Australian Aborigine

An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he or she lives.

Australian Aborigines are one of the best known and least understood people in the world. Their culture, art and stories are in popular demand all over the world. What was once condemned, has now become part of the face of Australia. Aboriginal artwork and music has been incorporated in most things Australian, and has become a recognizable feature of Australia.

Prior to colonization which began in January 1788, the Australian Aborigines lived a lifestyle based on their Dreamtime beliefs. Aboriginal people caught and collected their food every day. They had an intimate knowledge of food-chain cycles, the migration patterns of birds and of the habitat where they lived.

However, the settlers that had arrived in this country to build a new life for themselves and their families, paid no attention to the Dreamtime. Most were not interested in the affects colonization was having on the Aborigines. They were considered to be a pest and a nuisance by most. Many Aboriginals were killed by diseases such as influenza, and thousands were massacred by settlers to make way for farms and settlements.

The Aboriginal culture has been handed down by countless generations through their Dreamtime stories, which still exist today.

top