English
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/4/4/27447099/4320298.jpg?377)
Activity 1:Comprehension- Celebrations in Traditional and Contemporary Societies.
Cross Curriculum Link: KLA: HSIE: History
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Celebrations
Ceremonies and Rituals
Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander groups celebrate special events that have spiritual significance to them, such as birth, initiation, death and seasonal events wit ceremonies and rituals. These always involve songs, dances, body decoration and sometimes stories of the Dreaming. Many people travel great distances to attend such events.
Ceremonies and rituals are often held at camps and sacred places. The time of year they are depends on things like the type of ceremony, the weather, and what food is available.
Many ceremonies are secret and only certain people can watch. For example, there are ceremonies that only men go to and some that only women can go to. Some events include both men and women, but the men might do all the singing, and the women all the dancing. Other events are open to the public.
Singing provides the main music at an Aboriginal ceremony, wit instruments like the didgeridoo backing the singers. Dances often tell stories, and the bodies of the dancers are decorated with things like ochre, charcoal and feathers.
Answer these questions.
1. What are ceremonies and rituals? (Use a dictionary to help you.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Write true or false.
(a) An Aboriginal Australian ceremony always involves singing. _______________
(b) A ceremony or ritual might celebrate a birth. _______________
(c) Men and women always attend the same ceremonies. _______________
(d) People only attend events if they are near to where they live._______________
3. Name any ritual or ceremony you or someone you know has attended. Circle the things it involved. Add any extras.
Name of Ceremony or Ritual: ___________________________________________________________
Songs
Dances
Body decoration
Stories
Other _________________
Other Special Events
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is also celebrated with festivals and special days. Read about two of these below.
The Barunga Festival in the Northern Territory is celebrated by the Jawoyn people over four days. It is an opportunity for Aboriginal people from all over Australia to share their culture with each other. Non-Aboriginal people also attend to learn more about Aboriginal culture. Competitions in traditional Aboriginal skills, such as spear and boomerang throwing, are held, as well as sporting competitions and performances by dance groups and musicians. In the evening, children listen to stories from their own Dreaming or history.
Cross Curriculum Link: KLA: HSIE: History
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Celebrations
Ceremonies and Rituals
Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander groups celebrate special events that have spiritual significance to them, such as birth, initiation, death and seasonal events wit ceremonies and rituals. These always involve songs, dances, body decoration and sometimes stories of the Dreaming. Many people travel great distances to attend such events.
Ceremonies and rituals are often held at camps and sacred places. The time of year they are depends on things like the type of ceremony, the weather, and what food is available.
Many ceremonies are secret and only certain people can watch. For example, there are ceremonies that only men go to and some that only women can go to. Some events include both men and women, but the men might do all the singing, and the women all the dancing. Other events are open to the public.
Singing provides the main music at an Aboriginal ceremony, wit instruments like the didgeridoo backing the singers. Dances often tell stories, and the bodies of the dancers are decorated with things like ochre, charcoal and feathers.
Answer these questions.
1. What are ceremonies and rituals? (Use a dictionary to help you.)
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Write true or false.
(a) An Aboriginal Australian ceremony always involves singing. _______________
(b) A ceremony or ritual might celebrate a birth. _______________
(c) Men and women always attend the same ceremonies. _______________
(d) People only attend events if they are near to where they live._______________
3. Name any ritual or ceremony you or someone you know has attended. Circle the things it involved. Add any extras.
Name of Ceremony or Ritual: ___________________________________________________________
Songs
Dances
Body decoration
Stories
Other _________________
Other Special Events
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is also celebrated with festivals and special days. Read about two of these below.
The Barunga Festival in the Northern Territory is celebrated by the Jawoyn people over four days. It is an opportunity for Aboriginal people from all over Australia to share their culture with each other. Non-Aboriginal people also attend to learn more about Aboriginal culture. Competitions in traditional Aboriginal skills, such as spear and boomerang throwing, are held, as well as sporting competitions and performances by dance groups and musicians. In the evening, children listen to stories from their own Dreaming or history.
