Australian+Culture

Australian Culture
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Aboriginals
The aboriginees are Australia's indigenous people which make up about 2% of the Australian population. Below are some of the beliefs and art of the aboriginal people.

Dream Time
The aboriginal people of Australia have a belief called the "Dream Time". They believe that their deceased ancestors have risen from below the earth to take various forms in the earth, like rocks, rivers, animals, and the sky.



Storytelling
The traditional storytelling in Australia which has been handed down from generation to generation has been a huge part of their culture. The children were told the stories at a young age. These stories helped them to understand the environment around them including the air, the land, the universe and their culture and history. The Elders would share the stories of their journeys and their experiences. These stories are a cultural necessity but also serve as an entertainment purpose. Technology has allowed these stories to be heard in audio and videos.

Music
Music is a large part of Aboriginal life. The Aboriginees use a unique instrument called the didgeridoo. The didgeridoo is a wind instrument that’s made from bamboo. It is about 5 feet long and it produces a low, vibrating hum. These instruments are generally used in formal ceremonies for example at sunsets, circumcisions and funerals. See picture above.

Other Australian Activities
Boomerang The boomerang is a well known Australian tool. It is curved shaped and relatively light. The boomerang is used as a weapon or for sports. Historically boomerangs were made out of bones. However today they are either made out of wood or carbon fibre-reinforced plastics for the sports use. They can come in many different shapes and sizes, it all depends on their location, tribal origins and its purpose. On my trip i bought a boomerang but I have yet to use it. It's made out of wood. Boomerangs used in battles were not intented to return to the owner The returning boomerangs are used for leisure and recreation. They are also used as a decoy. They would be thrown to frighten the game birds into a trap. It is thrown with the intention that it will return to the person that threw it.