“What really is Aboriginal Spirituality?”
A perspective by Liberty Carter with acknowledgements to Graham Paulson, Rhoda Roberts AO and Nicola Penn. http://yakkaview.com/what-really-is-aboriginal-spirituality/
Pure, kindly and radiant hearts
Visiting Aboriginal communities has reminded me of the following words of Baha’u’llah, which have also been put to music here: Radiant Heart. Shadi Toloui-Wallace :
O SON OF SPIRIT! My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.
(The Hidden Words, Arabic no. 1)
Passing on knowledge at Mummaga Lake
Across Australia, places are known for their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander names. But what do they mean? Indigenous communities share the stories behind place names of their country. https://iview.abc.net.au/show/this-place
The Value of Deep Listening – The Aboriginal Gift to the Nation
The Value of Deep Listening – The Aboriginal Gift to the Nation | Judy Atkinson | TEDxSydney https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6wiBKClHqY
Mitch Tambo performs John Farnham’s You’re the Voice in Gamilaraay language
The Indigenous singer a proud Gamilaraay and Birri Gubba man, delivers a rendition of John Farnham’s classic at the NITV sunrise ceremony as part of 26 January Survival Day, Invasion Day and Australia Day events. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEdweyPh-N8
Elizabeth Hindson
Wiyathul
Wyathul – Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupuynu. English translation at https://lyricstranslate.com/en/wiyathul-wiyathul.html
Nature
Traditionally, Australian Aboriginal religions …“bring alive” the entire creation, and deepen our respect and appreciation for nature.
Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise. Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God as manifested in the world of being, no one should question this assertion. It is endowed with a power whose reality men of learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man of insight can perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendor of Our Name, the Creator.
Baha’u’llah, Tablets of Baha’u’llah, p. 142.
See also:
- Australian Aboriginal Identity and the Baha’i Faith by Christopher Buck: https://bahaiteachings.org/australian-aboriginal-identity-bahai-faith/
- Aboriginal and Baha’i: Merging Traditional and New by Christopher Buck
https://bahaiteachings.org/aboriginal-bahai-merging-traditional-new/
Intelligence and sensibility
It is a great mistake to believe that because people are illiterate or live primitive lives, they are lacking in either intelligence or sensibility. On the contrary, they may well look on us with the evils of our civilization, with its moral corruption, its ruinous wars, its hypocrisy and conceit, as people who merit watching with both suspicion and contempt. We should meet them as equals, well-wishers, people who admire and respect their ancient descent, and who feel that they will be interested as we are in a living religion and not in the dead forms of present-day churches.
Shoghi Effendi, Lights of Guidance, p. 523)
See also:
- With the Aborigines of Australia, by Dr. Firaydun Mithaq: https://bahairecollections.com/2017/09/30/with-the-aborigines-of-australia/
‘Dadirri’, is the practise of Deep Inner Listening
All One Race
Black tribe, yellow tribe, red, white or brown,
From where the sun jumps up to where it goes down,
Herrs and pukka-sahibs, demoiselles and squaws,
All one family, so why make wars?
They’re not interested in brumby runs,
We don’t hanker after Midnight Suns;
I’m for all humankind, not colour gibes;
I’m international, and never mind tribes.
Black, white or brown race, yellow race or red,
From the torrid equator to the ice-fields spread,
Monsieurs and senors, lubras and fraus,
All one family, so why family rows?
We’re not interested in their igloos,
They’re not mad about kangaroos;
I’m international, never mind place;
I’m for humanity, all one race.
Oodgeroo Noonuccal [From book: My people: a Kath Walker collection]
- See also: Australian Poetry Library, Noonuccal, Oodgeroo 1964-1990, https://www.poetrylibrary.edu.au/poets/noonuccal-oodgeroo/poems/