime is an English word used to describe aboriginal concepts of beginning In relation to history, time is an unknown concept in aboriginal understanding The Dreaming is an ever-present reality which describes the formation of the world and everything in it. There are many Aboriginal deities; some are regarded as supreme creator beings, others are regarded as ancestral beings. The 'Dreaming' is a more correct expression of an event that cannot be placed in time While there are variations in different tribal groups they all have common themes: creation of the universe creation of life reason for night and day reason for the seasons why people die reasons for the existence of different tribal languages reasons for natural disasters how life came about.

Origin Mythology The universe, or the earth and sky, has always existed along with the supernatural ancestral beings.

They believe that at the beginning of time the sun, moon and supernatural deities lay dormant At some point in time these supernatural beings awoke and rose from the earth, marking the beginning of the dreamtime Purpose of dreaming is not to explain creation in chronological order but to emphasis that creation is an interconnected network of land, plants, insects, animals, fish and humans

Supreme Creator Sun Mother According to tradition, the supreme father of all spirits was the only one awake while all lay dormant He woke the sun mother to go an wake all the sleeping spirits The sun mother did and as she did all the plants began to grow She went into the caves and her light gave birth to all the insects Her heart melted all the ice and created rivers and streams Then she created fish, birds and animals Eventually she created two children, the morning star and the moon

How did humans come to be? There is no uniform agreement as to how human beings came to be. 1. Some traditions maintain, they were created at the same time as all the animals; some ancestral beings looked like men or women, others like animals, and some could interchange their form from animal to human. 2. Other traditions maintain that animals and plants were created first; those ancestral beings who kept the laws given to them were turned into human beings, while the law-breakers were turned into the various rock formations and landscapes we see in Australia today. Polytheistic Approach polytheistic tradition maintain that ancestral beings travelled around the land creating the physical features of the environment, as well as its peoples, plants and animals After the period of creating, some ancestral beings were transformed into a particular site where their spirits remain. Others moved on, leaving part of their spirit behind. This helps explain how the Dreaming is relevant not only to the past, but also to the present and the future.

Part Two: Sacred Stories

Aboriginal sacred stories of the Dreaming often explained the origin of the universe and everything in it Individuals 'owned' myths according to their totems, and passed them down generations Aboriginal sacred stories exhibit a common theme as well as variations. Myth a story that attributes the way the world is to work, as well as the will of the gods and the condition in which human beings find themselves

Nature Sacred stories are set in the time of creation Seek to explain the origin of the universe and everything in it Address the issue of evil and present the supreme creator as lawgiver and law enforcer. Dreaming stories seek to explain the condition in which human beings find themselves

Transmission Sacred myths were acted out in rituals; initiation ceremonies of (only certain) young men. Other myths were for general hearing and were passed on from generation to generation, usually around the campfire at night. They set out laws, explained why things were as they were and sometimes simply entertained. Myths might be told by a wide number of people in different areas with several versions being known. Various groups across the land would own different sections of the myth, with no local group owning the complete myth. Popular storytellers were those who embellished the stories with hand, facial and body movement, and who whispered and shouted and made the telling a dramatic event. Sacred stories are how Aboriginal people made sense of the world and answered the many questions of human existence. Creation of the Universe These stories all have a common theme They thought world and all life have always existed, but were at first dormant. New living things were formed because ancestral beings were able to change their form. The landscape came about as a result of the activities of ancestral beings. Sacred stories embed the unfolding of creation within a context of 'violence' Ancestral beings quarrel with one another, often motivated by greed and jealousy.

Violence and evil are part of life because they came from the ancestors who gave rise to humanity and whose spirits reside in each person. Presented as lawgiver and law enforcer, the supreme being taught human beings how to behave in relation to one another, and the land.

Creation of the Sun Cooperation of All Ancestor Beings Aboriginal people recognised that the sun shared its warmth and light equally with all living beings. Like all peoples of ancient times, Aboriginal people regarded the earth as a flat entity with a layer of sky on top. To them, the sun was above the sky, or in some traditions it was buried beneath the surface of the earth, and therefore, could not be seen through this layer. The sun was made visible when ancestral spirits cooperated and worked together to raise the sky above the sun. This is reflected in the beginning of the sacred story, titled 'The First Sunrise'. Understanding and Accepting the Human Condition Life's Big Questions Many Dreaming stories are concerned with such issues and have played an important role in maintaining stability within tribal communities by promoting acceptance of the status quo, i.e. the way things are. We now look at some sacred stories about: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. arranged marriages importance of cooperation and commitment not committing murder existence of many languages death.

Arranged Marriages In ancient times, marriage was not regarded as a love contract between two parties. It was the single most important means of ensuring the survival of the tribe and of providing protection for it by strengthening the bonds between families. For this reason, marriages between men and women were regulated and arranged by the elders of a tribe. Do not Murder Observance of rules is essential to the survival of any society, and this also applies to Aboriginal tribal society. A basic rule is to respect other human beings and not kill them. Murderers are banned from Aboriginal tribes for the rest of their lives to prevent them from killing again.

