The Religious World
Beliefs
Aboriginal Spirituality believe in the Dreamtime; the creation of the world and the land in which they originally and righteously own. The Australian Land is there own ancestral figures, food, culture and traditions. Aboriginal Spirituality have there own language and practices. The Dreaming is in society today where Aboriginal’s live and still carry out rituals and spiritual beliefs.
Sacred Stories/Myths
Aboriginal myths, the stories of the people’s ancestor sprits. These stories were told during the period when the land was formed and the world's creation. The Aboriginals stories relate to today’s society and the future. The stories describe the original owners of the land and relationships with ancestral spirits. The dreaming myths believe there ancestors surround them with their presences. These stories are clearly visible to those who read the stories and myths. Rock formations, trees, spiritual water. These stories hold sacred meaning and are passed down to generations. The sacred myths was a form of hearing sacred and spiritual stories passed from generations.
Sacred Text and other Religions
Aboriginal Spirituality do not have sacred texts written in a bible form. Aboriginal people have beliefs in the Dreaming of the Rainbow Serpent. The Dreaming stories connect with the Rainbow serpent in a way that aboriginals pass on there sacred texts, through stories told in the community and carved on the cave walls from generations. They pass on their teachings through rituals and ceremonies. Their ancestor drawings have the capacity and the power of the Aboriginal Spirituality community.
Rituals
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The Rituals of Aboriginal spirituality include birth, death and age. These Rituals are sacred to Aboriginal’s as they carry out these rituals, as maintenance to land they live on and the animals. Only the ancestral and certain people carry out the Rituals throughout the community.
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The Birth ritual, a women and the mother attend a private place, for the mother to give birth. Part of this ritual and process the women would sing to the mother during the labour. Only certain people were able to engage in the celebration of the rituals.
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The initiation ritual is children moving from childhood into adulthood and learning the rituals and values of the Aboriginal spirituality religion. Men participate in ceremonies to celebrate there beliefs and ancestral spirits.
Symbols
Aboriginals connected the object’s and symbols with the rituals. The Sacred objects had a relationship with the Aborigines, signifying the traditional owner’s and ancestors of the land. The bullroarer is a ritual musical instrumental, similar to the didgeridoo, used in Aboriginal ceremonies. The Tjuringa is the most sacred to the indigenous community. At a certain age young men receive the Tjuringa in the ceremony signifying the ancestors and ownership of the land. Tjuringa are made from stones and wooden objects. The Carved Totem symbolises important aspects of the aboriginal cultural and identity. The Totem does not hold any religious aspect.
Social Structure
There is no hierarchy in the Aboriginal spirituality group. Aboriginals all work together to spread there ancestral teachings and stories around, so it can never be forgotten. The Elder’s are separated into women and men’s business. The Elder’s are in charge of rituals beings neglected and offended. Healer’s treat and cure people who are sick within the community. Important Sorcerer’s who helped those who are dying and severely injured.
Ethics
The ethical principles and laws are developed by ancestral dreaming stories. The dreaming conveyed moral and value messages to the people. Disobeying the ethical principles such as mistreating people or having and affair is seen as breaking the religious laws and moral values. The Aborigines are responsible for their own land, nature and animals. They teach the values of family and how to live with one another. Also the teachings and stories told from past ancestors to the future people their land. Aboriginals form their own well-being to the community.
Experiences
Aboriginals have a strong and special connection with their ancestors. The ancestors are the light of there beliefs, which are told through rituals and stories which have been carried through generations. Their ancestors are not visual to them; although aborigines believe they are always present with them is ritual beliefs.
