Aust Aboriginal lore and practices

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Comment by Koori G on March 14, 2009 at 1:38pm

Yaama, Gayaa ngaya nginaayngu dhurraandhaay dhayndi ngay. (Greetings, I am glad to write to you about my people.)
Yaama nginday , dhagaan, bawaa ngay.
(I welcome all you brothers and sisters.)
I shall introduce me breifly... An Australian, Aboriginal of the Gamilaraay mob, basically I follow my own Aboriginal culture but in saying that I believe automatically catergorising myself as pagan, I follow my Dreaming which connects to the earth and caring for her. .
my belief and also that of all Aboriginal people is that we are all part of the Dreaming, all people. There are so many cultures and religions and spiritual beliefs that many only count 'differences' and at times, whose 'religious' views are the 'right' or most correct. The settlement of Australia was an invasion to us, our peoples own culture was dismissed as fundementally inferior, and our people were denied their spirituality, language and culture, our families were broken up and moved away from their ' country' their tribal homes...something which imapcts greatly upon our people and beliefs.

having said this, we survive still, it is our beliefs that they tried to destroy that sustained us tho many have lost their connections .

Our belief is basically that ALL cultures "pray ' or believe in the same 'spiritual' force...what we call Dreamtime...no matter anyones view....for us we are ALL humans, so we were born with the same 'humanness' the same Dreaming, we all have the same 'spirituality'... our being is as humans....our problems with theologising and disputing faiths etc seems nonsensical to us....different people have different languages , cultures and so different ways of interpreting our world.
Still we ARE human....our totemic system of beliefs is just OUR way of seeing the universe and explaining it.....we still respect any other cultures beiliefs as it is THEIR way of seeing it in their country.

I like our explaination of the world....what I believe is that many have got away from our place in the scheme of things....we arent just humans, we are part of a world of many many different beings, different 'spirits'....and so we have no greater "divinity' than any being...we are all part of the landscape...even trees, rocks, rivers...all the flora and fauna....all part of our 'being"...they exist with us, here now in this life...so are entwined within our Dreaming...and we theirs....we cannot claim superiority as we dont possess it....we have technology waving its banner as proof of what ?...superior technology than any other being?
If this were so then we would respect our living landscape for what it is...our mother we call Gunimaa...it is from the dust of this world all existence we know of upon this world is born...even our air..water..food...everything!
200 years of modern technology has poisoned rivers, land, denuded resources...all this in 220 years since Europoean arrival in a landscape that existed harmoniuosly for thousands of millenia.
our being is a spiritual being, I doubt any can deny this...that great mystery we call 'Wayyruull....we are just human....we can only understand humaness.....the bible is that Jewish Dreaming....their view...their mobs culture...
the Tao is Chinese Dreaming....all mobs got their Dreaming.....all same....
That Jesus fella...he has proper Dreaming....his mob were Jewish...but he...Bhudda....all them fellas....they talking same Dreamings...just different lingo...different customs...still all human spirituality.

Me...I am a rainbird..thats my Dreaming...I am older than moses...my spirit...
I know my songlines...my 'story'...from the beginning...from before 'humanness'.....when no human beings lived, animals and other beings lived....but before us.
Our Dreaming and Dreamtime stories tell us our history....all our history...the mountains, stars, rivers, oceans ,birds animals....and humans....where is that different to any other human being?.....we just look 'our way'....and for us the land is us....that place we were given life, that place of our humanness, and everything, every other part of that 'country', that is us too....that is where our spirit first emerged to join the world of humans....and all them birds, animals, fish trees, everything....we are most definetly connected by our primordial humaness.......
just wonder why there is so much fuss about it......

we are who we are.....
I think if you are human and 'understand' the concepts of sprituality...then yu recognise 'sprituality' in some form...and yu learn that from somewhere....

