The following Australian Aboriginal historical perspective has
been supplied by Jama
Dreaming and should not be copied without their permission.
Please feel free to visit Jama
Dreaming. You can read more about the Jama
Dreaming Story.
"For many years now scientists have been trying to prove
where we the Aboriginal people of Australia came from and they
have come up with many theories which are continually changing.
The deeper they dig the closer they are coming to realise that
we did not come from anywhere else but here.
It can be said of everybody else who lives in Australia that
they are migrants or descendants of migrants. They or their forebears
came to Australia for a variety of reasons but with the clear
understanding that they were coming to a new and quite different
country.
Where life would evolve in a distinctive way and where in respect
of those who came later they knew it had evolved in a particular
way. The first Europeans to arrive brought with them ideas, institutions,
religions and the other ingredients that make up a culture.
What they brought with them was a culture which has now turned
into something that is difficult to describe and identify but
is non-Aboriginal Australian culture. It's basic ingredient is
the culture which was brought in 1788 but all those who have come
since have contributed to the environment which we all live in
today.
All those who have come to this country this century have a concept
of the country and the culture to which they were coming and made
the decision to leave their own place to embrace the new. For
Aboriginal people it is different, we were here, we had our culture,
we did not leave and we did not ask others to come.
We did not go through the process of leaving the old to embrace
the new and we never voluntarily surrendered our culture and,
indeed fought tooth and nail to preserve it, throughout dispossession,
shooting, poisoning, infliction of diseases, assimilation, denying
the use of our culture, removals and the attempts of breeding
the colour and culture out of us.
But we survived and our culture survived, in different forms
and to different degrees in different parts of the country as
a result of different experiences during and after white contact.
It is only been since 1967 that we have been classed as citizens
in our own country and are still fighting the system and attitudes
for equality.
From the attitudes of thinking we were nothing but ignorant savages
non Indigenous people are starting to realise the depth, structures
and true value of our culture as the environment is sadly being
destroyed.
It is through our art and cultural performances that we tell
our stories that assist in the understanding of far superior our
system was and still is then and European devised system.
There are many Dreamtime stories and each tribal group has it’s
own interpretation of the creation of Traditional lands, life
and the journey through the Dreamtime. Although the interpretations
vary the basic elements within the stories are the same or simular.
The stories are handed down from one generation to the next
and the stories from our elders are about creation, life and the
continued survival of our people, they are about how we, the Aboriginal
people have survived with the environment in our country, Australia
since time began.
Bulurru (from North Queensland and known by other names by other
groups in other regions) has been translated as Totom; Father’s
Father, Totomic Ancestor, Protective or Good God, the Law. Spirit,
Country and story Waters.
As one’s identity is bound up with the Totomic Ancestor’s, it
is no wonder that a person’s dream life was seen to be woven of
the same Totomic fabric as waking life.
Story Waters are much the same as "Dreamings of the Dreamtime"
which is central to the creation and Spiritual beliefs of Aboriginal
people.
The Story Water beings whose tracks mark the land and who took
the form of animals, birds, plants and phenomena, of the world,
the objects fashioned for use in daily life, all partook of the
nature of Bulurru.
Bulurru, story waters links the past with the present, the land
with the people, the spiritual healing and the people with the
Ancestral Law.
To follow the Law- Lore is to follow one track The one left by
our Ancestors.
Aboriginal people had many laws and rules to ensure that we lived
in peace and harmony with each other and the environment. In analysing
all these laws they can be grouped into three main areas: Productive,
protective and destructive.
The productive laws and customs were to ensure there was a plentiful
supply of animals, plants and grass for food and also plants for
medicine. In hunting, very young animals as a rule were never
killed. Small fish were never taken out of the water hole or river,
but thrown back to grow.
In hunting or fishing only the amount necessary to feed the people
would be taken. The female of any species would only be killed
in very good seasons when there was abundance of game.
In drought times, careful consideration was given to ensure that
a species was not completely wiped out. Thus the term walkabout.
The productive laws also applied to trees and plants, they were
a rich source of food and also medicine. Trees could not be cut
down without a good reason and the cutting of certain trees were
forbidden because it was believed that cutting particular trees
was cutting the strength of the tribe. Aboriginal people recognised
that maintaining the close relationship between us and the environment
was important to our survival.
The productive laws were used for the regulation of the number
of children produced. For birth control, there was a special drink
made from the juices of a vine that grew alongside the waterholes.
Most families in traditional times only had two or three children
it was not until after white contact and the breakdown of culture
that families had ten to fifteen children.
The land was given special attention to ensure it was always
productive.
The protective laws dealt with the ways of ensuring protection
against evil spirits and influences. At the time of death the
practice of smoking was used to keep evil spirits away and smoking
was carried out on babies and young children as a way of sanctifying
them and protecting them against evil spirits.
