Why teach dreamtime stories

The Dreamtime word has since gone into general usage in Australia as a description of the religious beliefs of Aboriginal communities, and has come down through the twentieth century as a widely understood term.

When we talk about Aboriginal art, which has been one of the major connection points between Aboriginal culture and Western culture within Australia since the s, we often see reference to Aboriginal Dreamtime as the spiritual ideas or foundation beliefs in Aboriginal culture.

But in many ways Dreamtime is not an adequate word. Part of that tradition says that Ancestral Beings created powerful locations that become part of the landscape and that these reflect the power and knowledge of those Ancestors in the locations.

Those locations are linked to ceremonies and performances which are tied to family groups. Their own Country is tied up with the people within the whole complex idea of Dreamtime. While people carry those out cultural obligations and continue to be part of that process, they also express those important ideas in their artwork. Dreamtime is a word that has been in language use for just over years.

In the English language it is now well embedded and well understood to represent something about beliefs in Aboriginal culture.

Perhaps it is an inadequate word because it tries to address a complex system of ideas that varies between different Aboriginal communities, and is very hard to express in an English word. To some extent the idea of Spirit in Country along with the Laws that go with that Country, and the connections with the people who are born into that Country, are all reflected in the concept of Dreamtime. It may be that over the decades we have come to use it most commonly to mean the Creation stories from Aboriginal Australia.

However it remains a term that we reach for when we see the powerful essence expressed in some of the significant Aboriginal paintings that we view in museums and art galleries. It is a deeply complex term that carries a deep meaning for Aboriginal people, and this needs to be duly recognised in the wider Australian community.

Does the title give us any clues about the story? Story Synopsis: In this story a young man believes he is a disappointment to his farther as he is a terrible hunter. He is taken by the friendly creatures who teach him to be happy and he realizes that his father loves him. Discuss main messages upon completion of the video. What was the purpose of the Dreamtime story? Complete the quiz attached to the video. Activity ideas: Students create their own mimi. Students create their own version of the story.

Create quiz questions for the video. Illustrate favourite part of the story. Write a summary of the story. Invent a new way for the father to retrieve his son instead of using his hair. Discuss some Australian animals. Focus on the Koala. What are some unique features that a Koala has? How could we explain the creation of these features?

Watch the following YouTube video. Model how to complete the 6 sections and ask for students to assist. Print out the cube, illustrate and display in the room. What might the story be about? Why do you think that? The mothers….

We are now at the site of the Thukeri story. In front of me is Lake Alexandrina. This next story is about Umbarra the Black Duck, which is the totem of the Yuin nation. Back in the old days, when the people used to live around here, a lad named Merriman had his totem called Umbarra the…. Hello I am Ngiyampaa women descendant from Emily keewong, I have been interested in making a skin cloak. Gathering information and researching, which animal is our people totem. Your email address will not be published.

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