our Law...our Buurrunguu (Dreaming)..cant change, ever...it can however, evolove as all things, but that basic thing...is who we are...humans, and the story so far....hehe

we living OUR Dreaming right now, you just joined mine hey?....dont change me as this human...both got Dreaming.....but now my Mullowiil has painted this little bit into my Dreaming....my story
one day this one here...me...will die, this human here talking with you now, but I wont be gone....just back into Buurunguu, Dreamtime for next Dreaming hey?

we all hear that 'maybe your life flashes before your eyes when you die...

for me, us people, Kamilaroi one , that Dreaming...and all us koori mobs here this Blackfella island, Australia......... when we die...that shadow one Mullowiil...he comes and dances, he dances our corroborree, he dances me, my story, my life, flashing before my eyes....heeheeehheeehee
looks that way looking in from outside hey...
inside....I dancin my life, all of it that my shadow painted for me on the ground, all that Dreaming,...evrything that was me, this one here, koori G...Gurrimunyah, Garry...thats me..
Well I get to dance that Dreaming again, one more time, fast forward for the human eyes....
written into the land forever for the spirit minded...hhahaahahaha
you can see them other fellas, their Dreaming, its there, written into the country their story

you see?....my human is dust...the mother earth, Gundimaa, she use that bit, mould it into something...bones first....after that...maybe a tree..or a bird, like rainbird hey, hahaha....or maybe a lizard or blacksnake...or a raindrop....my clan has Yuluwirri dreaming too..
Rainbow Dreaming...Yulluwirri we call that, rainbow, and Gapu, water we got that Dreaming too..the rain..
and I am the rainbird Dreaming there, thats me, that part of that story, from that country where my spirit breathed air ...all those tell that story, that Dreaming, where the mountains came from and the sky and stars and trees and dinosaurs and animals.....that story of that country there, from the very very beginning, that spot is me too, I am of that part of the landscape...connected as family to evrything there...that mountain, my uncle....those trees that are sisters...those birds that are brothers...everything there at that place, is me...I am of it...one day my mother, Gundimaa, she may Dream of me again and I will be again, some other one hey< another person... I will be a rainbird again while I wait....

thats who I am, thats where I will go...as spriit, and dance my corrobooree...into my Dreaming

I need nothing else...just that country...that place, where I always lived....since before adam...
you see?...it is the Dreaming, you see correctly the same elements within that Celtic Dreaming
we too have exactly this...an upper world...it contains the blueprints, yes, and so much more...
we have differnt names for our constellations, some are vast....some that they speak of are contained with others we speak of hear, each has its Dreaming, its story....our shamans, the Koradjii people, they know the stories for our people from our beginning
upper world, yes, and middle world, this one here where we speaking now
and under world, our Mullowiil....that where my shadow paints our Dreaming on the world...

and yes, we can move between worlds, not two that overlap, three that overlap and intertwine
all three worlds are there, withus, we exist "between" all those worlds, overlapping, that what makes us this 'human being' makes us visible...solid
When we dance corroborree, when anyone has that focus to sing 'their' Dreaming songline, we vibrate to that being. of ourselves harmoniously..we vibrate at that tone, that "balance'...of our three aspects, that why koori people have three names, one for each 'world'...and if we know the 'melody' that is us, we vibrate at the core of our being, and can 'step' into which aspect we like, step between any of those worlds at will, into our Dreamtime
it is only when we focus on one aspect, our physicality that the rest are dim and hard to see....
For me , my Dreaming is me, I see it evrywhere, the visible being and the invisible....
my words are english words, a hard language to get right, Gamilaraay language is different.
What we say Dreaming....is an English word, we couldnt find any word with right meaning in english, so we chose Dreamtime and Dreaming...but it is not like dreaming...and yet it is...like thought is not really like speaking but it kind of is, awareness is an incredible thing, we teach our children to hear everything, a sense that speaks the languages of all beings, all animals and trees and birds and sky...Cetic sing their Dreaming just as we do, simultaneously..this Dreaming, it is always there...that Celtic Dreaming too...you Dreamtime, your Dreaming, just like spirit is like spirit and not really like 'human being' our senses are much more than we know, we are capable of so much more through our awareness...of all senses....utilised simultaneously, not focussing on one world...on ALL of them at once, overlapping...hehehe....yes, thats the Dreaming....just gotta look hey?...
Still, yes, you have Celtic Dreaming, no less awesome than Aboriginal Dreamtime, or Chinese, or African Dreamtime...all there...all human being Dreaming....and more, all way back...
What we see in other cultures that seems so right, is because the language crosses those barriers and allows us to see other Dreamings, our awareness...
Yes , three worlds, three aspects, three names...
I look forward to talking of my Dreamtime...and hearing others own Dreaming...
that be deadly hey