Because certain winds and rains could contain bad influences
there were special songs, customs and dances to drive them away.
There were also storms and winds that were regarded as being protective.
Protection also came from various trees like when a family was
in grief the sitting under certain trees gave condolence.
The destructive laws were used entirely for destroying bad elements
in the environment and tribal group. Such as if a person had broken
the laws and rules of the tribe.
Fire was an important element of the destructive system with
the burning off of an area to ensure when new growth came after
the rains, the grass, the plants for food and medicine would grow
and the animals would come in large numbers and would be easy
to hunt.
Aboriginal people lived in close harmony with the land and the
environment while maintaining strong spiritual beliefs and respected
everything around us. To all, there was a purpose for living."
The
Jama Dreaming Story:
"(The journey from an Aboriginal fringe camp to a high profile
tourist destination) The journey from an Aboriginal fringe camp
to the owners of their own Aboriginal Art & Craft Gallery in a
high profile tourist destination, has been an exciting trip for
Internationally acclaimed Aboriginal artists Greg (Inibla<>Goobya)
Singh and wife Janice (Jurragubari) who have made the Gallery
located within the Village complex on Williams Esplanade, Palm
Cove their resident home.
Inibla Goobya said our whole lives are like chapters in a book,
only we get to write them ourselves, our book is full of exciting
chapters and even the hard times, bad times and sad times have
some good in them whether it was a learning process, a comedy
of errors or just something stupid, we get a laugh out of reflecting
back on them today.
Jurragubari, born in Cairns, Tropical North Queensland, to Aboriginal
and Scottish parents and raised with a large extended family in
Innisfail, spent her youth exploring her surroundings and nature
with a creative flair that was evident from a very young age.
Jurragubari has always been creative in her expression of her
culture through Arts and Crafts and would often be found collecting
pieces of nature and turning them into decorative Art.
Her parents and family strongly supported her talents, and encouraged
her to nurture this gift. In March 1969, Jurragubari married Inibla<>Goobya
and together they set off on an exciting adventure of travel and
Music for several years.
Three beautiful children, later, two boys and one girl saw Jurragubari
busy raising her family and sharing her culture with her children.
Jurragubari has always been the Earth Mother with strong family
Values and often found herself surrounded by the ‘pitter patter
of little feet’. Children from all around seemed drawn to her
mothering spirit an exciting bright world of creativity that was
never far away from the Singh household. Jurragubari’s five grand
children can vouch for the fu and laughter at their Nanna’s place.
With three children all grown up and the grandchildren visiting
regularly, Jurragubari rediscovered the time to channel her artistic
spirit.
The excited interest in her unique translation of the Dreamtime
stories, stories, which had been told to her, by her Elders and
transferred to other mediums, became quite apparent.
In 1996 Jurragubari entered and won he Robin O’Chin Art Craft
Award. This prestige award is a great honour to win, as the judges
are Aboriginal people. Her Art and Craft display can be seen at
the Jama Dreaming Palm Cove Gallery and in various distinguished
homes throughout the world.
Jurragubari’s rise to the top of the Art word is evident with
her work being sold throughout numerous galleries and showrooms
in the north of Queensland. Apart from the sales and demands for
her Art in Australia, Jurragubari has also sold her works internationally
in Holland, Austria, Bavaria, France, USA, England, Canada, Germany
and many other far off places.
Her unique style of expressing her culture throughout her Art
is in great demand. Jurragubari is very proud of her heritage
and believes that by sharing her culture and dreaming stories
handed down to her from her elders through her Art she will assist
in creating a greater understanding of her culture to the wider
community.
Jurragubari & Inibla <>Goobya believe, live by and promote the
vision of their friend and mentor prominent Aboriginal Leader
the late Mick Miller.
Quote; " We must learn to enjoy and appreciate one another’s
contributions to making Australia and the world a better place
for ourselves. Abetter place for sons and daughters, and their
sons and daughters who will follow on and inherit the legacy of
tolerance of each other’s beliefs and customs. An appreciation
of each other’s many varied and rich cultural backgrounds. This
is the legacy we must leave behind us for our descendants to inherit
an be proud of that inheritance without shame, fear or guilt."
Jurragubari was one of only two Aboriginal artists selected to
exhibit five pieces of art in the Five Continent Exhibition held
in Holland in July 2000.
Jama
Dreaming is 100% Aboriginal owned and operated which also
incorporates the Jama Dreaming Cultural Performers who are constantly
touring to not only entertain but to allow others the opportunity
to have a small insight into our culture and to actually meet
Aboriginal people who still have a deep belief in their culture."
Greg Inibla<>Goobya Singh Jurragubari Singh