SST+activities

==This section of the page is called the "SST activities". This is designed to help have a clear understanding and a confident grasp of the following topics below. ==

Religions in Australia post-1945
__Religious Expressions in Australia__ After the Second World War (1939-1945) Australia's population and diversity in culture started to increase at a larger rate than in the previous 150 years during the colony period. After 1945 many migrants from Easter Europe (Germany, Italy, Greece, etc) brought new understanding of culture and religion such as Christian Orthodoxy. Within the next years migrants from the Middle East and Asia brought further influx of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Australia had now a totally new and diverse range of religious and cultures from all over the world living in one single country. This was the beginning of a new era of multiculturalism.

Here are some of the most important and relevant concepts within the subtopic of "Religious expressions in Australia"
 * 1) __Religious tradition__; It's the belief system concerning the creation, nature and purpose life often involving supernatural identities or phenomenons to try to explain the complexity of life. This traditions often include a moral code to guide their followers. The worlds main religious traditions are; Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism.
 * 2) __Homogenized white Australia__; Meaning composed by the same elements. In this case refers to a society created by one single race, "White people". Europeans.
 * 3) __Christianity__; One of the world's main Religious Traditions, based upon the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus Christ. It then brakes into different denomination
 * 4) __National Church Life Survey__ (NSLS); Australian organization responsable for numerous surveys and research in Australia regarding to Church life in Australia since 1991.
 * 5) __Judaism__; Religious Tradition based on the Hebrew Bible (Torah) and the Talmud. This was the first monotheistic religious traditions in the world.
 * 6) __Hinduism__; One of the main Religious Traditions, and most popular in India, it is based on a caste system. characterized for the belief in reincarnation and the existence of a supreme being manifested in different natures and forms.
 * 7) __Islam__; Islam is considered by their followers as a "way of life" more than a "Sunday religion". It is based on the teachings of Muhammad, which are written in the Koran. Islam is a Monotheistic Religious Tradition.
 * 8) __Buddhism__; Religious Tradition based on the teachings of Buddha, meditation and wisdom. Followers believe that all suffering in life come from desire for unnecessary things. It is characterized for its belief in reincarnation.
 * 9) __Atheism__; Doctrine based on the belief that there is no God or supernatural identities.
 * 10) __Religious Denomination__; Its a group within a Religious Tradition, often with the same main beliefs but different worshiping systems, traditions and leaders.
 * 11) __Multiculturalism__; A community formed by various cultures (rather than one) that coexist peacefully equitably  in one country.
 * 12) __New Age movement__; Promotes and develops individual "spirituality" rather than found a new religion.
 * 13) __Inter-faith dialogue__; Conversation established by the hierarchies of different religious traditions to promote peace and understanding between their communities.
 * 14) __National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA)__; This organisation has the task of reversing racism and discrimination between the various Religious Traditions in Australia.
 * 15) __NSW Ecumenical Council__; Organization that seeks for social justice and participates in numerous charity events along with the NCCA.

**__ Contemporary Aboriginal __**  **__Spiritualities__** Through these two sections, they are both discussing the different aspects of Contemporary Aboriginal Spiritualities. In respect with this there is also some activities which hope to enhance and help your learning.

Section One: Aboriginal Spirituality

“Aboriginal spirituality mainly derives from the stories of the Dreaming.” Basically this reflects upon the fact that Contemporary Aboriginal spirituality would not exist if the dreaming were not originated; this is because the dreaming provides all the answers and is the foundation of the Aboriginal culture, so many can understand their belonging to the aboriginal culture.

Aboriginal Spirituality is very closely connected to the land and lies in the belief in a cultural landscape(s). Everything that is on a vast desert landscape is associated and has some meaning and purpose. The land is both and external landscape and “inscape”, meaning an internal relationship with the Creator. The landmarks are both metaphysical and physical which effectively means that they can be seen and spirituality seen by the indigenous. An example which coincides this is Uluru. Uluru is effectively a physical landmark belonged to the Aborigines that are significant to them. However Uluru does not need to be seen as a physical landmark but also, an epic poem, a source of scared law and a repository of law. Uluru does not only have physical meaning but however this branches off to many aspects of Aboriginal Spirituality.

