Australian Aboriginal Culture

In this blog, I’m going to give you the general information of the Australian aboriginal culture like history, their food, beliefs and tradition, body language, and the most important the major challenges this culture would experience adaption to Australian culture.

So, let me start with the introduction.

Introduction

Native people of Australia who probably came from somewhere in Asia more than 40,000 years ago. The aboriginal population at the time of European colonization in the late 18th cent. has been estimated to have numbered between 300,000 and 800,000. At that time, there were 500–600 distinct groups of aborigines speaking about 200 different languages or dialects (at least 50 of which are now extinct).

In the past the word Aboriginal has been used in Australia to describe its indigenous peoples as early as 1789.

At present the term refers only to those peoples who were traditionally hunter gatherers.

You can see the recent statistics of Australian aborigines in different state. From this figure we can see that the majority or the maximum of population is in Northern Territory which is 32.5% and in Victoria, they have only 1% which is lowest in comparison to other state.

Furthermore, they have different regional groups based on indigeneous langugae like Koori, Murri, Nunga etc.

Cultural Overview

Let’s talk about aborigines culture,

Australia's Aboriginal culture probably represents the oldest surviving culture in the world, with the use of stone tool technology and painting with red ochre pigment dating to at least 50,000 years ago.

All of Australia's Aborigines were semi-nomadic hunters and gatherers, with each clan having its own territory. Those communities living along the coast or rivers were expert fishermen.

Australians never developed an "iron age", "bronze age", or pottery, and the terms "palaeolithic" (old stone age) and "neolithic" (new stone age) are not used in Australia, because stone technology did not progress in the same way as the rest of the world.

All Australian Aborigines shared an intimate understanding of, and relationship with, the land. That relationship was the basis of their spiritual life and shaped the Aboriginal culture.

Food

Since many Aboriginal groups were nomadic hunters and gatherers, they did little in the area of food preparation. Meals were simple, as was their preparation.

If you head into the Outback and try some foods you will get the taste that you never tried before.

When most people look at the outback, they see a wilderness. Aboriginals, however, see a kitchen pantry. Described in their own vocabulary as ‘bush tucker’, the cuisine has an extraordinary range. From the carnivorous end, which includes kangaroo, emu and crocodile, down to the insect group, which features honey ants and witchetty grub, there’s also quandong (a kind of peach), bush tomato, yams and macadamia nuts to enjoy.

However, Factors such as poverty, low or inadequate incomes, poor housing, including basic set-ups to store and prepare food, and less access to nutritious food, place Aborigines at higher risk which we will discuss in next slide.

Belief and Tradition

Land is fundamental to the well-being of all Aboriginal people.

Based on the dreamtime stories, Ancestor Spirits' came to Earth in human and other forms and the land, the plants and animals were given their form as we know them today.

The expression 'Dreamtime' refers to the 'time before time', or 'the time of the creation of all things', while 'Dreaming' is often used to refer to an individual's or group's set of beliefs or spirituality.

Also, Body painting, Rock painting and bark painting are some of the traditions within these communities. They used different tools like Primitive brushes, sticks, fingers and even a technique of spraying the paint directly out of the mouth onto the medium resulting in an effect similar to modern spraypaint.

Body painting:

indicated the relationship Aboriginal people had to nature, their land, their ancestors, animals and environment.

Rock painting: It shows objects they still use, animals they still hunt and activities they still do.

Traditionally, bark paintings were produced for instructional and ceremonial purposes and were transient objects. Today, they are keenly sought after by collectors and public arts institutions.

Tools

They also developed three musical instruments, the best known being the didgeridoo. The other two instruments are the bull-roarer, and the gumleaf.

Australian aborigines used Boomerangs for hunting. It is made up of wood.

Likewise, Spearthrowers, bags and nets also used by aborigines as their tools.

Body Language

As you all know how important is body language for communication and also different culture have different body language.

So it is always good to know to avid the miss communication.

For the Australian aborigines, Eye contact is thought over-assertive so be aware of that.

However, a smile and a node is welcoming even without words. Aborigines believes in good relationship so always ask about family or share information about yourself before doing any business. Likewise, speak in gentle tones and do not speak too fast.

Major Challenges to Australian Culture

The Indigenous Australian population is a mostly urbanized demographic, but a substantial number (27%) live in remote settlements often located on the site of former church missions.

The health and economic difficulties facing both groups are substantial. Both the remote and urban populations have adverse ratings on a number of social indicators, including health, education, unemployment, poverty and crime.

Australia’s aboriginal culture is the oldest surviving culture in the word.

Bush tucker/Bush food means the food from animals, plants, Edible seeds, Grubs and insects, honey and nectars and it also includes the water.

Land is fundamental to the well-being and dreamtime is the aboriginal understanding of the world, of its creation which is the beginning of knowledge, from which came the laws of existence.

Australian aboriginal rock art is famous and it is the oldest unbroken tradition of art in the world.