Welp MagazineAboriginal culture is the world’s oldest continuously existing culture. This is partly due to a genetic mutation that allows Aboriginal ability to conform to extreme temperatures and diseases of childhood better than the rest of society.
For 50,000 years, Aboriginal art has been based on Dreamtime stories that have been passed down from generation to generation as an important part of indigenous Australian history. In the absence of written language, these tales tell of cultural events, teach survival skills, and impart knowledge of the land. To know more about this art visit Indigenous crafts website.
There are a variety of views on sacred knowledge held by Aboriginal people. To paint a story, an artist must get the go-ahead from his or her peers. The story can only be a reflection of the artist’s family history and culture.
For the past 47 years, the dot painting method has been extensively used. The indigenous artists were worried that the white man would be able to access their sacred teachings through the use of icons or symbols. They painted over them with patterns and symbols made of thousands of tiny dots. Here are some noteworthy facts about Aboriginal Art:
The Power of Indigenous Art to Combat Poverty in Rural Areas
Buying indigenous art helps remote indigenous communities’ living conditions. In aboriginal art centers across Australia, more than 13,000 jobs are created, artists and their communities can become financially independent, and a variety of social services are provided that are largely unrecognized. Make sure your art source is a member of the Indigenous Art Code. As a result, artists working from a distance may receive subpar compensation, if any.
Both Men and Women Participate in The Art
In the Anangu culture, there are distinct roles for men and women in art and dancing. Kangaroos are considered to be male figures; thus, boys can paint them and dance alongside them. Women can dance and paint birds because they are considered feminine activities.
There Are Various Old-Fashioned Ways of Making Aboriginal Art
Stone arrangements and rock carvings, for example, fall under the category of “old-style art methods.”
Stone Sculptures
These stone arrangements are a type of rock art that uses 30 cm-sized stones put out across a distance of several meters in various designs. These are generally depictions of religious rituals.
Carved Wood
Aborigines used wood or a sharp stone to carve in this fashion. Also, they utilised hot wire to create designs on the products.
Rock Painting
Handprinted motifs in stencil art are an amazing example of rock painting. In addition to this, you may have heard of rock-based charcoal drawings. These have been found in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, in southwest Arnhem Land. The charcoal drawing is claimed to be about 28,000 years old.
Nearly wherever you go in Australia, you’ll see examples of rock art. You may visit Bradshaws, the western Kimberley region, to get a taste of this. In addition to these, Ubirr, the Kakadu National Park, Laura, Queensland, Carnarvon Gorge, and Uluru are also worthwhile excursions.
String Art and Weaving
Basket-weaving is a popular sub-category here. Pieces of aboriginal jewelry, such as a necklace, can also be found in Tasmania.
Sand Painting
This piece of art has been around for a long time and has evolved over time. People utilized a broad variety of hues in paintings in the past, including yellow, brown, red, and white. The elements of Mother Nature were depicted in each color. Brown was used to representing dirt, yellow was used to represent the sun, white was used to represent the sky and clouds, and red was used to represent desert sand.
Various objects, such as animals and lakes, were depicted in these works. In addition, you’ll find illustrations illustrating the myths and tales that indigenous people and non-indigenous people alike may have exchanged.
Aboriginal People were Traders Too
A little-known fact is that Aboriginal people were trading and exchanging ideas and skills with other cultures – including Dutch and Portuguese traders and Makassans (Indonesia) – for many years before Europeans arrived in Australia in 1778. This occurred long before the arrival of Europeans in Australia.
It has long been assumed that Indigenous encounters with Europeans began in earnest after the arrival of European settlers. The Yolngu people of the Northern Territory, on the other hand, claim that they have been dealing with Indonesians for hundreds of years prior to that.
But, as far as we know, Aboriginal people from Australia’s north coast were travelling to the remote reaches of South-East Asia long before European immigrants even set foot on Australian soil.
Makassan boats carried Yolngu people from Arnhem Land all the way to Makassar and beyond — to nations such as Singapore and the Philippines — according to what is known.
Yolgnu people lived among the locals of Sulawesi, where they formed friendships, learnt the language, and raised families with their neighbours.
The discovery of trepang marked the beginning of a unique relationship between the two cultures, which is still in existence today. And hence, we hope the charm of Aboriginal Art sustains many more years!
