2.6.2 Totems Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples spoke many languages, each with its own beliefs. A strong spiritual connection with Country was shared by all. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ traditions, lores and ceremonies focus on taking care of the land because all life comes from it. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, spirituality and the land are connected. Elders share their knowledge of the land and lore through ceremonies and the Dreaming. When the Dreaming began, the ancestral beings created totems for people showing the different communities and language groups. Totems gave people a sense of belonging to their Country and culture. The sacred places were protected by following Dreaming beliefs and rituals. The Dreaming gave rules about where people could live, whom they could marry and which animals they could hunt. Some areas were set aside where hunting was not allowed, to make sure that important animals were protected. Totems guided people in managing their resources. Each person had a totem to honour for life. Did you know? Totems have a very important role in conservation . Because totem animals are believed to be spirit ancestors, it is the responsibility of each totem group to protect them. People are forbidden to hunt or harm their totem animal. This protects the health of the whole ecosystem because it also keeps animal habitats safe. Totems ensure care of the environment and sustainable management of animals and plants. Land, sea and Sky Country For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, the land, sea and the sky are places of great spiritual significance because they represent the ancestral beings, the songlines and the sacred sites of Country. Each group has a responsibility to care for Country, respecting and understanding the boundaries between themselves and another group’s Country. For coastal peoples, the sea territories are recognised in the same way. Sea boundaries are connected to fishing rights and responsibilities handed down through generations of ancestral knowledge. The stars, the wind and the ocean currents link people to their ancestral fishing grounds, reefs and islands. The sky is also part of this landscape. The ancestral beings continue to move across the sky guiding navigation, ceremonies, the changing seasons and the activities that take place at different times of the year. 2.6.3 2.6 SkillBuilder activity CONTINUITY AND CHANGE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have different beliefs, lores and ways of recognising family relationships, such as moiety. For example, the Yolngu People of Arnhem Land are either Dhuwa or Yirritja moiety. The Yolngu believe that the ancestral beings gave everything to either the black cockatoo, Dhuwa, or the white cockatoo, Yirritja. Even with the differences, kinship connects many of the different language and cultural groups across Australia. People who shared totems may live far apart, but they would still meet for trade, marriage and ceremonies. 1. Imagine the difficulties nineteenth-century European invaders would have encountered when trying to understand the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ culture and kinship. 2. Research one nation, such as the Kulin Peoples of Victoria. Through your research identify the following:
• The region that is the Country of the people, and the geographic features of the land • How the land and climate may have changed over the long period of Deep Time • The languages and dialect/s spoken
38 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 7 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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