Existence of Many Languages

Australia's Aboriginal tribes were in a similar position, except that the isolation they experienced was over a significantly greater area and time span, so far and long in fact, that the various Aboriginal groups, even in ancient times, communicated in different languages. As a result, they explained the different languages they observed within a worldview that was familiar to them - violence. violence is symbolic of speaking in different languages, and arises (among other things) from misunderstanding - from not being able or willing to understand or accept the other person's point of view.

Death Aboriginal people, like their ancient counterparts, naturally contemplated the question of why people died and what happened to them after they died. It is no surprise that breaking the law, i.e. being violent, is presented as the reason for people dying. For Aboriginal tribal people, the violence of a human ancestor is the cause of death. an animal is not allowed to be killed because its protection ensures the survival of everyone. Aboriginal people believed that when a person died, the spirit continued to live. It needed to be released so that it could return to its own country and ancestral spirits, or to totemic sites where it could be born again in a different person.

PART THREE FOCUS

Australias Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People believe their sacred sites were created and shaped into their particular formes during the Dreaming and demonstrate imprints and physical proof of the actions of ancestral beings. Sacred sites are places for ritual and ceremony. Aboriginal people believe that the power of ancestral spirits is present at these sites, making them forever sacred.

WORDS TO REMEMBER

Bora Ring- circle or oval marked in the group and associated with Aboriginal rituals and gatherings Middens- sites of previous occupation by Aboriginal people marked by food remains

Songlines- tracks made by localised ancestral beings during the Dreaming SACRED SITES

The three sisters, Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kakadu National Parks, are just some examples of Aboriginal Sacred Sites, they are believed to be sacred due to their unique features that were thought to have been created and shaped into their particular forms during the Dreaming, with imprints and physical proof of the actions of ancestral beings. Sacred sites are where rituals and ceremonies take place as the Aboriginal People believe that the power of ancestral spirits is present at these sites, therefor making them forever sacred. THREE SISTERS

The three sisters are found in Katoomba in the blue mountains The three sisters; Meehni, Wimlah and Gunnedoo are rock formations According the Aboriginal Mythology the sisters were ancestral being who fell in love with three brothers from a neighbouring tribe A Major tribal war was ensured when the three brothers were prohibited from marrying them, as a result endangering the lives of the three sisters. To protect them the witch doctor turned the three sisters into three rocks. He had the intention to reverse the spell once they were safe but he dies in a battle leaving the sisters behind as rock formations

Uluru There are several difference account s on how Uluru came into existence. Uluru originated when two boys were fighting each other, they climbed on to the top of a table top mountain, Mount Connor, where their bodies became preserved as large boulders Uluru was scarred during the wars of the serpent spirits, causing many cracks and crevasses to emerge Uluru rose from the earth in response to the bloodshed in a battle between two tribes

Kata Tjuta Is a group of thirty plus giant done-shaped rocks on a desert plain in Uluru National Park.

The largest is home of Wanambi, a serpent ancestor with long teeth, mane and long beard. During the wet season he is curled in a water hole on the summit and during the dry season he resides in the gorge below. His breath is the wind blowing through all of the gorge The eastern side of the rocks are believes to be the home of the ancestors called the bird men who had curved beaks and mice-women The pillar who represents Malu, the Kangaroo man , who is dying in his sisters arms, a lizard woman (Mulumara) The rocks on the south west are believed to be the camp of the poisonous snake man Liru.

Nambung and Kakadu National Parks Pinnacles in the Nambung national park are a serious of limestone pillars rising out of the sand Some believe that the area is avoided as the pillars are believed to be Fossilised Ghosts Kakadu was formed by ancestral spirits in the dreaming along with plant and animals inheriting the area All are said to have tracks known as dreaming tracks

DREAMING TRACKS

Dreaming tracks mark the path followed by localised ancestral beings during the dreaming Also known as Songlines They are recorded in story, song and dance Aboriginal people could navigate extensive distances by repeating the words of Songlines that described the locations of water holes, geographical features and various landmarks. They songs could guide navigators through different tribal regions where different languages were spoken. They relied on melodic contours and rhythm rather than words Dreaming tracks formed an important network of highways, connecting all Aboriginal Tribes throughout Australia. They played a central role in ceremony and ritual due to their spiritual significance Sites in Eurobodalla National Park are not accessible to the general public due to the sacred sites containing Shell Middens etc.

BORA GROUNDS

IN ADDITION TO THE WELL-KNOWN LANDMARKS INDIVIDUAL TRIBES ALSO CREATED THEIR OWN SACRED SITES IN THE FORM OF BORA GROUNDS, A BORA GROUND CONSISTS OF THREE BORA RINGS WITH ONE BEING LARGER THAN THE OTHERS, AND ALL LINKED BY A PATH RUNNING FROM THE EAST TO WEST. IMAGES AND DECORATIONS WITH SACRED MEANINGS WERE ETCHED INTO THE SOIL, AND CARVINGS WERE MADE ON NEARBY TREES TO MAKE THE PRESENCE OF A BORA GROUND.

