Australia Australia

Land of the AboriginesLand of the Aboriginesc.1920scarification

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG-CNqOhO2c

Landing in the Kimberley region

Musicians from AustraliaMusicians from Australia The Little River Band, The Little River Band,

The Bee Gees, Nick The Bee Gees, Nick Cave, INXS, AC/DC, Cave, INXS, AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Midnight Oil, silverchair, and, yes, silverchair, and, yes, Kylie Minogue are Kylie Minogue are Australia's most Australia's most famous music exports. famous music exports. Live music is common Live music is common in Australian pubs, with in Australian pubs, with Melbourne now hosting Melbourne now hosting the liveliest scene.the liveliest scene.

Food from AustraliaFood from Australia

Vegemite is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract (a by-product of beer manufacture) and various vegetable and spice additives. It is very dark reddish-brown, almost black, filled with Vit B. It's thick like peanut butter, but it’s very salty. Australian children are brought up on Vegemite from the time they're babies.

Film Film industryindustry

Peter Weir, Bruce Peter Weir, Bruce Beresford, George Beresford, George Miller, Gillian Armstrong Miller, Gillian Armstrong are all well-known are all well-known Australian directors, Australian directors, while Mel Gibson, while Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe and Russell Crowe and Nicole Kidman are the Nicole Kidman are the country's best-known country's best-known actors. The Aussie film actors. The Aussie film industry is small but industry is small but well-supported.well-supported.

Russell Crowe & FamilyHollywood Walk of Fame Star 4-13-2010

4/16/2010 Gibson splits with girl-friend

Opera and AustraliaOpera and Australia

Dame Joan Sutherland is Dame Joan Sutherland is Australia’s best known opera Australia’s best known opera star. Busy in the 1960s, she is star. Busy in the 1960s, she is a very famous coloratura a very famous coloratura soprano. She was recently soprano. She was recently honored at the Kennedy honored at the Kennedy Center.Center.

Nellie Melba (as in Melba toast Nellie Melba (as in Melba toast and Peach Melba) from and Peach Melba) from Melbourne, get it, get it?, was Melbourne, get it, get it?, was the world’s biggest opera star the world’s biggest opera star at the beginning of the 20th at the beginning of the 20th centurycentury

Nellie MelbaNellie Melba

THE prima donna at Covent Garden THE prima donna at Covent Garden in London during the 1910s and in London during the 1910s and 1920s1920s

Current topics…..Current topics…..

Film: Rabbit Proof FenceFilm: Rabbit Proof Fence Sisters Molly Kelly (d. January 2004, Sisters Molly Kelly (d. January 2004,

at age 86) and Daisy Kadibil, 79, at age 86) and Daisy Kadibil, 79, are the central attractions of a are the central attractions of a tourist boom in their remote Pilbara tourist boom in their remote Pilbara community being fuelled by the community being fuelled by the success of a small-budget film success of a small-budget film telling their story from seven telling their story from seven decades ago.decades ago.

The film tells The film tells the true story the true story of a 2000km of a 2000km journey by the journey by the pair and their pair and their cousin Gracie, cousin Gracie, as chronicled as chronicled by Molly's by Molly's daughter daughter Doris Doris Pilkington in Pilkington in her book, her book, Follow the Follow the Rabbit-Proof Rabbit-Proof FenceFence..

The young trio The young trio walked home to walked home to Jigalong from the Jigalong from the Moore River Moore River settlement settlement where they had where they had been forcibly been forcibly taken by the taken by the government in government in the 1930sthe 1930s

Australia’s Stolen Generation Australia’s Stolen Generation 20092009

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3TZOGpG6cMv=b3TZOGpG6cM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp5w1Zp0-vQv=hp5w1Zp0-vQ

A second film about A second film about AboriginesAborigines

Where the Green Ants Dream-Where the Green Ants Dream--1984-1984

a slow paced, very interesting view of a a slow paced, very interesting view of a sacred space and its destruction by sacred space and its destruction by modern developments of a mining modern developments of a mining companycompany

Tells of an Aboriginal tribe's struggle to Tells of an Aboriginal tribe's struggle to save their sacred grounds from save their sacred grounds from encroaching civilization. encroaching civilization.

They believe that man's so-called They believe that man's so-called reality is no more than the dream of a reality is no more than the dream of a strange insect indigenous to the strange insect indigenous to the Australian continent. Australian continent.

BooksBooks Dreamkeepers (1994)Dreamkeepers (1994) A Spiritual Journey into Aboriginal Australia A Spiritual Journey into Aboriginal Australia

by Harvey Ardenby Harvey Arden

The Songlines (1987)The Songlines (1987)

By Bruce ChatwinBy Bruce Chatwin

1940-1989

Australian Aboriginal cultureAustralian Aboriginal culture

•can claim to be the oldest continuous living culture on the planet

•Aboriginal presence in Australia has been traced to at least 40,000 years BP. Some of the evidence points to dates over 60,000 years old.

