Presentation
Geography- Culture and Cultural Landscape Case Studies
- Module
- Institution
Unit 4 Edexcel IAL Geography help. Provides details on different players that affect culture and cultural landscapes. Includes references.
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
fatemaidris
Content preview
Aboriginal Case StudyBy Fatema Idris
Introduction
Aboriginal Australians could be the oldest population of humans living outside of
Africa, where one theory says they migrated from in boats 70,000 years ago. (National
Geographic, 2019)[1]
• Cultural values/significance
Aboriginal culture is holistic, defined by its connection to family, community and
country. In Australia, the idea of “being on country” is central to the Aboriginal
worldview.
The land (or country) is what defines Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people from the
coast describe themselves as “saltwater people”, those from river areas are
“freshwater people”, and those from central arid regions are “desert people”.“It holds
our stories, our religion, our customs and our ancestors.” This is because Aboriginal
peoples believe their ancestral spirits emerged from the earth and the sky. These
ancestral beings are their hero-creators, and it’s through their journeys that Aboriginal
people believe all living things are created. These creation forces are constantly
present, hence the strong cultural connection between Aboriginal people, the land and
place. (Tourism Australia, 2022)[2]
• Traditions
Aboriginal people saw their way of life as already ordained by the creative acts of the
Dreaming beings and the blueprint that was their legacy, so their mission was simply
to live in agreement with the terms of that legacy. There was thus no notion of
progress and no room for competing dogmas or rebellion against the status quo.
Everything that now existed was fixed for all time in the mythic past, and all that the
living were asked to do, in order to guarantee the continuance of their world, was
obey the law of the Dreaming and perform correctly the rituals upon which physical
and social reproduction were said to depend. The Dreaming legacy was not a static
deadweight of tradition but was forever being added to and enlivened, despite an
ideology that proclaimed non-change and the need only to reproduce existing forms.
This view of the world gave precedence to spiritual powers and explanations over
1
, mundane knowledge or human intellect, and it placed everyone squarely under the
authority of the law rather than that of other people. Through systems of totemic
belief, individuals and groups are linked in many different ways to both the things of
nature and the all-powerful beings of the spiritual realm. Totemic beliefs are more
highly elaborated among Aboriginal people than among any other people. Totemism’s
importance lies in providing individuals and groups with direct and life-sustaining links
back to the very beginnings of society itself, the Dreaming, and to the enormous
powers emanating from the spiritual realm. It thus underpins individual identity while
at the same time linking a person to many others who share similar associations. The
plants, animals, or minerals that are selected as totems are not in themselves of
religious significance, though in the case of foods a person may choose not to eat his
or her totem, considering it to be of the same flesh. What is important is the
connections symbolised by totems—the ties that bind people simultaneously to one
another, to sites in the physical world, and to the omnipotent spiritual powers on
which all worldly life depends. (Britannica, 2018) [3]
• Brief history
It is generally held that Australian Aboriginal peoples originally came from Asia via
insular Southeast Asia (now Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, and
the Philippines) and have been in Australia for at least 45,000–50,000 years. On the
basis of research at the Nauwalabila I and Madjedbebe archaeological sites in the
Northern Territory (Britannica, 2018) [3]
How are they threatened?
• Marginalisation during Colonial Era
Between 1910 and 1970, government policies of assimilation led to between 10 and 33
percent of Aboriginal Australian children being forcibly removed from their homes.
These “Stolen Generations” were put in adoptive families and institutions and
forbidden from speaking their native languages. Their names were often changed.
In 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd issued a national apology for the
country’s actions toward Aboriginal Australians of the Stolen Generations; since then,
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller fatemaidris. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £2.53. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
76462 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now