The larger bora ring was usually associated with the more public ceremonies in which women were allowed to attend as spectators. The seconds smaller ring was a place where male initiation rituals were conducted and was only accessible to initiated men and initiates. It is not clear what the third ring was used for Bora grounds are still significant because they played a role in the expression of spiritual beliefs and celebration of Aboriginal ceremonial life

Some parts of northern NSW and southern Queensland have trances of the Bora Rings for example Lennox Head in NSW. A smaller but spectacular ring was discovered in Nudgee, Queensland. It is unique because there is evidence in literature about its ceremonial use by neighbouring Aboriginal groups. Men would assemble there for ritual ceremonies, tribal dances and general gatherings.

burial sites Due to the Aboriginal peoples beliefs about death and life after death their burial grounds are very sacred. As indication they are usually marked with carved trees, stone markers or by stones or logs laid on the top of the sites. When a person dies the spirit lives on, it needs to be released so it can return to its own country and ancestral spirits, or even totemic sites where is could be born again into another being. The Walbiri people of the central desert believed that a person spirited originated in the dreaming and will eventually return there. Secret caves contain hidden Dreaming stones Stones are believed to be the storehouses of disembodied spirits that could enter a woman again and be reborn. After death spirit returns to the cave, same process over and over The placement of bones in secret caves marked the final stage in mortuary ceremonies which could continue intermittently for a number of years. White clay was used to pain spirit figures on cave walls

The Tiwi people of Bathurst and Melville islands had very elaborate and extended ceremonies. Pukumani Poles (burial poles made of hardwood) were carved and painted in complex designs using earth colours. They were to be erected in the deceased

persons tribal country where the body was buried. When the ceremony was concluded grave posts were left to the elements. Part Four: Symbols and Art - Expressions of the Dreaming Focus: Symbols/artworks played a central role in communication Artwork usually depicted connection with the land or religious beliefs/stories from the dreaming Indigenous people are creative in finding/using naturally occurring pigments Important Words: Engraving: carved writings/designs Pigment: colour Communication: Aboriginal tribes had no written language, instead using pictures/symbols to communicate where to find things e.g. food, water, sacred sites or dreaming stories/beliefs Indigenous Australians had a symbol system that was both simple and complex The symbols were simple, but often elaborately combined with others to create a more complex meaning The amount of symbols that you knew depended on your social status e.g. a tribal elder would be able to recognise significant details in an artwork that were hidden from others Common Symbols:

Traditional Art: Art has always been a part of the Aboriginal lifestyle, some pieces dating back around 52 000 years Artwork took the form of engravings, paintings, imprints, stencils and sculptures This was usually done on rocks, bark , wood, sand and people Art was considered to be a supernatural power given to everyone by the ancestral beings Art is considered a participation in the dreaming, making most aboriginal art religious in nature Can depict everyday activities, but mostly focuses on the relationship between the ancestral beings, the aboriginal people and the land Art was also used in various rituals and to illustrate important ceremonies e.g. initiation. Ancestral Beings: Most art is concerned with the bond of the people to the ancestral beings Most images are abstract, however, they contain important information to the initiated, e.g. location of food, evil spirits Diversity in Traditional Art: As Aboriginal people did not live in a constant environment, they had to use whatever material s they had to create art They were very creative in finding pigments and appropriate media Rock engravings, rock paintings, stencilling, wooden sculptures and bark paintings were the most common form of artwork Rock engravings were carved into soft rock e.g. sandstone located on cliff faces, caves and rock shelters Rock paintings were usually made in sheltered areas where they would be better preserved Stencilling involved forming an image by spraying the colour, usually with one's mouth, around the object being stencilled. Hands and feet were the most popular Wooden sculptures were only used to mark initiation and burial sites. The grave poles were made to encourage the spirit of the deceased to return to his/her ancestral home Some sculptures were also used a totem poles, depicting the ancestral being of a particular tribe Bark paintings were painted on the inside of a strip of bark. What you were allowed to paint depended on your social status. The uninitiated were only allowed to paint stories that could be told to children, whereas the initiated could paint secret information Part 6: Importance of the Dreaming in the Lives of Aboriginal People The Dreaming is at the heart of Aboriginal beliefs and spirituality. It explains the creation of the world and people, laws, why there was good and evil as well as the purpose of life.

The Dreaming explains that the world was created by ancestral beings from a featureless mass. Ancestral beings were said to control food supply and the weather. Evil was believed to be a result of ancestral beings fighting and breaking the law. Mythologies created principles for the people to live by. The land and all its creatures are as one, a living organism. Sacred sites are said to be the resting places of ancestral beings and are sites for special ceremonies and a reminder of spirituality. Aboriginal art contains symbols and records the stories of ancestral beings and the Dreaming. Art also contains information needed for survival such as locations of food and water sources, location of sacred sites and places to be avoided and knowledge of the boundaries of their country. The Dreaming is the source of individual and social identity and interconnects clans and the land, promoting social cohesion. Aboriginal people believe that they belong to the land; it provides a sense of identity. Kinship relationships determine whom a person can marry, which ensures group continuity and cohesion within the clan. The Dreaming affirms the legitimacy of prearranged marriages. Each member of an Aboriginal clan possessed a clearly defined status within that clan, providing hierarchal roles and therefore responsibilities.

