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 people believe in multiple human souls, which fall into two broad categories: one is comparable to the Western ego—a self-created, autonomous agency that accompanies the body and constitutes the person's identity; and another that comes from "The Dreaming" and/or from God.
What Are the Key Aspects and Diversity of Aboriginal Culture? Aboriginal people have unique views of the world which differ from those of mainstream groups. Family, land, law, and language are four critical aspects of Aboriginal culture, and Aboriginal families are linked to land via kinship systems.
Rather than viewing Country, or land, as a physical environment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people consider Country as a deeply symbolic and spiritual place [1]. The connection between person and Country reinforces Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' identity and sense of belonging [5].
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.
For example, many people spoke of Indigenous Spirituality as a “way of life” and “way of knowing” (or worldview) that was centered on a relationship with the Creator, the land and “all our relations.” This usually included all other beings and forms of life, including what are commonly perceived as inanimate objects, ...
The six values are Spirit and Integrity, Cultural continuity, Equity, Reciprocity, Respect, and Responsibility. 'Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities' guidelines document provides further detail.
Australian Aborigines were nomadic people, hunting and food gathering as they travelled within their tribal boundaries. They made semi-permanent stops, camping for days or weeks in one place, depending on the availability of food and water.
At the point of death, it is said that our original mother, Mother Earth, who nourished our bodies, reclaims our physical forms. Our original father, the Creator, takes our spirits, to return them to their place of origin. Afterlife The spirit can be seen and felt leaving the body.
Dreamtime or Dreaming for Australian Aboriginal people represents the time when the Ancestral Spirits progressed over the land and created life and important physical geographic formations and sites. Aboriginal philosophy is known as the Dreaming and is based on the inter-relation of all people and all things.
Australia is home to the oldest continuing living culture in the entire world. The richness and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in Australia is something we should all take pride in as a nation.
First, we hold beliefs about ourselves. Second, we hold beliefs about others. Lastly, we hold beliefs about the world around us. Our beliefs in each of these areas shape our perceptions and perspectives which ultimately shape our reality.
Introducing emerging research on primal world beliefs
Major scientific effort finds that people hold three main beliefs about the world. These three beliefs concern how Safe, Enticing, and Alive the world is. They are strongly correlated to our day-to-day behavior and happiness.
Cultural factors refer to the set of values, ideologies, belief systems, norms, and practices that are learned and shared among members of a group or society. These factors shape people's behaviors, perceptions, decisions, and interactions with others (Calhoun, 2002).
Indigenous heritage values include spirituality, law, knowledge, practices, traditional resources or other beliefs and attachments. The precautionary approach is taken where an activity involves a risk of significant irreversible damage to a place.
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 Number 4
This cultural concept is based on the Aboriginal belief that natural occurrences happen in fours and four is a sacred number.
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, Traditional Knowledge includes ecological knowledge, medicinal knowledge, environmental management knowledge and cultural and spiritual knowledge. It includes technical knowledge and know-how, agricultural knowledge, and astronomy.
Indigenous worldviews see the whole person (physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual) as interconnected to land and in relationship to others (family, communities, nations). This is called a holistic or wholistic view, which is an important aspect of supporting Indigenous students.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's strong connection to family, land, language, and culture forms the foundation for social, economic, and individual wellbeing. This is integral to efforts to close the gap.