Aboriginal Australian Arts & Music
A short examination of Aboriginal Australian artistic and musical traditions.
Aboriginal Australians possess some of the oldest artistic traditions in the world. Their most famous works are rock paintings, typically found in caves or other secluded spots. Their subjects and styles reflect thousands of years of cultural expression. Some depict people hunting, dancing, and going to war. Others illustrate wild animals and Dreaming stories in red ochre and white clay. They are often noted for fine technical detail, including accurate portrayals of living animal skeletons.
Australia’s rock paintings can last for thousands of years, but other forms of art are more temporary. Sandpainting, for example, is performed by elders as they lead ceremonies or teach children. Before the ceremony, a canvas of ground is treated to create a firm surface. The artist draws a Dreaming story, using ochre and other items as decoration. The completed work is then typically destroyed. Women also practiced the art of weaving, most often using bark or hair as materials.
Music is equally important to indigenous Australian cultures. Songs and dances share stories from the Dreaming. They can be performed for entertainment, education, or ritual use. Like the land and its stories, certain songs are held privately by their owners. Others are performed freely. The didgeridoo, the most famous Aboriginal instrument, is crafted from young eucalyptus trees. Their trunks, when hollowed out by termites, create a resonant chamber. Players breathe in through their nose and vibrate the air through their lips to produce a buzzing drone. The didgeridoo was traditionally played alongside songs, stories, and rituals. Today it may be used for any of those purposes or played solo.
Aboriginal Australian art continues to grow and evolve today. Ancient songs are constantly updated to reflect modern history, culture, and family status. Artists have also embraced European arts and music, adapting them to their own tastes. Dot painting, now a common style, began in the 1970s. Before that, classically trained Aboriginal artists like Albert Namatjira gained prominence through watercolors in the ‘30s. Aboriginal Australian musicians have found national success in a variety of genres. In recent years, a growing collection of indigenous literature has also poured out of Australia. These works tend to reflect traditional stories or the struggles of modern indigenous life.
Further Reading:
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References
Bourke, Colin, Eleanor Bourke, and Bill Edwards, eds. Aboriginal Australia: An Introductory Reader in Aboriginal Studies. University of Queensland Press. 1994.
Broome, Richard. Aboriginal Australians: A History Since 1788. Allen & Unwin. 2010.
“Census: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Population.” Australian Bureau of Statistics, Commonwealth of Australia, 27 June 2017, www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/MediaRealesesByCatalogue/02D50FAA9987D6B7CA25814800087E03?OpenDocument.
Clarke, Francis Gordon. The History of Australia. Greenwood Press. 2002.
“The World Factbook: Australia.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 6 June 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html.
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