Part 9: Obligations to Land & People Honouring the Dreaming: Focus: The Dreaming proposes that humans as well as the rest of the earth were all created by ancestral beings Each person is responsible for the land and all living things according to customary laws. Principle of reciprocity- Ones obligations to other people and Aboriginal society.

Important definitions: Payback negative expression of the principle of reciprocity that operates to avenge wrongdoing Reciprocity system of kinship obligations by which, goods, services, favours and obligations are exchanged; 'looking after one's own'

Connection with the dreaming: Dreaming proposes that Ancestral beings created the Earth and all living things. Ancestral beings also left their life-essence in creation. This is why creation is so sacred. Everything co-exists.

The Ancestral beings also gave laws to Aboriginal people to help them coexist with creation. This interdependence is expressed in the obligations people have for each other and with the land

Obligations to the land: All people possess some essence of the Ancestral beings that created his or her county which is why every person is a custodian of the land and all it sustains. This duty is organised by clan because they bestow ownership of the land. Members of the clan have the right to access places such as hunting sites and gathering the resources of the territory. Australias Aboriginal people do not exploit the land as they are taught to be caretakers of its living and non-living resources. Clan members are restricted from hunting totem animals and there are restrictions regarding the eating and preparation of certain foods. These protocols are made to make sure the environment remains sustainable.

Sacred Sites: Clan members are responsible for maintaining sacred sites. These sacred sites are inhabited by the ancestral beings and people perform rituals here to honour them and to ensure a fertile future and the wellbeing of plants and animals. These benefits of these rituals are said to be shared between all regions which practice them creating a sense of interdependence.

Promoting wellbeing of the land: Clan members participate in activities such as spreading seeds, leaving small amounts of food behind for animals to feed, or controlled burning which encourages the well-being of the country.

Obligations to other people: Aboriginal people taught to share food from a young age and are very generous. Reciprocity refers to a system between people regarding exchanges of goods, favours, and services. Basically One must look after ones own. It often operates between tribes or even language groups. It also contains wrongdoings and payback.

Elders: Male elders are responsible for honouring and maintaining laws and looking after sacred things. The female elders are responsible for fertility and marriage and caring for young girls.

Part 11: Land Rights Reclaiming the Dreaming:

In Australia, the land rights movement is the struggle to reclaim the lands and Dreaming from which Aboriginal people have been dispossessed, making the movement both political and spiritual Aspects of native title have been addressed legally by the Mabo judgment, Native Title Act (1993) and Wik decision Considerable work remains in reclaiming Aboriginal land and sovereignty and until then the Dreaming can never fully be reclaimed. From an Aboriginal perspective this is because the judgment and subsequent legal decisions after the High Court decision, and legislation have failed to deliver fully what belongs to them. The story of Aboriginal land rights is the history of Australia since first European settlement in 1788

Important Words: Colonisers people who help found a colony Common Law system of law in which judges' decisions are informed by decisions in cases previously settled, i.e. by following a precedent or similar case; also called 'case law' Mabo Judgment High Court ruling that native title exists where Aboriginal people have maintained an ongoing connection with their country, according to their traditions and customs; overturned terra nullius Native Title rights and interests possessed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples under traditional laws and customs and recognised by Australian common law Native Title Act 1993 part of the Commonwealth Government response to Mabo judgment Right of Extinguishment use of common law provisions to extinguish native title in relation to pastoral leases Wik Decision High Court ruling that pastoral leases did not give pastoralists exclusive possession of land and did not necessarily extinguish all native title rights and interests

Principle of Native Title: Native title is a principle of Australian common law that acknowledges the fact that Aboriginal people did not necessarily lose their land and waters during British settlement Aboriginal right to ownership of land was recognised by British authorities very early in the life of the colony In 1837, the British Parliamentary Select Committee on Aboriginal Tribes, affirmed that the native inhabitants of any land have an incontrovertible right to their own soil however, which seems not to have been understood.

The principle of terra nullius had been applied to Australia from the very day of first settlement in 1788 on the basis that Aboriginal people had no laws and customs in relation to the land. When in fact they had complex systems and laws relating to ownership and management of the land, but it was convenient for the British to ignore this in view of the growing demand for land by settlers. The principle of terra nullius was affirmed in law by the British Privy Council in 1889

The Struggle: Aboriginal people's long and historical struggle to reclaim the land that once belonged to them reflects the lack of recognition of Native Title in Australia until 1992 when the doctrine of terra nullius was overturned by the High Court Mabo judgment Until then native title was the basis of the land rights movement in this country.

