Family, land, law, and language are four critical aspects of Aboriginal culture, and Aboriginal families are linked to land via kinship systems.
The complex set of spiritual values developed by Aboriginal people and that are part of the Dreamtime include 'self-control, self-reliance, courage, kinship and friendship, empathy, a holistic sense of oneness and interdependence, reverence for land and Country and a responsibility for others.
The Number 4
This cultural concept is based on the Aboriginal belief that natural occurrences happen in fours and four is a sacred number.
The six core values (see Figure 1) – spirit and integrity, cultural continuity, equity, reciprocity, respect, and responsibility – are important to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Language is essential to the wellbeing, culture and identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Language plays an integral role in maintaining the strength of Indigenous communities, particularly in remote areas.
These teachings stressed Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth as the values that enable people to live in a way that promotes harmony and balance with everyone and everything in creation.
The Aboriginals believed that the entire world was made by their Ancestors way back in the very beginning of time, the Dreamtime. The Ancestors made everything. The Ancestors made particular sites to show the Aboriginal people which places were to be sacred.
The AIATSIS Code outlines four principles that underpin ethical Australian Indigenous research; these are: Indigenous self-determination, Indigenous leadership, impact and value, and sustainability and accountability.
In it, the Department identifies Australian society values as 'respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, freedom of religion, commitment to the rule of law, Parliamentary democracy, equality of men and women, and a spirit of egalitarianism that embraces mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and compassion ...
One of the numbers that is sacred to the Cherokee Indians is the number seven. They have seven ancient ceremonies. These ceremonies are what created the Cherokee yearly religious cycle.
Have you every wondered what the number '7' means? So did I! I visited the Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Center in Whistler and asked them what it means. It represents a pause, they said. It is also referred as a 'glottal stop'.
Strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources • Distinct social, economic or political systems • Distinct language, culture and beliefs • Form non-dominant groups of society • Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities.
It shapes Indigenous identity, linking people to their community and country, and importantly is a contributing factor to health and wellbeing.
For example non-Aboriginal people often identify themselves by their wealth, occupation and individual achievement. In contrast, 'identity' for Aboriginal people is often influenced by family and social networks. 2. Kinship and belonging to a specific family group is integral to Aboriginal 'identity' and culture.
The core defining values of Australian Democracy are: freedom of election and being elected. freedom of assembly and political participation.
The rule of law, freedom, an independent media, an impartial and independent judicial system and a market economy constitute the fabric of Australian democracy. They support our national strength and high-income economy, providing an enduring basis for social and economic progress.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold distinct cultural rights and must not be denied the right to maintain, control, protect and develop their culture, and to have their traditional connections with land, waters and resources recognised and valued.
Moral Principles
The five principles, autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity are each absolute truths in and of themselves. By exploring the dilemma in regards to these principles one may come to a better understanding of the conflicting issues.
The 4 basic ethical principles that apply to forensic activities are respect for autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice.
Aboriginal Australians' oral tradition and spiritual values build on reverence for the land and on a belief in the Dreamtime, or Dreaming.
Terms to know animism- the belief that all things have souls and spirits that live after death polytheistic- the belief in multiple gods monotheistic- the belief in one god reincarnation- the belief that an individual is reborn in another body after death totems- a method of preventing marriage between relatives.
Aboriginal culture is based on respect, for the land and for their elders. Not showing respect is one of the biggest mistakes non-Aboriginal people do when interacting with Aboriginal culture.