Anytime you may wish any info or Aboriginal stories, Bush tuckers, herbs medicines, anything really , that is koori I be gld to share knoweledge
equally I love learning others view of all this , .......human beingness

Gundimaa guullabadhaay nginayayaana
May the Mother earth, Gundimaa, love and protect you
and all you love

G

Comment by Amargi on January 27, 2009 at 3:53am

Iain: "It always worries me drawing too many parallels between paganism and Indigenious culture"

I wonder what your definition of Paganism is, then...?

I consider traditional Australian Indigenous culture to be a perfect example of a genuinely Pagan belief system/path/tradition, as it is based on deep connection with the Natural World on all levels - including the spiritual/religious as well as the mundane.

I have had many Aust Aboriginal friends over the years - including my current partner - and learn much from them. Have also discovered that Language holds many keys to indigenous wisdom & knowledge, especially in relation to local Country.

I feel a responsibility as a Pagan to honour and protect the Spirits of Place where I live - be they of ancestors on whose bones we walk, or other beings who reside in this powerful land - and the land itself from abuse.

I seek to learn all I can of the Indigenous history and Dreaming of this place, but as with many places, much has been lost here. In this situation I feel we have to start from scratch in making our own connections, as feeble as they may be at first in comparison.

Comment by Iain on December 3, 2008 at 8:00pm

It always worries me drawing too many parallels between paganism and Indigenious culture. Sure, this was the main single factor that lead me paganism, there values, there connection with country, and to question my upbring as RC.

Comment by Suzie G on December 3, 2008 at 2:08pm

Iain and Rituwana
I dont think we can ever learn all there is to learn about Aboriginal culture. Its an oral tradition, and us "Wadulas" (Noongar word for Whites) are not reknown for our listening skills. ;o)
I grew up in a small country town in the WA wheatbelt where there was more Aboriginals than whites. Most of my friends were Noongars.
When i got to University I chose to study Aboriginal history and culture, because it so resembles my beliefs as a pagan, and because i live in Australia and what better people to learn about country than from the original habitants.

Comment by Rituwana on December 2, 2008 at 8:05pm

I feel a bit the same way as Iain. I have lived and worked in Aboriginal Communities for seven years now, and just when I start to feel like I know something about there culture and way of life. Something happens to remind me I know very little. This will be an interesting group.

Comment by Iain on December 1, 2008 at 10:42pm

Thank you fro the invite. Although I spent 15 years living off and on in remote Indigenious communities, I feel in away I have little to offer. The more time I spent with the old men (very little time with the women for cultural reason), the less i seem to know or understand. My time spent with the Indigenious people really question my western values, and one of the reasons for me seeking a pagan path.

Comment by Phoebe on December 1, 2008 at 3:36pm

Wow, I'm really glad that this group was created! I'm thrilled at this opportunity!

Comment by ~*~GoddessWsprz~*~ on December 1, 2008 at 9:26am

Wonderful Idea and I am thrilled at the opportunity to learn
Blessings

Comment by Cris on November 30, 2008 at 1:01pm

This is such a fantastic idea. We live in the most mystical, ancient land on Earth. There has been magick here for over 40,000 years, we do need to learn about it and begin to appreciate and respect it. Indigenous Australia has so much to teach... and from our own discovery, we may even find an Australian magickal tradition! That's definitely a worth while goal! :D

Comment by Sam Howard on November 30, 2008 at 9:45am

Thanx for the invite, not sure what I can input, but i am sure I can learn something.
LLSam

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