They were scattered in 300 clans and spoke 250 languages and 700 dialects. Each clan had a spiritual connection with a specific piece of land but also travelled widely to trade, find water and seasonal produce and for ritual and totemic gatherings.
Despite the diversity of their homelands – from outback deserts and tropical rainforests to snow-capped mountains – Aboriginal people all shared a belief in the timeless, magical realm of the Dreamtime. The time before time.
According to Aboriginal myth, spirit ancestors forged all aspects of life during the Dreamtime of the world’s creation. These spirit ancestors continue to connect natural phenomena, as well as past, present and future through every aspect of Aboriginal culture. These stories have been handed down from generation to generation and are an integral part of 'The Dreaming'.
Come Play! Things to do
- Learn more about the oldest continuing culture on earth
- Visit Arnhem Land, Wilpena Pound or Uluru
- Learn about 'bush tucker' - traditional sources of food and bush medicine, and try it for yourself
- Throw a boomerang
- Learn about the meaning of a Corroboree to an Aboriginal person