Aborigines landAborigines land

The Kimberley region of Western Australia is one of the world's last great wilderness areas. It has one of the fastest population growth rates in Australia, yet has fewer people per square kilometer than almost any other place on earth.Kununurra Australia weather

The word “aborigine” has Latin roots and means “there from the beginning”The word “aborigine” has Latin roots and means “there from the beginning”

Some Aboriginal tribesSome Aboriginal tribes

Ewamian Ewamian MuddieMuddie Girramiy Girramiy JittabulJittabul DunjgarDunjgar GunninggurrGunninggurr Jidinji Jidinji Birri-Gubba Birri-Gubba Kuku Yalanji Kuku Yalanji

Hallmark of cultureHallmark of culture

The hallmark of Aboriginal culture is oneness The hallmark of Aboriginal culture is oneness with nature. with nature.

In traditional Aboriginal belief systems, nature In traditional Aboriginal belief systems, nature and landscape are comparable in importance and landscape are comparable in importance to the Bible in Christian culture. to the Bible in Christian culture.

Prominent rocks, canyons, rivers, waterfalls, Prominent rocks, canyons, rivers, waterfalls, islands, beaches and other natural features - islands, beaches and other natural features - as well as sun, moon, visible stars and animals as well as sun, moon, visible stars and animals - have their own stories of creation and inter-- have their own stories of creation and inter-connectedness. connectedness.

Belief systemBelief system

To the traditional Aborigine they are all To the traditional Aborigine they are all sacred: environment is the essence of sacred: environment is the essence of Australian Aboriginal godliness.Australian Aboriginal godliness.

Out of this deep reverence for nature Out of this deep reverence for nature Aborigines learned to live in remarkable Aborigines learned to live in remarkable harmony with the land and its animals.harmony with the land and its animals.

Dreamtime Dreamtime

This term is most often used to mean This term is most often used to mean the time before time…or the time of the time before time…or the time of the creation of all thingsthe creation of all things

DreamingDreaming

often used to refer to an individual's or often used to refer to an individual's or group's set of beliefs or spiritualitygroup's set of beliefs or spirituality

'Ancestor Spirits' came to Earth in 'Ancestor Spirits' came to Earth in human and other forms and the land, human and other forms and the land, the plants and animals were given their the plants and animals were given their form as we know them today. form as we know them today.

These Spirits also established These Spirits also established relationships between groups and relationships between groups and individualsindividuals

Dreaming beliefsDreaming beliefs

Where they traveled across the land Where they traveled across the land or came to a halt, they created or came to a halt, they created rivers, hills, other landmarks. There rivers, hills, other landmarks. There are often stories attached to these are often stories attached to these places. places.

Once their work was done, the Once their work was done, the Ancestor Spirits changed again; into Ancestor Spirits changed again; into animals or stars or hills or other animals or stars or hills or other objectsobjects

Dreaming, con’t.Dreaming, con’t.

The Ancestor Spirits and their powers The Ancestor Spirits and their powers have not gone, they are present in the have not gone, they are present in the forms into which they changed at the forms into which they changed at the end of the 'Dreamtime' or 'Dreaming.end of the 'Dreamtime' or 'Dreaming.

For Indigenous Australians, the past is For Indigenous Australians, the past is still alive and vital today and will still alive and vital today and will remain so into the future. remain so into the future.

Dreaming con’tDreaming con’t Stories are handed down from Stories are handed down from

generation to generationgeneration to generation responsible for topographical responsible for topographical

features which can still be seenfeatures which can still be seen responsible for living creatures responsible for living creatures

which are present in rites which are present in rites performedperformed

responsible for structured responsible for structured society whose codes are still society whose codes are still observedobserved

And more….And more….

After the creation of all of that, the After the creation of all of that, the powers either sank into the earth powers either sank into the earth or water or rose up into the sky to or water or rose up into the sky to form constellations and starsform constellations and stars

The powers can fluctuate between The powers can fluctuate between human or animal forms, so you see human or animal forms, so you see distortion of these images distortion of these images sometimessometimes

Supernatural Supernatural communicationcommunication

Belief that communication does exist Belief that communication does exist between powers of The Dreaming between powers of The Dreaming and people of the presentand people of the present

Signs show this…. such as a rainbow. Signs show this…. such as a rainbow. That is evidence that the Rainbow That is evidence that the Rainbow Serpent has been busy.Serpent has been busy.

Paranormal experiences of dream Paranormal experiences of dream and trance are another sign.and trance are another sign.

Creativity?Creativity?

