Australia Aboriginal Culture
Sydney Opera House, Free Stuff in May
I love it when there is free Culture Vulture stuff, and what better venue than the Opera House. As Part of Sorry Day, The Opera House is hosting an Indigenous Film Festival.
Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival
12 - 14 May
Presenter: Sydney Opera House in association with the Australian Film Commission and Indigenous Screen Australia
Venue: Playhouse
Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival is a Lexus Inside Film Awards accredited film screening. All current Australian content screening in the festival is eligible for the Lexus Inside Film Awards 2006.
This year Message Sticks brings the best new Indigenous films from Canada, The Philippines, America, Russia, South Africa, New Zealand and of course Australia. Indigenous film-makers from around the world continue to deliver passionate work that looks into their worlds and shares fresh perspectives with audiences.
One of the most successful of these films is our opening night film The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros which premiered at Sundance, Rotterdam and Berlin Film Festivals where it won an unprecedented three awards. We also present the world premiere of four Australian documentaries, featuring both experienced and new directors’ visions.
Date: May 2nd, 2007 |
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Sydney- Camping in the Northern Beaches
The Basin
New South Wales has a very organized set of national parks that are complete with cooking, shower, and camping facilites. Among the parks I have visited, The Basin is a stand out. If you live in or around the Sydney area it is the easiest way to get completely OUT of the city in under an hour.
Date: September 27th, 2006 |
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Northern Territory- Bark Hut II
As an add on, the manager of the Bark Hut happens to be a local biologist. Yes folks not only can he make a foaming cup of Nescafe…he organizes wildlife safaris and specialty fishing tours. Tom Starr runs Wild Plains Safari’s. They specialize in small group tailor made trips to Mary River National Park and Arnhemland.
Date: September 21st, 2006 |
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Didgeridoo
Traditional Aboriginal musical instruments, Didgeridoos are long wooden flutes. Didgeridoos are considered one of the oldest musical instruments in the world, and were originally made from bamboo. Modern didgeridoos, however, are made from hallowed out limbs and tree trunks. The average instrument is approximately three and a half feet in length, and was originally played by Aborigines to accompany chants and songs. Didgeridoos are played by blowing air through the tube, which produces low, droning noises that are varied to create complex rhythmic patterns. For more instruction on how to play the Didgeridoos, check out …
Date: May 6th, 2004 |
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Aboriginal Issues
There are a number of cultural, historical and ethical issues facing the contemporary Aboriginal community in Australia. Listed below are a few of the current debates. This is by no means a comprehensive list.
Preservation of Language and Culture: Many Aboriginal communities and languages no longer exist due to genocide, disease and assimilation. Recent generations have pushed for bilingual education in classrooms, greater funds from the government to protect Aboriginal artwork and relics and the general embracing of Aboriginal life and culture, including music, storytelling and subsistence living.
The Stolen Generation: The Stolen Generation refers to the …
Date: April 17th, 2004 |
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Australia Day or Invasion Day?
For many Aboriginal Australians, the concept of Australia day is a tricky one. The day the British landed and basically wiped out their culture, took their land and continued to commit atrocities against them for ages, doesn’t exactly raise feelings of civic pride. Called “Invasion Day” or occasionally Survival Day, the Aboriginal Community has created a ceremony called Woggan-ma-gule
Each Australia Day in Sydney begins with the Woggan ma gule Morning Ceremony. Performed in the Royal Botanic Gardens, sacred land of the indigenous Gadigal people, the ceremony honours the past and …
Date: January 25th, 2007 |
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Northern Territory- Scenic Flight Company
One thing definitely worth a splurge of your trip money is a flight over Kakadu. All of the local people I encountered on my trip recommended it and they were absolutely right. Driving through Kakadu does little to give you the same perspective on the terrain, the interaction of the natural forces, and the sheer size of the park.
Date: September 25th, 2006 |
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Aussie Exports to Look for- Judy Prosser
Aboriginal art in the Northern Territory, and indeed in most markets around Australia everywhere. As an art form, it stands out for its unique interpretation of the world and its forms.
Date: September 19th, 2006 |
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Dreamtime
Dreamtime, also known as “The Dreaming”, is a set of beliefs that explains the origins and culture of Australia and the Aboriginal people. Great spirit ancestors of the Dreamtime are responsible for the intertwining network of human, animal and plant relationships. Dreamtime refers specifically to the era before the world was created; however, it can still be accessed for spiritual purposes. The Dreamtime set out all the life rules for Aborigines to follow, much like God and Christ did for the Christians or Buddha did for the Buddhists. There are some areas and sites where Dreamtime …
Date: May 6th, 2004 |
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Aboriginal Languages
It is unknown how many Aboriginal languages once existed. Some researchers estimate there were once more than 600 different Aboriginal languages in Australia. After colonization, years of oppression and the aging of native speakers, only about 150 remain, many of which are only spoken by a handful of elders. Recent movements have pressured for the introduction of Aboriginal language classes and stressed the importance of bilingual education.
Australian lingo borrows heavily from Aboriginal words, especially in the naming of places and animals. Billabong, boomerang, dingo, kangaroo, koala, kookaburra, quokka, wombat and yabby are all aboriginal words.
The …
Date: April 17th, 2004 |
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