Unpacking a popular wellness trend
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people pass down knowledge, history, and cultural practices through generations via oral storytelling.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities face ongoing social and economic challenges, including lower life expectancy, higher rates of incarceration, and health disparities.
On June 3, 1992, the Mabo decision was a landmark legal case that recognized the land rights of the Meriam people, traditional owners of the Murray Islands in the Torres Strait.
The Rainbow Serpent is often associated with water, rain, and fertility. It is a central figure in many Dreamtime stories and is respected for its role in creation and maintaining the balance of nature.
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, Elders hold respected positions in communities, serving as custodians of Indigenous knowledge and culture.
Indigenous culture isn't confined to the Outback. Almost 35% of Indigenous Australians live in major cities, with 44% living in regional towns and 21% in remote areas.
Between 1910 and the 1970s, governments, churches, and welfare bodies forcibly removed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families and placed them in non-Indigenous homes, claiming the lives of First Nations people would improve if they assimilated into white society.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people believe they are connected beyond immediate family and refer to extended family members with titles such as aunty, sister, and mother.
Marn Grook, a traditional game played by Aboriginal people with a ball made from possum skin, is believed to be the original form of Australian Rules Football.
NAIDOC Week, held annually across Australia during the first week of July, celebrates and recognizes the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, totems are believed to have spiritual significance and symbolize their roles and responsibilities to each other.
Tools such as boomerangs, spears, and digging sticks are traditionally used for hunting and gathering.
Bush medicine in the ancient and traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander use of native flora and fauna for physical and spiritual healing.
Bush tucker, including kangaroo, emu, witchetty grubs (pictured), and yams, has sustained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for thousands of years.
Traditional Aboriginal music often features the didgeridoo, a wind instrument believed to be one of the oldest musical instruments in the world.
There are over 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, each with its own languages, traditions, and customs.
When interacting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it's important to follow cultural protocols and etiquette to show respect for their traditions and ways of life.
Aboriginal art is characterized by dot paintings, rock carvings, and bark paintings. Artwork is not just decorative but holds spiritual and cultural significance.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are among the oldest continuous cultures on Earth, dating back over 65,000 years.
At the time of European colonization in 1788, there were at least 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, including 800 dialects.
Dance is an important feature in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, used in ceremonies to tell stories and pass on traditions.
The Torres Strait is the strip of sea between Cape York and Papua New Guinea. Here, you'll find more than 200 islands home to groups of people with unique cultures, languages, and traditions that are distinct from mainland Aboriginal groups.
The Australian Aboriginal flag was designed in 1970, while the Torres Strait Island flag was created in 1992. Both are official flags of Australia.
Many native animal names come from Aboriginal languages, including kangaroo, koala, wombat, and kookaburra.
Sacred sites, like Uluru, are usually parts of the natural landscape that have a special meaning or significance in Aboriginal tradition.
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, hearing recordings and seeing pictures or names of the deceased may cause distress. Most television stations in Australia use a disclaimer warning Indigenous viewers that a program may use images and voices of deceased people.
Sources: (Working with Indigenous Australians) (Culture Trip) (PakMag)
See also: Fascinating facts about indigenous cultures around the world
Dreamtime, or the Dreaming, refers to when ancestral Aboriginal spirits created the land, plants, animals, and people. The stories and teachings of Dreamtime are passed down through generations and influence Aboriginal lives, beliefs, and connections to the land.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have historically practiced sustainable land management, including controlled burning to manage bushland.
A corroboree is an Aboriginal ceremonial meeting, often with singing and dancing, celebrating mythology and spirituality.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people use smoke ceremonies to cleanse people and areas of bad spirits.
Australia is home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. More specifically, we're talking about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups. Despite James Cook's claims that Australia, as we know it today, belonged to "no one," Indigenous people had existed there for tens of thousands of years before European colonization. The culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups is rich and diverse and continues to shape the nation's identity today.
But how much do you know about the culture and traditions of the first people of Australia? This gallery covers everything from bush tucker to ceremonies. Click on to discover more.
Facts you should know about Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander culture
From Dreamtime to bush medicine
LIFESTYLE Indigenous people
Australia is home to some of the world's oldest civilizations. More specifically, we're talking about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups. Despite James Cook's claims that Australia, as we know it today, belonged to "no one," Indigenous people had existed there for tens of thousands of years before European colonization. The culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups is rich and diverse and continues to shape the nation's identity today.
But how much do you know about the culture and traditions of the first people of Australia? This gallery covers everything from bush tucker to ceremonies. Click on to discover more.