Contemporary Aboriginal Spirituality

Topic 8 Contemporary Aboriginal Spirituality Executive Summary

2nd Year Alexandra Murray – SID: 200319179 Sarah Mulcahy – SID: 305198769 Nick Wright – SID: 305204890

Local Bourke dancers at the Yaamaa festival 2005 - www.yaamaa.com.au Traditional Aboriginal Spirituality  The roots of Aboriginal Spirituality lie in a variety of traditions and experiences. “First and foremost are the various stories, ceremonies, values and social structures”1.  Land was central to spiritual life – demonstrated in the concept of the Dreaming.  Spiritual existence was embedded in the physical world – people and nature were one.  The dreaming was everywhere and permeated every aspect of Aboriginal cultures and societies

Our Expectations at the onset  From reading a number of secondary sources, we were led to believe that there was a strong integration of Christianity and Aboriginal belief systems in one Indigenous Contextualised theology.  “Aboriginal theologians have used symbols and rituals from their own indigenous culture to express their Christian beliefs.”2

Contemporary Aboriginal Spirituality  Forced Mission life and the imposition of Christian values (the practice of traditional ceremonies and use of language were prohibited) resulted in a traditional spiritual void that is still evident today.3  In the last 25 years or so, Aboriginal people have been free to openly demonstrate and discuss aspects of spirituality that in the past were banned. Despite the suppression, elements of traditional Aboriginal Spirituality have not disappeared completely.  Today, Indigenous Australians’ spirituality has evolved and takes many forms. Some share the religious beliefs and values of other cultures ie. Christianity, some practice a hybrid doctrine of Indigenous / Christian faith, whilst others have reverted to more traditional practices.  A large portion of the Aboriginal population have lost their spirituality altogether. 4

Case Studies  Looma / Jarlmadangah Burru – showing slight cultural & spiritual loss  Bourke – showing heavy cultural & spiritual loss but a community effort to rectify the situation  Redfern – showing maximum cultural and spiritual loss with no apparent solution to problems

Looma / Jarlmadangah Burru5  These Aboriginal communities are in the Kimberley region of WA, south east of Derby. There are about 800 Aboriginals across the 2 ‘dry’ communities.  3 main language groups are Nyikina, Walmajarri & Mangala  The schools have white teachers and Aboriginal aids. Elders also come into the classes to teach about traditional ways. The languages are taught in LOTE classes. The schools base their education program on language, culture and life skills.  There are 3 Churches in the communities that teach the ‘Word of the Lord’, not an Indigenous / Christian Theology.6  Elders developed the ‘Yiriman’ project because they were concerned about the youth (esp. in relation to substance abuse and self harm) across the region. Young men are taken to culturally significant places to re-connect with their culture. “Through this re-connection young people would gain strength and resilience, and build positive stories which they could take with them back to their towns and communities”7

Bourke  The township has approx. 3500 people, about 30% of whom are Aboriginal.  Ngjama was the original tribe that lived in the area, although now there is a larger mix of tribes, predominantly Ngjamba Wangkumara Ba:gundji Wangaibon Waljwan Gamilaroi Gu:rnu Badjari and Marawari 8  Bourke is facing massive antisocial problems with drugs, alcohol and juvenile crime9  Several organisation have been set up to aid the Indigenous community. - Murdi Paaki Regional Council - former local ATSIC region - Muda Aboriginal Corporation – encompasses a language centre and a community radio station 2CUZ FM - Bourke Aboriginal Working Party – who organised the Yaamma festival  TAFE offers short courses in Aboriginal language, but there is barely any culture being taught to kids at home or at school. There is a breakdown in oral tradition, and most of the Elders are not taking responsibility. There are no role models.  The ‘Yaamma Festival’ is a project of the Bourke Aboriginal Community Working Party. They have a community plan focussing on spirit, soul, heart, mind and body. The festival is an 8 day celebration of Aboriginal culture & spirituality from across the region.

