Narratjin
Maymuru
(c 1916-1980),
Yirrkala artist, community leader and proponent
of the historic 1963 Yirrkala Bark Petition.
Overview of Aboriginal Culture
by Robyn Smith
This is the land of tjukurrpa, often called `the Dreamtime' and incorrectly referred to as Aboriginal `religion'.
Tjukurrpa is a word from the Pitjantjatjara, Luritja and Pintupi languages in Central Australia. Whilst Aboriginal groups throughout the Northern Territory speak entirely different languages, in recent times, tjukurrpa has gained universal acceptance as describing this aspect of Aboriginal culture. Tjukurrpa is not specifically a religion; it is a paradigm much like any other paradigm (law or science, for example) that gives order and meaning to society. With it comes an extremely strong affinity with the land for which each group is responsible. Tjukurrpa explains how Aboriginal people came to be on the land more than 80 000 years ago. It details spirit anscestors and great catastophes in history that resulted in geological formations or the creation of oceans and waterways. Most people are familiar with the story of the Rainbow Serpent Bolumg who is responsible for creation of the escarpment in Kakadu National Park. Some tjukurrpa stories relate the importance of certain foods, or the totemic nature of certain plants and animals. Most important of all, tjukurrpa designates sacred places and objects within a group's area of responsibility. These places, where they are known, are referred to as `sacred sites'.
For the Larrakia people, who are the traditional custodians of Darwin, a rock just off the coast of Nightcliff, which is known as Old Man Rock, is called Nungalinya. Nungalinya is an old man who resides in the rock and whose spirit, when aroused or upset by the actions of humans, wreaks havoc by way of meteorological tempest - severe storms and cyclones. The Larrakia believe that Nungalinya was responsible for Cyclone Tracy which devastated Darwin in 1974, and for earlier devastating cyclones in 1897 and 1937.
Visitors and locals alike should treat important and sacred sites with the utmost respect. They are not to be clamboured over or disrespected in any way. The Anangu people, who are the traditional custodians of Uluru or Ayers Rock, are offended by people climbing the rock. Visitors can look in awe at this majestic monolith without having to climb it. Would you consider climbing Pashupatinath, the Taj Mahal, the Tower of London, Le Louvre, the Sphynx or the Statue of Liberty? Why, then, would you conemplate climbing all over an icon that is sacred to the people responsible for it? Remember that this is not about you; it's about them.
Aboriginal culture is pre-literate, meaning that culture evolved without the written word. This culture is language and art based, and knowledge of tjukurrpa and other aspects of society, including law, are passed on to generations by art, story-telling, songs and dance.
With knowledge comes responsibility and Aboriginal society has a complicated system of order and seniority. Kinship is extremely complicated and extends well beyond what Western society considers the `nuclear' family. It includes avoidance relationships in certain cases. Some groups do not speak the name of a deceased person for a given period and, in some cases, people closest to the deceased person change their names out of respect and obligation.
There are aspects of Aboriginal culture that are clearly divided by gender. Traditionally, men hunt and women gather, but there are many other divisions. For example, a digeridoo is a male-only domain. Women do not play the digeridoo and should not seek to do so.
Tread softly and learn well in the Northern Territory.
Hampaté Bâ, an Ethnologist from Mali, said: "Africa loses a library when an old man dies". So, too, does Aboriginal Australia when it loses a man or a woman with great knowledge.