The Dreaming is the basis for all the beliefs and lore that Aboriginal people live their lives by. It often involves stories about the supernatural, as well as heroic figures.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are the oldest continuous cultures on Earth. They have walked their lands for at least 60,000 years.
It's believed the Creator spirit and the ancestors reside in The Dreaming, or Spirit World, and that eventually when a person passes away, they go there, too.
Taken at its simplest, everywhen means everywhere, at all times. In other words, it's the universal operation of Spirit, everywhere, throughout all time.
These tales have a central purpose: to pass on the cultural values, knowledge, and belief systems in The Dreaming to the next generation.
Aboriginal culture in Australia is one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world. A key concept in this culture is something anthropologists named "The Dreaming." In Aboriginal spiritual belief, the beings that were responsible for creation are as much alive today as they were in the times of mythos. The Dreaming had a beginning, but it has no foreseeable end. It presents a worldview, one that is non-linear and therefore is grounded in the idea of continuity, fluidity, and the importance of story.
Intrigued? Click on to learn more about this ancient cultural worldview.
The Dreaming are stories about how the universe came to be, and aren't limited to the past. They are considered as taking place "everywhen."
In Australian Aboriginal culture, time is considered cyclical. This contrasts with the Western concept of time, which recognizes a distinct past, present, and future.
The Dreaming is a term coined by anthropologists to describe this worldview. The Dreaming itself provides an explanation for Creation.
This worldview contains blueprints for life, as well as rules and laws for living, including social relationships, religious activities, economic activities, art—the rules governing all the activities of life.
This is why time doesn't feature prominently in Aboriginal spirituality, because it's believed The Dreaming is still existing today.
This is a lifelong process of learning the knowledge of The Dreaming in a highly structured, formalized, and controlled manner.
All knowledge is said to come from The Dreaming, and it's contained in two separate forms. The first is rock engravings, ground paintings, bark paintings, song, and dancing.
Stories of The Dreaming are passed down to continue the narrative, but also ethos. Many legends underscore a clan's relationship to a particular animal or totem.
The second way the knowledge of The Dreaming is held and expressed is through story. Aboriginal people are grounded in a non-Western/European worldview.
That clan must look after the animal or totem as part of their stewardship to the natural world. Many Dreaming stories demonstrate a knowledge of the environment.
Dreaming stories often contain flawed characters. These are designed to show children what they should and shouldn't do.
The Dreaming is the belief that Aboriginal groups have been in Australia since the beginning. In the beginning, the land was flat and empty.
There is a formal process of learning about The Dreaming called "going through the law" that some young men and women begin when they reach puberty.
The term The Dreaming arose in the late 19th century. It's often disputed whether The Dreaming is an accurate translation of its origin word—alcheringa in Arandic.
Significant landforms feature prominently in The Dreaming, for example the Uluru. In Aboriginal culture there is a belief that the ancestors stay close to these sites.
The Dreaming signifies the time when ancestral spirits came out of the Earth and down from the sky. Once there, they created and shaped rivers, forests, mountains, land formations, and desert.
It's argued by some that the word translates better to "eternal" or "uncreated."
Their ceremonies also shaped the land, becoming rocks, trees, and plants that can still be seen. For instance, if a battle took place, the blood from the wounds of the Warriors would seep into the lands and become red ochre. The places of these ceremonies and battles are usually sacred.
Many stories in The Dreaming reference an extraordinary part of the landscape, which might only be known to a handful of Indigenous communities.
At the heart of The Dreaming is the concept of continuity, the idea that things remain the same. Humans are carers of the land, not owners. Relationships are how things get done, and what people have is shared under this different worldview.
Sources: (Working with Indigenous Australians) (Deadly Story) (Britannica) (Twinkl)
See also: Australia's mythical creatures
For example, a story will show greed and violence in a negative way, while promoting an approach of kindness and love.
The stories are told through multiple forms, not limited to spoken word but also song, dance, and painting. As it is a way of passing on cultural heritage, it's extremely important.
The spirits are also credited for creating all other life-forms, including birds, kangaroos, fish, and even people.
"The Dreaming": The spirit world that accompanies our physical one
What is "The Dreaming" in Australian Aboriginal culture?
LIFESTYLE Australia
Aboriginal culture in Australia is one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world. A key concept in this culture is something anthropologists named "The Dreaming." In Aboriginal spiritual belief, the beings that were responsible for creation are as much alive today as they were in the times of mythos. The Dreaming had a beginning, but it has no foreseeable end. It presents a worldview, one that is non-linear and therefore is grounded in the idea of continuity, fluidity, and the importance of story.
Intrigued? Click on to learn more about this ancient cultural worldview.