Defining Terms: Myth, folklore, legend, etc. Fairy tales, myths, legends, and folklore are terms which may seem to mean the same thing: fanciful tales. This conception is seemingly validated by the fact that the terms are often used interchangeably. While it's true that the terms may refer to bodies of writing that are related at their most basic level as stories, they each present a unique reader experience. Here's what they mean... Myth A myth is a traditional story, which may describe the origins of the world and/or of a people. Many cultures have their own versions of common myths, which contain archetypal images and themes. Read more about myth: Mythology Folklore/Folktale Whereas myth has at its core the origins of a people, and is often sacred, folklore is a collection of fictional tales about people and/or animals. Here are some additional resources: Legend A legend is a story purported to be historical in nature, but without substantiation.
Read more about legends: Fairy Tale Find additional stories about fantastic forces: Ancient Mythology: Greek, Norse, Egyptian and more - Ancinet-Mythology.com. Spirituality. Spirituality for Indigenous Australians takes many forms. Its forms and practices have been profoundly influenced by the impact of colonialism, both past and present. Carl Bento © Australian Museum Some Indigenous Australians share the religious beliefs and values of religions introduced into Australia from other cultures around the world, particularly Europe. But for most people religious beliefs are derived from a sense of belonging-to the land, to the sea, to other people, to one's culture. The form and expression of spirituality differs between Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. Aboriginal spirituality mainly derives from the stories of the Dreaming, while Torres Strait Islander spirituality draws upon the stories of the Tagai.
The Missions "So the sad thing about it all was the missionaries didn't realise that we already had something that tied in with what they'd brought to us. However, not all missions were agents of government policies. The Dreaming What is the Dreaming? SBS Audio and Language : Aboriginal : Highlight: Swan-Valley-Home-of-the-Waugal. The Waugul: State Library of Western Australia. To the Noongar traditional owners and custodians, Western Australia’s Swan River, the Derbal Yerrigan has remained at the heart of their culture and heritage for more than 40,000 years.
Aboriginal people cared for the land and its waters as an integral part of their spirit and culture prior to the arrival of Europeans. They would have seen periods of climate change and sea level rises. They lived in harmony with their land and waters, firing the bush, crossing the River, camping along the River banks, getting water from springs, hunting and fishing.
Mythologically the River was created by the Waugals (giant serpents), who carved waterways and valleys as they made their way to the mouth of the river at Fremantle. "Boorloo had a series of lakes and big mobs of kwulla, the mullet, would come up from the sea around March to lay their eggs in the shallows where they wouldn’t be disturbed. The traditional owners of the land were deeply connected with the River. The Dreaming. Aboriginal dancers telling Dreamtime stories at the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony. Image source unknown. Warning. Australian Stories may contain the names and images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now deceased. Australian Stories also contain links to sites that may use images of Aboriginal and Islander people now deceased. The Dreaming for Australian Indigenous people (sometimes referred to as the Dreamtime or Dreamtimes) is when the Ancestral Beings moved across the land and created life and significant geographic features.
The Dreaming, or 'Tjukurrpa', also means to 'see and understand the law' as it is translated from the Arrernte language (Frank Gillen with Baldwin Spencer, translating an Arrernte word Altyerrenge). Dreaming stories pass on important knowledge, cultural values and belief systems to later generations. Aborigines have the longest continuous of any group of people on Earth. The relationships between land, animals and people Responsibilities Ceremonies. Dust Echoes. THE BIG MYTH.