Aboriginal Spirituality is also expressed in many ways. These include: - Ceremonial rituals, includes of dancing and singing. The aboriginal people who are active in the ceremony wears sorted colours of paint to convey a specific meaning of the ceremonial occasion. For example, retelling the story of the creation of the earth. They often dance in a circle accompanied with the didgeridoo and sticks clapping. - Significant paintings, many painting used to tell the story of how the earth and all living things were created. These are used with different textural paints. - Poetry - Songs, chants played with the didgeridoo

Subject Specific Terminology: 1. Aboriginal People – are indigenous people who first inhabited Australia with the closest historical connection to the land.

2.Aboriginal Spirituality – customs, beliefs, traditions

3.Ceremonial Life - i nvolving or relating to ceremony or ritual

4.Kinship – the family relationship that exists between people and the right and obligations associated with those relationships.

5.Native Title- is the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs

6.Terra Nullius – Literally “land belonging to no one”; the doctrine that Australia was unhabitated by people before European settlement.

7.Aboriginal Dreamtime stories – are scared texts that are used to describe the period before humankind existed, when the sprites emerged beneath the earth and sky to create land forms and all living things.

8.Custodians- individuals who are quite significant and have power. I.e. Elders.

9.Corroboree – An aboriginal ceremony, usually in the form of dance.

10 Ancestral rock painting- significant painting that depict about their ancestors.

11. Assimilation - when the aboriginal people are forced to adopt to the white Australian policy.

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Section 2: Aboriginal Dreamtime

The Aboriginal dreamtime, according to aboriginal belief, all life as it is today – human, animal, bird and fish is part of one vast unchanging network of relationships which can be traced to the Great Spirit ancestors of the dreamtime. A basic understanding of the concept of “the Dreamtime” or Creation period is an important part of recognizing the inextricable bond traditional Aborigines have for the land and their culture. The Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories of creation vary from region to region but are underpinned by a connection between all living things. The dreaming is essentially the foundation of what is known of the Aboriginal culture present. It holds the past and tells the stories of the aboriginal culture and spirituality that keeps and holds the rich cultural heritage they inherited. The continuity of the belief systems is passed down from generation to generation by the selected custodians (elders). The Dreamtime continues as the "Dreaming" in the spiritual lives of aboriginal people today. The events of the ancient era of creation are conveyed in ceremonies and danced in mime form. These ceremonial ritual are specified to draw connection to the dreamtime stories, retelling some of the significant aspects that had impacted and significant to the aboriginal culture. The basic but yet informative stories that seem to be passed down include: Ø Rainbow Serpent Creation Story – Precisely tells the story of how the earth had been created. Ø Earth Dying - Earth Reborn Ø How The Sun Was Made

REMEMBER – POINTS NOT TO FORGET! In respect to reading the information above, here is the same information but just broken down for you. · The “dreaming” or dreamtime “stories” is a large network of stories that is connected to the Australia Indigenous people that is referring to when the ancestral beings moved across the land and created life. · The elders also known as the “traditional custodians” share this connection of stories and also a leader of sharing these morally. · The “dreaming” is central to the aboriginal spirituality. · Dreaming stories pass on important knowledge, cultural values and belief systems to later generations. Through song, dance, painting and storytelling which express the dreaming stories. That also how the Aborigines have maintained a link with the Dreaming from ancient times to today · The dreaming is inevitably linked to the land. Now here are some more subject specific terminology that is associated with the subtopic “Aboriginal dreamtime”.

1. Dreaming/ Dreamtime Stories – tells the creation of how the earth was made, traditional custodians hold these and retell these. 2. Elders / custodians- are the traditional custodians of the land that have lived for many years and inheriting the unique aboriginal culture. 3. Totem – a clan or tribe identified by their kinship to a common totemic object 4. Dispossession of land – is when the European colony had taken the land away from the Aboriginal community. 5. Stolen Generations – the term applied to the Australia aboriginal children that were stole from their families and cultural heritage from their land where they were adopted and assimilated into the white Australian culture.

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