RECONCILIATION WITH RAVEN
Written by Raven Watson, Finance Manager
This singing of the information tells stories and is much more memorable than a list of facts where each location acts as a memory and this knowledge is literally grounded into the landscape. Ceremonies and rituals today are performed at sacred sites across Australia which allows the continued flow to reinforce belonging, social connection, strength of identity, who you are and the connection to the land and ancestors. As part of this oral culture, the stories from the songlines are verbally passed on from elder to elder and shared with the children as teachings through song, dance, artwork and storytelling. As part of our commitments under our Reconciliation Action Plan, we are continuing to explore other ways to remain connected on this journey. One aspect we have implemented internally is a new monthly segment to staff named 'Reconciliation with Raven' which sees me delve into topics relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander peoples, which this Magazine article is an extension of. As I continue to share important aspects of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' cultures I do acknowledge that my intention is not to understand this complex and rich belief system. My intention however is to immerse myself in their dreamtime stories, in their artwork of the songlines and in their songs to connect with the land and this amazing landscape which we all call home. I look forward to sharing more learnings of this beautiful culture as we walk this reconciliation journey together.
Cooee.
Now that I have your attention I would love to take you on a journey to bring you inside the circle and explore with you aboriginal ceremonies. Theseceremoniesarefilledwithdance, song, handmade musical instruments, ritual and often elaborate body decoration and traditional clothing which are led by Elders. The ceremonies are held for many reasons including a connection with the mythological stories also referred to as dreaming or dreamtime. Some ceremonies are a rite of passage for young people between 10 and 16 years, representing a point of transition from childhood to adulthood. The dreamtime brings us back some 65,000 years ago to the very beginning of creation, when the ancestors created the whole world. The ceremonies performed are very distinct to the different territories and regions and each of these dreamtime stories connect in with land, ancestral spirits and the songlines of this land. These songlines are known as essential navigational tracks and hold important knowledge of ancient memory codes which Aboriginal elders access through singing to the landscape.
10 Rural Lifestyle Options Australia Magazine
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker