1. The Aborigines
Who are they?

2. Background Information
The word “Aboriginal” was used in Australia to describe its indigenous peoples as early as 1789.
Then the word became common to all indigenous people of Australia.
Today it is only refers to those that are still hunter gatherers.

3. Who Are They? Aborigines were first settlers in Australia
Came from Asia 40,000 or 50,000 years ago
The first Aborigines lived on the coast.
Population was larger in the coastal areas and smaller in the interior.
The ones who lived along the coast were expert fishermen.
Aborigines lived in small groups.

4. Social Structure
There may have been about 500 groups of Aborigines and more than 200 languages.
Aborigines were nomadic hunter-gathers.
Used the boomerang and spears to hunt.

5. Culture - Food What they ate depended on where they lived.
Different food was available on different parts of the island.
Aborigines never grew their own food.
Traded with each other
Survived on whatever grew naturally by understanding how to live in different natural environments

6. Customs
There were strict rules on how groups interacted. However, there was no specific leader in the group.
All members were equal.

7. Aboriginal Culture
One of the world's longest surviving cultures, which dates back at least 50,000 years.
There are many who think it could be closer to 150,000 years!
Very strong religious beliefs about nature and land which was the basis of their spiritual life and shaped the Aboriginal culture.
Believed that they have been entrusted as caretakers of the land.

8. Belief System Ancestor Spirits and their powers have not gone.
They are present in the forms to which they changed at the end of the 'Dreamtime' or 'Dreaming', as the stories tell.
No written language.
Relied on song and word of mouth to pass stories from one generation to the next.

9. Religion – Dreamtime (Time before Time)
The Dreaming: Aboriginal stories that explain the beginning of life on earth.
Which religion also has its own story of the creation of the Earth?
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.
Example, an Indigenous Australian might talk about their Kangaroo Dreaming, Snake Dreaming, or Honey Ant Dreaming, or any combination of “Dreamings” pertinent to their 'land'.

11. Culture - Art Aboriginal Art includes:
painting on leaves, wood carving, rock carving, sculpture, and ceremonial clothing
as well as artistic embellishments weaponry and also tools.
Art is one of the key rituals of Aboriginal culture and was and still is, used to mark territory, record history, and tell stories about the “Dreamtime.”

12. Types of Art Body Painting Rock Painting/Rock Engravings
Bark paintings
Aerial desert "country" landscapes - It is a kind of maplike, bird's-eye view of the desert landscape, and it is often meant to tell a traditional Dreaming story.
Stone Arrangements
Iconography and Symbols-The imagery of the Aboriginal culture, as can be seen in many of the sacred sites, rock and cave paintings, used few colours as they were often made from what was available locally.

14. Macassan stone arrangement

16. How are these two paintings similar? How are they different?
   
What do you see that makes you say that? Art is a very important part of religious life and maintaining tradition, still practiced. Gives them pride and is a way to make living.

17. Europeans Arrival (1788) 18th Cent.
The Dutch were the first to arrive in Australia, but did not colonize it. (1600’s)
The British arrived in 1788 and established Australia as a Prisoner colony.
Aborigines lived on Australia’s coast, which is where the Europeans wanted to settle.
Europeans waged war against the Aborigines

18. Advantage of Europeans
Guns, soldiers
Diseases
More than half of the Aborigines in Australia died, all died on Tasmania.

19. What happened to remaining Aborigines?
Forced to live on reservations in the Outback
Forced to work for Europeans on sheep and cattle ranches.
Laws were made to limit where Aborigines could live and work. The British hoped to end all Aboriginal culture with their policies.

20. Aborigines Today… In 1967 they were finally recognized as citizens.
300,000 live in Australia today (approx. 1% of Australian population
In 1967 they were finally recognized as citizens.
Can hold a seat in Parliament
Can have their own schools which teach their culture, language, and art.
Live modern lives, some are teachers, lawyers, mechanics, nurses and politicians.

21. The End