Storytelling is an integral part of life for Indigenous Australians. From an early age, storytelling plays a vital role in educating children. Stories help to explain how the land came to be shaped and inhabited; how to behave and why; where to find certain foods, etc. Gathered around the camp fire in the evening, on an expedition to a favourite waterhole, or at a landmark of special significance, parents, Elders or Aunts and Uncles use the stories as the first part of a child's education. Then, as children grow into young adults, more of the history and culture is revealed. Adults then take responsibility for passing on the stories to the following generations. In this way, the Stories of the Dreaming have been handed down over thousands of years.
Because the 'Stories of the Dreaming' have been handed down through the generations, they are not 'owned' by individuals. They belong to a group or nation, and the storytellers of that nation are carrying out an obligation to pass the stories along. The Elders of a nation might appoint a particularly skilful and knowledgeable storyteller as 'custodian' of the stories of that people.
With the discouragement and 'unofficial' banning of the telling of traditional stories, which continued well into the twentieth century, many stories were 'lost'. The custodians passed away without being able to hand the stories on. This was particularly so in the south-east region of Australia.
Today's custodians are keen to spread the stories as widely as possible. It is part of the overall effort to ensure that young people build and retain a sense of who they are. Storytelling, while explaining the past, helps young Indigenous Australians maintain dignity and self-respect in the present. Present-day custodians of stories play a vital role in Indigenous communities.
Many stories are considered to be of a secret or sacred nature and only to be told to certain people. For example, men have stories associated with initiation grounds that must not be revealed to any but an initiated male. Women have stories that they tell only among themselves. Younger, or unmarried women are not permitted to hear such stories, and to tell them or permit them to be told to the 'wrong' person is a serious breach of law. The secret/sacred nature of some stories has parallels through Indigenous life; certain sites may only be visited by certain groups-women, elders, for the purposes of initiation, and so on ... read more ...