Mabo Case: In 1982, Eddie Mabo and four other Meriam people of the Murray Islands commenced legal action in the Australian High Court, seeking recognition in law of their traditional land rights. The basis of the claim was that the Meriam people's rights to their land had not been extinguished by Britain's claim to sovereignty, because they continued to enjoy their land rights after occupation. After ten years of litigation, the High Court finally made its ruling by a majority of six to one. The judges conceded that the British Crown had acquired sovereignty, but stated that it did not automatically acquire full ownership of the land. OR. Aboriginal people did not lose ownership of their land, unless the Crown acted in a way that indicated it intended to take ownership of the land. This meant that vacant crown land, national parks and possibly some leased land could be claimed for Native Title The High Court ruled that native title exists where Aboriginal people have maintained an ongoing connection with their country, according to their traditions and customs. Significance: o The Mabo judgment is significant as it overturned the fictional notion of terra nullius. In effect, the High Court admitted the error of common law to fail to recognise native title and made a ruling to ensure that the legal system could no longer refuse to recognise it.

Native Title Act 1993:

The Commonwealth Government responded to the Mabo judgment by passing the Native Title Act 1993. Developers, miners, pastoralists, tourist operators, etc. needed access to land, as well as the certainty of maintaining title to it. The Native Title Act sought to balance the interests of these parties with Aboriginal people's property and cultural rights in five ways. The Native Title Act: o Recognises and protects native title. o Provides for the validation of any past grants of land that may otherwise have been invalid because of the existence of native title. o Provides a regime to enable future dealings in native title lands and imposes conditions on those dealings. o Establishes a regime to ascertain where native title exists, who holds it and what it is, and determine compensation for acts affecting it. o Creates a land acquisition fund to meet the needs of dispossessed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who would not be able to claim native title.

Wik Decision: Pastoral leases are a special form of land title and cover vast areas of land in outback Australia. They bestow on leaseholders the right to graze cattle across large areas of land without being restricted to specific pockets of land for continuous and extended periods High court judges drew on historical evidence in reaching the Wik Decision. Historical records confirmed that early colonial legislation granting pastoral leases aimed to put a stop to the violence perpetrated by settlers on Aboriginal people and common law records indicated that pastoral licenses could be revoked if squatters inflicted harm on Aboriginal people. On this basis, majority of the presiding judges concluded that the purpose of pastoral leases had never been to exclude traditional Aboriginal hunting and gathering rights, or to remove Aboriginal people from the land. Therefore, the High Court ruled that pastoral leases did not give pastoralists exclusive possession of land and so, did not necessarily extinguish all native title rights and interests. The High Court also found that native title rights and interests survive when they coexist harmoniously with the rights of pastoralists. However, where there was any inconsistency between the two, the rights of the pastoralists would prevail. This has given Aboriginal people access to their traditional lands, even if it coincides with pastoral leases. The Ten Point Plan in 1997 was seen as a backwards step in terms of Native Title as far as the Aboriginal people were concerned.

The Land Rights Movement Reclaiming the Dreaming: Britain took sovereignty over Australia without negotiating with and obtaining consent from Aboriginal people. Historically, there have been instances of cooperative coexistence between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians, but these are greatly outnumbered by conflicts arising from forced removal of indigenous people from traditional lands. These conflicts embrace two interconnected issues: o The first issue concerns the physical loss of traditional land and country. o The second issue relates to Aboriginal people being stripped of their own sovereignty and it being replaced with British rule and laws. Aboriginal people lost both their traditional lands and the laws and rules governing their lives and relationships. These losses, have significantly impacted on their capacity to sustain and perpetuate the Dreaming - core of Aboriginal spirituality constantly renewed in traditional rituals and stories of the Dreaming.

Land Rights Movement: The land rights movement has always been about reclaiming the Aboriginal right to land and sovereignty - their right to reclaim the Dreaming, since European settlement The land rights movement became formalised in 1966 when the Gurindji people conducted a strike in protest against poor conditions and pay. What was initially a wages and conditions issue soon became a land rights issue. Nine years later, the Whitlam Government granted the return of some Gurindji traditional lands. This was a significant turning point for the land rights movement. It became a national symbol of Aboriginal people's struggle to reclaim land and sovereignty and reclaim the Dreaming.

Aboriginal Tent Embassy: The Aboriginal Tent Embassy demanded: 1. Control of the Northern Territory as a State within the Commonwealth of Australia; the parliament in the Northern Territory to be predominantly Aboriginal with title and mining rights to all land within the Territory 2. Legal title and mining rights to all other presently existing reserve lands and settlements throughout Australia 3. Preservation of all sacred sites throughout Australia

4. Legal title and mining rights to areas in and around all Australian capital cities 5. Compensation money for lands not returnable to take the form of a down-payment of six billion dollars and an annual percentage of the gross national income - While these demands were rejected, the Tent Embassy became an important symbol of Aboriginal people's estrangement from the land and was added to the Australian Register of the National Estate in 1995. - It is recognised nationally as a site representing the Aboriginal struggle to reclaim land and sovereignty. In Conclusion: The Mabo judgment and Wik decision were important wins for the land rights movement. Considerable work remains in reclaiming the land and sovereignty enjoyed by Aboriginal people before European settlement. Until this happens, Aboriginal people can never fully reconnect with the Dreaming.

