Issues for Aboriginal Spirituality Questions

1. The Early Europeans called the period of exploration in Australia the age of discovery
and the pioneer era. Discuss why Aboriginal people might think of this period
differently.
The Aboriginal people were living in Australia when the Europeans arrived and settled
on their land without their consent and despite their resistance.
2. In you opinion, would it be hard for Aboriginal people to forget this part of our history?
Discuss why.
It would be hard to forget the European invasion when Europeans were all around them.
The Europeans had expected the Aboriginal people to die out. They mistreated the
Aboriginal people and regarded them as sub-human. The Aboriginal people were
displaced from their country.
3. Explain why separation of Aboriginal people from their land so detrimental to their
spirituality.
Separation from the land means separation from their Ancestor Spirits, from their
Dreaming.
4. The separation had a much stronger impact on Aboriginal people because the
authorities did not understand the Aboriginal relationship to their land and kinship
groups. Discuss this statement and offer suggestions as to how or why this occurred.
This statement refers to the Aboriginal people in resulting their loss of land, which is
then in result to the separation of their rituals and spirts.

Questions to complete for homework Issues for Aboriginal Spirituality

1. The Early Europeans called the period of exploration in Australia the age of
discovery and the pioneer era. Discuss why Aboriginal people might think
of this period differently.
2. In you opinion, would it be hard for Aboriginal people to forget this part of
our history? Why?
3. Why is separation of Aboriginal people from their land so important?
4. The separation had a much stronger impact on Aboriginal people because the
authorities did not understand the Aboriginal relationship to their land and kinship
groups. Discuss this statement and offer suggestions as to how or why this occurred.