The religion of the Aboriginal people is complex; combining spiritual ties with the land, rituals, totemism, mythology and magic. “Dreamtime” is the basis for all traditional thought and practice. This is the dawn of all creation, existing separate from time and space and linking the past, present and future. Elaborate rituals, which were established in dreamtime, are necessary for the world to continue. The tribal elders hold the responsibility and it is taken very seriously. Ritual is especially important upon death. It is believed that a person's spirit does not die with physical death and that ceremonies are essential to ensure that the spirit becomes embodied in another form such as rocks, trees, animals or another human. Mythology is also important, as animals are often given human and super human qualities in these "dreamtime stories". Lacking a written language, the Aborigines have passed on these stories for thousands of years orally, in traditional Corroboree ceremonies and with rock painting. Totemism, common to other religions is more elaborate in the Aboriginal culture than in any other. Tribes form a special bond with a totem, usually a plant or animal which takes on the role of protector, relative and companion, and acts as the symbol of group identity. Magic also plays a role in this religion. Religious leaders commonly cast spells and curses on adversaries that can only be broken by the spell of a more powerful elder. The belief that the world order was established at creation has given them no concept of progress and change, establishing a lifestyle that has remained unchanged for generations.
Australia’s “dot” art
The popular “dot paintings" of the Aboriginals were originally used in addition to the oral history of their dreamings, or creation legends, and made for cultural purposes, and not the art market. The dots are, in effect, a form of camouflage. Some artists were criticized for having revealed too much of their sacred heritage. As a result, detailed depictions of human figures and ceremonial paraphernalia were removed or modified. These designs and their 'inside' meanings, originally rendered in sand, were not to be written down and 'traded'. Dotting and over-dotting became a means of concealing dangerous, secret designs. Artists are only allowed to paint their tribe’s stories, and only with permission from the tribal elder. The viewing perspective is generally as though looking down from above. However, some artists are permitted to paint the “7 Sisters” dreaming or the “Milky Way” dreaming, an upward view. Since the 1970s this art form has continued to grow in popularity and most major museums in the world contain examples of this fascinating art form
posted by Hills @ 5:06 PM
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