TEACHING AND LEARNING
start points l sensitive issues l Dreaming l background l resources

'Long before Europeans came to this land Aboriginal people had responsibility to care for and manage the land which belonged to their particular Aboriginal group. They respected the land in a sacred way.

Aboriginal people believe that they are part of the land, which they often refer to as "mother earth". They believe strongly that they were always here and that they come from the land.

 

'Aboriginal people relate to the time of creation through the Dreaming, which also explains how Dreaming Stories tell about the Spirit Ancestors who created the land and its many features such as plants, the hills, mountains; waters that flow in the creeks, rivers, lakes and seas, as well as the sun, the moon and the stars; the seasons, the animals and the people. Aboriginal people have responsibility to ensure that the natural balance is maintained.

 

'Our way of educating our children is through the telling, over and over again, of Dreaming stories. They explained that our Spirit Ancestor can be in the form of an animal, a man or a particular feature of the environment. They explained how out Spirit Ancestor laid down the laws for how people are to behave, what is good and what is bad, and the history of their environment.

 

'At intervals, Aboriginal children are given information from the Dreaming stories relevant to their level of understanding. Our children listen to the Dreaming stories and learn how to interact with each other. Aboriginal people place a high priority on the value of family relationships.

 

'Dreaming stories are related to the secret and sacred ceremonies that are performed and sung. The Dreaming is central to the existence of aboriginal people. It gives meaning to everyday life. The Dreaming explains why many things are the way they are. It prescribes the social structure and teaches you the relationship between people, the environment, to the particular area they belong to and where they come from.

 

'The Dreaming determines their values, beliefs and their relationship with every living and nonliving thing. It gives a clear picture of land without maps, so people can travel safely and confidently within their boundaries. The Dreaming is as important to Aboriginal people as the Bible is to Christians.

 

'The Dreaming is very important to all Aboriginal people: when they refer to the 'Dreaming' it has a deep and sacred meaning. It means much, much more than just telling Dreaming stories for enjoyment. Dreaming stories are often referred to as 'Aboriginal fables, folklore, legends and myths', which is a very inaccurate description because the Dreaming is not fictitious to Aboriginal people but is a real and meaningful belief system that has been passed on to them from one generation to the next for centuries.

 

'Aboriginal people believe that the Spirit Ancestors watch over us today to ensure the laws are kept and that punishment is inflicted if they are broken. It is not just history. It is very much observed today.'

 

- Marlene Wilhelm (nee Stewart)

Next steps

As an introduction, one Dreaming story is told via the link below...

• Urrakurli, Wakarla and Wildu (The Magpie, the Crow and the Eagle) - an Adnyamathanha Dreaming story

Other stories available in this series are:

• Thukeri (The Boney Bream) - a Ngarrindjeri Dreaming story
• Mar (the Cockatoo) - a Boandik Dreaming story
• Winda (the Owl) - a Narrungga Dreaming story

start points l sensitive issues l Dreaming l background l resources