Aboriginal Ceremonies
Within traditional Aboriginal Culture, various ceremonies are held for many occasions and reasons. These include mythological (Dreamtime) stories outside of initiation and within, secret events at sacred sites, gatherings, home comings, births and deaths.
These ceremonies were done in the form of dancing or ritual actions, singing, and chanting. Although the purpose of which is to invoke the Ancestral Beings for a wealthy supply of rain and food within the area, they were also done to simply exercise their beliefs.
• Bora, also called “Burbung” of the Darkinjung language, is the initiation ceremony for young boys being welcomed to adulthood. This may last for weeks, and may involve learning of sacred songs, dances, stories, and traditional lore. Circumcision, scarification, and removal of a tooth or a part of a finger are often involved. Clans are expected to gather together and participate in these Aboriginal ceremonies.
• Tjurunga, also spelled “Churinga”, is an object of religious significance for Central Australian Indigenous people of the Arrente group. Its native significance are shown in stone objects, wooden sacred objects, sacred Aboriginal ceremonies, bullroarers, ceremonial poles, sacred group paintings, sacred earth mounds, sacred headgear, and sacred chants. Tjurunga means “sacred stone” or “wooden objects”.
Birth and naming rituals- most aboriginal people go to great lengths to give the right name to each child, the name of the child is given by the spirit. The name is foreseen by an elder. The name is given at a ceremony with family, relatives and friends.
A ceremonial meeting of Australian Aboriginals is referred to as Corroboree, where aborigines interact with the Dreamtime through music, costume, and dance. This is sacred to them that people from outside the community are not permitted to participate nor witness the event. Bodies are painted and participants wear various adornments that are not used everyday. In some places, especially in the Northwest of Australia, Corroboree is practiced in both public and private venues. But either way, it would only be open for invited guests.
Smoking ceremony is when various native plants are collected and used to produce smoke. This has been believed to have cleansing properties and the ability to ward off unwanted and bad spirits, which was believed to bring bad omens.
• Burial practices differ throughout Australia. Across the Northern part, burial has two stages. Primary burial is when the dead body is laid upon an elevated wooden platform, covered with leaves and branches, and is left there for several months to rot and let the muscle separate from the bones. Bones are then collected, painted with red ochre, and dispersed in different ways. The latter is done during the secondary burial stage. There were also cases when bones are placed into a large hollow log and left at a certain area of a bushland.
Festival/ day of remembering which is also recognized as National Aboriginal Day is a formally on the 21st of June and is a day for Canadians to celebrate the culture and contributions the First Nations people of Canada have made. In this worship we acknowledge God's call to justice and reconciliation with the first peoples of this land.
This festival (NAD) goes for 2 days (June 20-21) and on this day they have native singers, dancers and drummers that perform for the crowd. This festival offers demonstrations and other activities to display some of the things the first nation peoples done, like: Historic fire starting, cordage making, native cooking, lacrosse, basket making, tea tasting and more.