Who are the Who are the Aborigines?Aborigines?

AboriginesAborigines

AboriginesAborigines

Indigenous people of AustraliaIndigenous people of Australia Have occupied Australia for at least 40,000 yearsHave occupied Australia for at least 40,000 years Arrived from Southeast AsiaArrived from Southeast Asia The word The word aborigineaborigine means “people who were means “people who were

here from the beginning”here from the beginning”

AboriginesAborigines

Developed efficient ways to adapt to Developed efficient ways to adapt to the harsh Australian environmentthe harsh Australian environment– Built containers for storing water and Built containers for storing water and

built wells to collect water undergroundbuilt wells to collect water underground They were hunters and gatherers: They were hunters and gatherers:

ate animals, wild nuts, fruits, and ate animals, wild nuts, fruits, and berriesberries

They were nomadic – moved from They were nomadic – moved from place to place in search of foodplace to place in search of food

AboriginesAborigines Archaeologists have Archaeologists have

found early Aboriginal found early Aboriginal inventions: rock art, inventions: rock art, boomerangs, ground boomerangs, ground axes, and grindstonesaxes, and grindstones

There is no written There is no written record of prehistoric record of prehistoric AboriginesAborigines

Kept their history by Kept their history by telling stories that were telling stories that were passed down from passed down from generation to generationgeneration to generation

Social StructureSocial Structure

Consisted of a tribe Consisted of a tribe or “language group”or “language group”

A tribe included A tribe included bands called bands called “hordes” of 10 to 20 “hordes” of 10 to 20 peoplepeople

Hordes joined for Hordes joined for daily food gathering daily food gathering and huntingand hunting

Where?Where?

Settled in the same places as Settled in the same places as present-day Australianspresent-day Australians– Climate was mild and water was Climate was mild and water was

availableavailable– In the tropical north, most lived along In the tropical north, most lived along

the coasts and riverthe coasts and river

Before Europeans arrived in 1788, around Before Europeans arrived in 1788, around 500,000 people lived in Australia500,000 people lived in Australia

Arrival of EuropeansArrival of Europeans

Aborigines lived on Australia’s coast, which Aborigines lived on Australia’s coast, which is where the Europeans wanted to settleis where the Europeans wanted to settle

Europeans waged war against the Europeans waged war against the Aborigines in order to take their landAborigines in order to take their land

Advantage of EuropeansAdvantage of Europeans

Guns, soldiersGuns, soldiers DiseasesDiseases

– More than half of the Aborigines in More than half of the Aborigines in Australia diedAustralia died

– Entire population died in TasmaniaEntire population died in Tasmania

(Sound familiar???)(Sound familiar???)

What happened to the What happened to the remaining Aborigines?remaining Aborigines?

Forced to live on reservations in the Forced to live on reservations in the OutbackOutback

Were forced to work for Europeans Were forced to work for Europeans on sheep and cattle rancheson sheep and cattle ranches

Laws were made to limit where Laws were made to limit where Aborigines could live and workAborigines could live and work– The British hoped to end all Aboriginal The British hoped to end all Aboriginal

culture with their policiesculture with their policies

Aborigines Today…Aborigines Today…

300,000 live in Australia today300,000 live in Australia today In the 1960s, policies were changed In the 1960s, policies were changed

to be in favor of Aboriginesto be in favor of Aborigines– Can hold a seat in ParliamentCan hold a seat in Parliament– Can have their own schools which teach Can have their own schools which teach

their culture, language, and arttheir culture, language, and art– Live modern lives, some are teachers, Live modern lives, some are teachers,

lawyers, nurses, and politicianslawyers, nurses, and politicians

Aborigines TodayAborigines Today

ReligionReligion Aboriginal religion is Aboriginal religion is

called “Dreamtime”called “Dreamtime” ““the Dreaming” is what the Dreaming” is what

Aborigines call the Aborigines call the beginning of life on beginning of life on EarthEarth

During the Dreaming, During the Dreaming, spirits created the land, spirits created the land, people, and animals people, and animals – Most of the spirits Most of the spirits

disappeared, but some disappeared, but some live on in objectslive on in objects

ReligionReligion

Believe the earth is Believe the earth is a link to the a link to the spiritual worldspiritual world– The land itself is The land itself is

sacred to Aboriginessacred to Aborigines

Aborigines have Aborigines have Dreamtime legends Dreamtime legends that describe how that describe how the earth was the earth was created…created…

DreamtimeDreamtime

Your TaskYour Task Create your own Aboriginal Create your own Aboriginal

Dreamtime LegendDreamtime Legend You may choose to write You may choose to write

aboutabout– Why certain Australian Why certain Australian

animals look/act the way animals look/act the way they dothey do

– How one of Australia's How one of Australia's physical features was physical features was createdcreated

– Why certain events in Why certain events in nature happennature happen

There is no length limit, but There is no length limit, but your story must have at your story must have at least 3 paragraphs. Be least 3 paragraphs. Be Creative!!!!Creative!!!!

Your TaskYour Task

Create your own Aboriginal ArtCreate your own Aboriginal Art Use the symbol charts as a guideUse the symbol charts as a guide Remember that all Aboriginal Art Remember that all Aboriginal Art

revolves around naturerevolves around nature Be Creative!Be Creative! Be Colorful!Be Colorful!

CreditsCredits Google Images Google Images http://www.google.com/http://www.google.com/.. Discovery Education ImagesDiscovery Education Images Aboriginal rock painting of a kangaroo.Aboriginal rock painting of a kangaroo..  2005. Image..  2005. Image.

17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. The Aboriginals: Australia's First InhabitantsThe Aboriginals: Australia's First Inhabitants..

EMI, 1988. Video Segment.EMI, 1988. Video Segment.17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>.

Three Legends of Australian AboriginalsThree Legends of Australian Aboriginals..EMI, 1992. Full Video.EMI, 1992. Full Video.17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>.

Mystic Lands: Australia: DreamtimeMystic Lands: Australia: Dreamtime..Duncan Group, 1997. Full Video.Duncan Group, 1997. Full Video.17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>. 17 March 2011. <http://www.discoveryeducation.com/>.

Mullins, E. R., Jr. (2009). CRCT Test Prep, 6Mullins, E. R., Jr. (2009). CRCT Test Prep, 6thth Grade Social Grade Social Studies Teaching the Georgia Performance Standards. Studies Teaching the Georgia Performance Standards. Clairmont Press, Inc. Lilburn, GA. Clairmont Press, Inc. Lilburn, GA.