Creativity is attributed ONLY to the Creativity is attributed ONLY to the powers of creation. People don’t powers of creation. People don’t create the forms, but receive and create the forms, but receive and reproduce them. reproduce them.

This is not unlike the Native This is not unlike the Native American belief of unraveling what’s American belief of unraveling what’s already in the universe.already in the universe.

People and relationshipsPeople and relationships

In Aboriginal society, people are In Aboriginal society, people are related by an extremely complex related by an extremely complex system to one another, to places, system to one another, to places, and to animals, birds, or insect and to animals, birds, or insect species.species.

MUSICMUSIC

In music, there areIn music, there are

rites of liferites of life rites of deathrites of death rites of passage (ages and stages)rites of passage (ages and stages)

Rites of DeathRites of Death

Major position in Aboriginal societyMajor position in Aboriginal society death is considered to be the result of death is considered to be the result of

sorcery sorcery often brought about by “singing” a often brought about by “singing” a

personperson that is, performing a poison song that is, performing a poison song

against someoneagainst someone http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?vwww.youtube.com/watch?v=_7qHJ1b7nGw=_7qHJ1b7nGw (funeral in Arnhem Land)(funeral in Arnhem Land)

Subtleties of the musicSubtleties of the music

May seem to be the same, but there are May seem to be the same, but there are subtle variationssubtle variations

Rhythm, harmony and musical expression Rhythm, harmony and musical expression varyvary

The texts vary, of courseThe texts vary, of course

Brolga ceremony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh2g3Rzcxp8&mode=related&search=

Music is primarily vocalMusic is primarily vocal

Most instruments are percussiveMost instruments are percussive Sticks, boomerangs Sticks, boomerangs http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=qahSU4RYblYv=qahSU4RYblY, bark bundles struck on the , bark bundles struck on the palmpalm

Bullroarer Bullroarer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvNR9Xo8z3Mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvNR9Xo8z3M

hollow log drumshollow log drums body slapping and clappingbody slapping and clapping hissing, calls, growls, grunts, shoutshissing, calls, growls, grunts, shouts

Song typesSong typesWonga: Wonga:

didjeridudidjeriduclapsticksclapstickssinging by one or more songmen who set the singing by one or more songmen who set the rhythmrhythm

http://www2.wou.edu:7777/pls/wou2/jukebox.juk_pub.view_tracks?ptrack_id=21970&pcd_id=3244http://www2.wou.edu:7777/pls/wou2/jukebox.juk_pub.view_tracks?ptrack_id=21970&pcd_id=3244&pcd_num=1&pcd_num=1

Djunba: Djunba: no didjeriduno didjeridumen and women singing harmoniesmen and women singing harmoniesmen play clap sticksmen play clap stickswomen clapwomen clap

http://www2.wou.edu:7777/pls/wou2/jukebox.juk_pub.view_tracks?ptrack_id=21999&pcd_id=3244http://www2.wou.edu:7777/pls/wou2/jukebox.juk_pub.view_tracks?ptrack_id=21999&pcd_id=3244&pcd_num=1&pcd_num=1

traditionaltraditional

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_6eSvlau2o&mode=related&search=

DidjeriduDidjeridu

Most distinctive and typically Most distinctive and typically Aboriginal/Australian instrumentAboriginal/Australian instrument

made of a tree branch that was made of a tree branch that was hollowed out by termiteshollowed out by termites

piece of bamboopiece of bamboo any hollow tube (PVC pipe)any hollow tube (PVC pipe) 1.5 meters long or so1.5 meters long or so 3 cm diameter at the mouthpiece3 cm diameter at the mouthpiece

Painting a didj, member of the Painting a didj, member of the

Gunninggurr tribeGunninggurr tribe

Didjeridu con’tDidjeridu con’t

Decorated with designs, either Decorated with designs, either carved or painted or bothcarved or painted or both

EXTRAORDINARILY difficult to play EXTRAORDINARILY difficult to play well…well…

Sing and blow at the same time, then Sing and blow at the same time, then can alter the fundamental pitchcan alter the fundamental pitch

use circular breathinguse circular breathing

Graham WigginsGraham Wiggins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwCE-4sbUMo

What did you learn from the What did you learn from the aboriginal masters and how has aboriginal masters and how has it changed your own personal it changed your own personal

sound?sound? I had to learn a whole different way of holding

my mouth and producing the sound on the instrument

in order to imitate their style. It was philosophically important just on a musical level because I discovered that for them the circular breathing is not something that's primarily to do with keeping a note going for a long time.

For them circular breathing is how you create the rhythm, the basic in and out cycle of the breath, the circular breathing cycle creates the rhythmic phrasing of the music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4o0140IHd8

Q. What do you call a boomerang that won’t come back ?

A. A stick