Part Seven: Kinship - Living the Dreaming Ancestral beings gave laws and rules to Aboriginal people that controlled all aspects of life. These laws defined peoples identity and place within groups. It governed how each person was to relate to others and the physical environment. Western law is recorded in thousands of books. Whereas the Aboriginal law is enforced through a highly developed and complex religious and social structure, called kinship. Kinship is based on a highly expanded concept of family. It regulates social and spiritual relationships and acts as a framework for establishing: individual identity stable relationships social cohesion and harmony In Aboriginal society the immediate family is made up of a number of different groups. The non-indigenous part of society uses the lineal system. Aboriginal system is classificatory. These are the two different systems: The lineal system is the familiar, family tree:

 While the classificatory family tree, has a completely different picture of relationships: 1. Ego has one blood brother, one blood sister and the brother of Egos mother is his uncle 2. The sister of Ego's mother is not an aunt. Instead, she is also Ego's mother and is called his classificatory mother, instead of biological mother. 3. Similarly, the sister of Ego's father is an aunt, but the brother on Ego's father's side, is his classificatory father. 4. The children of Ego's classificatory father and mother are not cousins; they are his sisters and brothers. 5. The children of Ego's aunt and uncle are his cousins.

Kinship rules Unlike the linear family tree, the classificatory is all encompassing and complex as distant family members are added. Rules and regulations become enforced, because every person is placed in one or more kin category, where rights and responsibilities are associated with these categories. These rules regulate behaviours, ensuring that everyone respects and nurtures this interconnected and finely-balanced network of relationships. For example, kinship rules define who will look after the children of deceased biological parents, as well as who will care for the sick and the old. What they do

 These kinship rules maintain the spirit of the dreaming. They are the very heart of Aboriginal spirituality which, through Dreaming mythology, places every individual within a network of interconnected relationships with other people, the land and all it contains. The kinship system has several levels in the classification of kinship groups. These levels are significant in so far as they govern other important aspects of life, such as hunting, religion and marriage. The tribe The highest kinship level is that of the tribe or nation. A tribe is made up of people who share the same language, customs and general laws. This is the reason they are also referred to as language groups. People from other tribes are regarded as outsiders. All members of the tribe share the same ancestral beings and land. They occupy a particular area of land known as the tribes country. Collectively, the tribe is considered to own the land and be its custodians. Totemic groups link individuals to the Dreaming and consist of people who share the same object, plant or animal to which each is ancestrally connected. Totemic groups are the building blocks of clans. Clans Clans are sub-units within a tribe where members share common territory and totems. Consisting of groups of extended family, the clan has its own unique name. Usually the men born into a particular clan remain in the territory belonging to that clan. Women are given more flexibility as they may go live on a different territory belonging to the clan of their husband. Due to clans being associated with territory, land ownership is transmitted through the male. Every totem has specific rituals and duties associated with it. The clan system ensures that these rituals and responsibilities are attended to within and beyond the borders of the tribal territory. From a spiritual perspective, this division is significant as it helps to perpetuate the Dreaming through tribes and generations. Moieties The moiety system divides all members of a tribe into two groups. Essentially, the moiety system places a person into one of two groups according to their connection with plants, animals, the physical landscape and ancestral beings. Moieties supplement family kinship groups by setting rules for social behaviour. An important aspect of moieties relates to their spiritual significance. Every tribe has its own Dreaming, linked to the tribe's ancestors. While individual Dreamings have many aspects unique to a particular tribe. This macroscopic Dreaming links and unifies all individual Dreamings. Moieties serve as a mechanism for this to happen, because people from different tribal groups belong to the same moiety and share their Dreaming stories with all members of the moiety. As these individual Dreamings are shared, people become linked and united in a more global Dreaming. Marriage

The principle rule for married is the two marriage partners must come from opposite moieties. Specific rules vary between tribes, but commonly revolve around subdivisions within the tribe known as sections or skin names. There are a number of systems, but the most common are four-division, six-division and eight-division section systems Four-Divisions section systems The cycle of the four-division sections is always started by the woman. It is formed by dividing the two moieties of the tribe into two sub-sections, making a total of four groups, two from each moiety. 1. A woman from 'A' (Banaga) marries a man from 'B' (Garimarda) and the children become 'C' (Burungu). 2. A woman from 'B' (Garimarda) marries a man from 'A' and the children become 'D' (Balyirdi). 3. A woman from 'C' (Burungu) marries a man from 'D' (Balyirdi) and the children become 'A' (Banaga). 4. A woman from 'D' (Bayirdi) marries a man from 'C' and the children become 'B' (Garimarda). Six-division section system A six-division section system has two moieties and they are divided into three sub-sections each. One moiety consists of the Purungu, Yiparrka and Panaka divisions; the other moiety comprises the Tjarurru, Milangka and Karimarra divisions. Marriage partners are created in the following manner. 1. A Purungu man will marry a Milangka or Karimarra woman and have Tjarurru children. 2. A Yiparrka man will marry a Tjarurru woman and have Milangka children. 3. A Panaka man will marry a Tjarurru woman and have Karimarra children. 4. A Tjarurru man will marry a Panaka or Yiparrka woman and have Purungu children. 5. A Milangka man will marry a Purungu woman and have Yiparrka children. 6. A Karimarra man will marry a Purungu woman and have Panaka children. Eight-division section system In the eight-division section system the two moieties of the group are divided into four subsections each and marriage partners are selected in the following manner: Marriage and descent are governed as follows. 1. Man '1' may marry woman '2' or woman '6'. If he marries woman '6' (the preferred order) his children become '4'. If he marries woman '2' his children become '8'. 2. Man '2' may marry either woman '1' or '5'. If he marries woman '5' (the preferred order) his children become '7'. If he marries woman '1' his children become '3'.

