Mythology: Aboriginal

"Since the beginning of time my ancestors have been telling stories. These stories, derived from the land, waters and skies. We express our stories using our voice and through our actions. They are told at night, when the fire crackles and the stars are bright. They are told through the marking of the walls using sacred pigments the land has provided for us. They are the foundations of our songs and dances. Our language itself would not exist without these stories ... "

"A rich inventory of monstrous figures exists throughout Aboriginal Australia. The specific form that their wickedness takes depends to a considerable extent on their location ... "

"The Aborigines are descendants of the first humans who settled in Australia. These earliest settlers came to the area from Asia perhaps about 50,000 years ago, or perhaps as much as 20,000 years earlier, according to archaeologist Scott Cane. They came from Southeast Asia, probably by boat ... "

"Dust Echoes is a series of twelve beautifully animated Dreamtime stories from Central Arnhem Land. Stories of love, loyalty, duty to Country, and Aboriginal custom and law produced in collaboration with the Djilpin Aboriginal Arts Corporation ... "

"Scientists are beginning to tap into a wellspring of knowledge buried in the ancient stories of Australia's Aboriginal peoples. But the loss of indigenous languages could mean it is too late to learn from them ... "

"The Dreamtime is a term that describes unique stories and beliefs owned and held by different Australian Aboriginal groups. The history of the Dreamtime word and its meanings says something about the development of the ideas held about the Aboriginal world, and how they are expressed through art ... "

"Dreamtime is an Australian Aboriginal concept that describes the culture's beliefs. It is also known as the Dreaming or Tjukurrpa , which means "to see and understand the law" in the Arrernte language. The Dreaming is an interaction of the human, physical, and sacred worlds. Many dreaming stories relate the Creation, which Aborigines view as a never-ending story ... "

"The Dreamtime is a commonly used term for describing important features of Aboriginal spiritual beliefs and existence. It is not generally well understood by non-indigenous people ... "

"The Rainbow Serpent is a popular deity found in the mythologies of many aboriginal peoples across Australia. The Rainbow Serpent is often portrayed as a creator god responsible for bringing life and life-giving water to the world. It can take the shape of both a rainbow and a great snake, living either under the ground or in the clouds as a storm is passing ... "

"Some ancient people of Australia believe a "rainbow serpent" slithered from the water to create the world. Could this fascinating myth be based on fact?"

"The Rainbow Serpent or Rainbow Snake is an immortal being and creating God in Aboriginal Mythology. It is a popular image in the art of Aboriginal Australia. It is the shape of a rainbow and a snake ... "