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/4/4/27447099/9305614.jpg?392)
NAIDOC Week stands for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Day of Celebration, and is held during June and July. It is often celebrated at schools, where students can learn about Aboriginal dance, music, art and history. The celebrations can include flag raising, processions, music bands and dancers. Local Aboriginal people often share their skills and talents with their wider community.
4. What do these celebrations have in common with ceremonies and rituals?
________________________________________________________________________________
5. Do you think it is important for Aboriginal Australians to have their own day of celebration? Why?
________________________________________________________________________________
6. Describe any Australian celebration that you have been involved in. Explain where it was, and what was being celebrated.
________________________________________________________________________________
7. Draw it in the space below.
![Picture](/uploads/2/7/4/4/27447099/9941365.jpg)
KLA: HSIE: Geography
Aboriginal Australians
Traditional Aboriginal Australians learnt to live in different environments. Some groups moved from place to place searching for food and water. They would make a composite near a water source and look for food around that area. Aboriginal people would only take what they needed. When the food supply was running low, they would shift to another area.
Other groups that lived near an area where there was always a lot of food and water stayed in the one place.
All Aboriginal groups made shelters from materials around them. Bark was the most common material. It was strong, weatherproof and easy to shape. The shelters protected them from heat, rain and wind. In cold areas, a fire would help to give warmth. Caves and rock shelters were also used.
The clothing worn depended on the weather. Fur and blankets were made from animal skins. Little clothing was worn in hotter areas. Mud was used to cover the body for protection against biting insects. Fire was used for cooking, providing warmth and for protection from protection from animals such as snakes. The Aboriginal way of life is a very good example of how humans can adopt to life in different environments.
Answer the questions.
1. Why did Aboriginal people camp near a water source?
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Why did they move to another place?
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. How did they keep warm in cool weather?
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Draw a built shelter and a natural shelter Aboriginal people used.
(a) Built shelter (b) Natural shelter
5. Colour yes or no.
(a) All traditional Aboriginal Australian people moved from place to place.
YES/NO
(b) Mud was used to protect the skin.
YES/NO
(c) Bark was hard to find.
YES/NO
(d) Fire was important.
YES/NO
Curriculum:
English: Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning to expand content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas and analysing and evaluating texts (ACELY1692)
History: Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day, ANZAC Day, Harmony Week, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and National Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems. (ACHHK063)
Aboriginal Australians
Traditional Aboriginal Australians learnt to live in different environments. Some groups moved from place to place searching for food and water. They would make a composite near a water source and look for food around that area. Aboriginal people would only take what they needed. When the food supply was running low, they would shift to another area.
Other groups that lived near an area where there was always a lot of food and water stayed in the one place.
All Aboriginal groups made shelters from materials around them. Bark was the most common material. It was strong, weatherproof and easy to shape. The shelters protected them from heat, rain and wind. In cold areas, a fire would help to give warmth. Caves and rock shelters were also used.
The clothing worn depended on the weather. Fur and blankets were made from animal skins. Little clothing was worn in hotter areas. Mud was used to cover the body for protection against biting insects. Fire was used for cooking, providing warmth and for protection from protection from animals such as snakes. The Aboriginal way of life is a very good example of how humans can adopt to life in different environments.
Answer the questions.
1. Why did Aboriginal people camp near a water source?
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Why did they move to another place?
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. How did they keep warm in cool weather?
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Draw a built shelter and a natural shelter Aboriginal people used.
(a) Built shelter (b) Natural shelter
5. Colour yes or no.
(a) All traditional Aboriginal Australian people moved from place to place.
YES/NO
(b) Mud was used to protect the skin.
YES/NO
(c) Bark was hard to find.
YES/NO
(d) Fire was important.
YES/NO
Curriculum:
English: Use comprehension strategies to build literal and inferred meaning to expand content knowledge, integrating and linking ideas and analysing and evaluating texts (ACELY1692)
History: Days and weeks celebrated or commemorated in Australia (including Australia Day, ANZAC Day, Harmony Week, National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and National Sorry Day) and the importance of symbols and emblems. (ACHHK063)