The classificatory system, unlike the linear family tree, is all encompassing and becomes increasingly complex as remote family members are added. However, it provides a simple and transparent framework for enforcing rules and regulations, because every person is placed in one or more kin categories and has the rights and responsibilities associated with these categories. The workings of kinship rules become apparent from the following rules and protocols associated with kinship groups. Australian Aboriginal kinship is based on a highly expanded concept of family. It embraces all the social relationships a person is born into and creates during life. Kinship is the single most important means of organising and regulating social and spiritual relationships and acts as a framework for establishing: Part Eight: Ceremonies - Remembering the Dreaming Important words: Ceremony formal celebration of an event Embodied describes a spirit or spiritual force with physical or tangible form Ritual particular way of doing things; set order of actions Role of Ceremony Accessing the Dreaming Ceremonies provide access to the spiritual world and perpetuate the dreaming, it is very important in the aboriginal life. Sacred stories of the dreaming are passed on from generation to generation They believe that they bestow spiritual beings by coming into contact with their ancestors. Dreaming beliefs and sacred stories are kept by specific members of the tribe who express it to others through ceremonies. Ceremonies can be performed in dance, while others can be through body design and symbolism. Some ceremonies involve people from different tribes who bring gifts of food, objects and raw materials to trade. A feast and ceremony that is celebrated around us is The Bunya in Queensland.

Rituals and Roles Some ceremonies usually follow a certain pattern each time they are performed which are known as rituals. Many ceremonies are open to all members of the aboriginal community including children but some are considered secret and only include those who are initiated. Aboriginal men and women play different roles in the ceremonies. Some of the scared rituals are performed by both men and women shoes songs, dances and stories complement each other. Mens and womens ceremonies are held separately as its believed the strength of the spiritual force embodied in these rituals could harm those of opposite gender or their presence could impair the rituals success.

Sacred Rituals Types Traditional rituals are usually associated with birth, coming of age, death and fertility. Important roles are played by individuals depending on their social position and ancestral inheritance. The main sacred rituals played are: Birth rituals Male and female initiation rituals Rituals associated with death Increase rituals Many aboriginals still practise these traditions in Australia today

Birth Ritual When a woman was ready to give birth she would have to go outside of the camp and into a cave or special shelter with a her mother, mother-in-law or another married woman The women then would help with the actual birthing process and perform the special rites and songs that helped the birth proceed smoothly The placenta is buried after the birth, its a spiritual connection between the child and the land A smoking ceremony is held, the mother would crouch over or lie down on the smoking leaves as part of a cleansing process The baby then gets held over the smoking fire to make it strong and quiet and then covered with the ashes to it is dark skinned like its parents After this process the father is then allowed to see the child

Male Initiation Men are responsible for carrying out many public and private rituals and for passing the knowledge down to the next generation For boys to be considered an adult they had to go through the initiation process After this the boy is no longer considered a child but as a young man. This process is done between the age of 6-16 years usually the time of puberty and it sometimes involves circumcision The male elders of the community teach the young men going through the process of initiation ways of the tribe and sacred myths and rituals Ceremonies are held for the whole community and sometimes several communities Mothers and potential mothers-in-law must prepare the food for the initiation ceremony The young men would travel to sacred sites as part of the ritual The women and girls would have to remain out of sight until the young men left the camp At the initiation there would be dancing, body painting and singing. Some of the parts of the ceremony are for the whole community and some are just for those being initiated

Female Initiation Women have separate sacred rituals The knowledge that their rituals were based on were: Bringing health and healing to individuals as well as the land Resolving conflict and restoring social harmony in the community Girls become initiated when they go through puberty As the girl goes through puberty they are taken away from the camp where older women would pass on knowledge and teach her songs and myths as well as how to behave as a young woman A bath, painting and decorating the body is a part of the ritual After that she would return to the camp into a public reception where everyone would now know that she is ready to be married and she is then considered to be an independent wife and mother. Only a woman that had two or more children was considered fully initiated and is then allowed to access more meanings of rituals and being allowed to perform more rituals

Part eight continued: Ceremonies- Remembering the Dreaming Death Rituals Aboriginals believed that after death, the spirit of the individual lives on. In order for it to return to its own country and ancestral spirits or to totemic sites (to be born again in a different person), it needed to be released. All traces of the dead person, removed to encourage the spirit to leave e.g. clothes and belongings, for years the individuals name will not be spoken of. Green branches used to sweet away all traces of the dead person. Their dwelling would be smoked to chase away the spirit. The family would move camp. Rocks were hit and sticks broken near childrens ears to prevent thoughts of the dead person

Various ways of burying the body by different groups: Cremate, bury them immediately or wait a set time, expose the body in a tree or on a platform and later come to collect the bones (after: bones would be carried around in a container before being placed in a hollow tree or cave). Mourning: relatives of the deceased would cut and gash themselves until they drew blood. Painting the body with white clay represented sorrow and refrain from eating certain foods. Widows were not allowed to speak but communicate by hand signals.