Redfern We talked to several people in depth and found that we got as many different views of Aboriginal Spirituality as the people we would talk to!  ‘No one’s teaching them (culture). It’s a shame but the adults just don’t care. So the kids says, ok I’ll make my own way. The kids become instant thieves.’ - Colin Davis: Street Preacher and Aboriginal Artist  ‘I was a junkie. The Elders! Ha, the Elders are the problem. Some of them are drug dealers. You know people are scared to go to the block.’ – Raylene Haynes: Local Aboriginal Mother.  ‘Father Ted used to talk about our ways in mass and our people wanted to come along. With this new priest it doesn’t happen any more. I don’t think he wants to know about our problems’ – Gladys: Older Aboriginal Lady who lives in Botany and attends weekly services at St Vincent de Paul Church  ‘Ask the people what they want. Talk to them and listen. You’ll find we all want the same thing in the end. It’s their home – they need to be involved’ – Peter Valilis: Project Manager of Aboriginal Housing Commission  ‘It’s all about context. If you took these guys (local youth) out into the bush they’d be hopeless. To these guys bush tucker probably comes from a convenience store. They never came from the land, they only know the city’ – Nat: Redfern Community Centre Volunteer, Needle distributor.

We classified the Redfern area into four Broad Spiritual groups:  Christian followers  Church as facilitator rather than ideological focus  Later desire in life to learn traditional way  No spirituality

The Redfern Area, in particular ‘The Block’, is predominantly non believers with no apparent spiritual or cultural interest, either traditional or contemporary. . ‘Culture? The only culture these guys (Aboriginal people at the block) know is street culture. It’s survival of the fittest around here.’ – Moose: Aboriginal local and Liaison Officer

Conclusion Reasons for the breakdown of culture and spirituality  Disintegration of Elders’ traditional role  Low levels of ownership of land  Great diminishment in traditional practices over the last 80 years  Density of /proximity to Western civilisation has clear correlation to degradation of Indigenous culture and spirituality

Based on our understanding of Contemporary Aboriginal Spirituality we have discovered that our brief is inadequately defined and needs further refinement. We need to re-examine the role of an Elder and the position in their community. Bibliography  W Edwards, ‘Living the Dreaming’ Ch 5 in C Bourke & W Edwards (ed), Aboriginal Australia, Brisbane: UQ Press, 1994  P Hayward, J Noble, ‘HSC Studies of Religion’ Ch - Aboriginal Belief Systems and Spirituality, South Yarra, VIC.: Macmillan Edu., 2003  Penny Tripcony, ‘Aboriginal Spirituality & Cosmology’ Paper presented at National Conference of the Aust. Association of Religious Education, 1996  Max Kamien, The Dark People of Bourke, A study of planned social change, New Jersey : Humanities Press Inc, 1978  Colin Davis - Street Preacher and Aboriginal Artist  Raylene Haynes - Local Aboriginal Mother  Gladys: Older Aboriginal Lady who lives in Botany and attends weekly services at St Vincent de Paul Church  Peter Valilis: Project Manager of Aboriginal Housing Commission  Nat: Redfern Community Centre Volunteer, Needle distributor  Nigel Brown – White teacher, Looma Community School  Mary Spinx – Aboriginal teacher, Looma Community School  Karen Skinner – Pastor, Looma Aboriginal Community  Annie Milgin – Jarlmadangah Burru Elder  www.kalacc.gov.au/yiriman  www.eddept.wa.gov.au/deo/kimberley  www.bourke.local-e.nsw.gov.au  www.jarlmadangah.com  Murdi Paaki – www.dest.gov.au  Muda Aboriginal Corporation – (02) 6872 1869  Alistair Ferguson, Community Member – 0432 306 800  Greg McKeller, Bourke Elder  Personal Experience – Alex has lived in the Bourke shire her whole life, with the exception of living in the Kimberley’s during the dry seasons from 1989-90 & 1992-93 1 W Edwards, ‘Living the Dreaming’ Ch 5 in C Bourke & W Edwards (ed), Aboriginal Australia, Brisbane: UQ Press, 1994 2 P Hayward, J Noble, ‘HSC Studies of Religion’ Ch - Aboriginal Belief Systems and Spirituality, South Yarra, VIC.: Macmillan Edu., 2003 3 Penny Tripcony, ‘Aboriginal Spirituality & Cosmology’ Paper presented at National Conference of the Aust. Association of Religious Education, 1996 4 Based on our research and interviews form the 3 case studies we have undertaken 5 Alex Murray SID 200319179 has an intimate knowledge of the Looma Aboriginal community having gone to school there in ’89, ’90, ’92 & ‘93 6 Karen Skinner, Pastor, Looma Aboriginal Community 7 Darby Narngarin, Nyikina Elder involved with the Yiriman Project 8 Greg Mckeller, Bourke Elder 9 Alistair Ferguson, local Aboriginal involved with youths