Deaths of anyone who was not an infant or elderly were assumed to be caused by someone: by magic or direct fight. Revenge would be taken on the person thought responsible by spearing men in the thigh or beating women.

Increase Rituals Members of certain totems would carry our increase rituals to ensure: plenty of each species of animal and plant life for the future, and necessary rain or good weather for a good growing season. The people would enter into the spirit world (world of ancestor spirits who shaped the earth and created the animals and plants) and identify themselves with an ancestor spirit, becoming one with the spirit being in the eternal act of creation. Ways which increase rituals could be carried out include:

Touching up cave paintings Creating new paintings, sand pictures or bark paintings Rituals singing and dancing, displaying sacred objects and painting bodies with certain patterns Ritual actions such as crushing and scattering pearl shells to bring rain Rituals actions of striking bushes or trees to release spirits Calling out certain names Letting of blood (or red ochre as a substitute in sacred places Ceremonial objects Sacred rituals performed at sacred sites (bora grounds) and the sites were marked by scarring the immediate surroundings (trees) Preparation of sacred objects (bark paintings, sand paintings, icons of spirit beings moulded or carved in clay, body ornaments such as waist belts and arm bands). They painted their bodies using natural earth pigments and created sacred designs to enable them to enter the spirit world. Ceremonies performed by men and boys: headband with shell pendant, nose bone, large pearl shell pendant, European brass buckle belt , shields, spears, long sword clubs and a boomerang.

Ceremonial Song, Music and Dance Helped connect traditional Aboriginal people to the Dreaming Each language group possessed sacred stories specific to ancestral beings of their own country, with great diversity in song, music and dance Songs formed a map of a tribes country and traced the travels of ancestral beings Songs: about a variety of themes such as hunting, birth, death, healing the sick, waterholes and creation, and were usually chanted to music Common musical instruments: didgeridoo, music sticks, seed rattlers, and boomerangs used ad clap sticks. Certain language groups: did not use didgeridoos but women would use ceremonial drums made from the skins of goannas, snakes, kangaroos and emus A variety of garments were worn during rituals: wrist and ankle bands made from animal skins. Men often wore garments made from kangaroo skins or some other type of animal fur, women wore skirts made feathers.

PART 9 OBLIGATIONS TO LAND AND PEOPLE HONOURING THE DREAMING Focus:

The Dreaming proposes that humans as well as the rest of the earth were all created by ancestral beings Each person is responsible for the land and all living things according to customary laws. Principle of reciprocity- Ones obligations to other people and Aboriginal society.

Important definitions: Payback negative expression of the principle of reciprocity that operates to avenge wrongdoing Reciprocity system of kinship obligations by which, goods, services, favours and obligations are exchanged; 'looking after one's own'; Connection with the dreaming: Dreaming proposes that Ancestral beings created the Earth and all living things. Ancestral beings also left their life-essence in creation. This is why creation is so sacred. Everything co-exists. The Ancestral beings also gave laws to Aboriginal people to help them coexist with creation. This interdependence is expressed in the obligations people have for each other and with the land Obligations to the land All people possesses some essence of the Ancestral beings that created his or her county which is why every person is a custodian of the land and all it sustains. This duty is organised by clan because they bestow ownership of the land. Members of the clan have the right to access places such as hunting sites and gathering the resources of the territory. Australias Aboriginal people do not exploit the land as they are taught to be caretakers of its living and non-living resources. Clan members are restricted from hunting totem animals and there are restrictions regarding the eating and preparation of certain foods. These protocols are made to make sure the environment remains sustainable. Sacred Sites Clan members are responsible for maintaining sacred sites. These sacred sites are inhabited by the ancestral beings and people perform rituals here to honour them and to ensure a fertile future and the wellbeing of plants and animals. These benefits of these rituals are said to be shared between all regions which practice them creating a sense of interdependence. Promoting wellbeing of the land

Clan members participate in activities such as spreading seeds, leaving small amounts of food behind for animals to feed, or controlled burning which encourages the well-being of the country.

Obligations to other people Aboriginal people taught to share food from a young age and are very generous. Reciprocity refers to a system between people regarding exchanges of goods, favours, and services. Basically One must look after ones own. It often operates between tribes or even language groups. It also contains wrongdoings and payback. Elders Male elders are responsible for honouring and maintaining laws and looking after sacred things. The female elders are responsible for fertility and marriage and caring for young girls.