Australian Aboriginal Occult

September 14, 2008 5:58 AM

Help me discover Australian mysticism in the wild.

I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that within some Australian Aboriginal tribes there must be a shamanic system similar to other native cultures. The last five years during times of quiet introspection it comes up again and again; there must be men and women of high degree who have trained in the unknown.

Last summer I took a road trip right up through the center to drop off a car to a friend. It was an excuse to get out there. I never found anything. I guess I was half expecting to meet an aboriginal elder with a knowing glint. All I found was squallier – people living on reserves in third world conditions who lived to drink.

It’s left me wondering. Does this knowledge exists or has it been lost? Where can I find it?

posted by simplesharps to religion & philosophy (16 comments total)

You can find it at the movies: The Last Wave.
posted by spasm at 6:10 AM on September 14, 2008

well, there are indigenous religious/mystical traditions in Australia - they've been studied & theorized about quite alot - of course, one has to look with a critical eye at much of what has been generated in terms of scholarship & other reports as so little of it has come from an Aboriginal perspective

but here's a question for you: why would such "men and women of high degree who have trained in the unknown" want to talk to you, especially those who come from communities that have been so thoroughly ravaged by a vicious & often genocidal colonialism? no offense, but i don't think a drive through a reservation is going to persuade anyone to offer you the mystical key to their most precious secrets

perhaps if you went & lived with these people, gave of your time & resources to help them deal with the awful conditions they face, showed them that you were worth their trust, maybe then you might find someone who could help you with your quest
posted by jammy at 7:57 AM on September 14, 2008 [5 favorites has favorites]

The teachings are faded if not gone from this world. The stories have been mostly lost, the knowledge sealed within the land itself forever. To find someone who can relay the teachings in a way that is true, straight and reliable - is almost impossible. To do so is to go to Australia and seek out the bushmen chief wherever he may be and then prove yourself worthy for this knowledge to be imparted to you. Too many have come in the name of *seeker* and have done horrors to these tribes. You can get ideas from the media - but how much of this is accurate is another story.
posted by watercarrier at 8:42 AM on September 14, 2008

Poverty is common in native communities. You can't go looking for native spirituality separate from the conditions that people live in. The mystical shaman you're looking for sounds to me like just a stereotype.

If you're cool with that, here's another movie: Where The Green Ants Dream (Werner Herzog). I liked it better than The Last Wave, myself. IMDB lists films about Australian aboriginals. I'd doubt all these movies' accuracy unless you specifically confirm them.
posted by salvia at 11:26 AM on September 14, 2008

Read The Songlines, by Bruce Chatwin. Brilliant travelogue about Aboriginal belief.
posted by nikitabot at 12:24 PM on September 14, 2008

but here's a question for you: why would such "men and women of high degree who have trained in the unknown" want to talk to you, especially those who come from communities that have been so thoroughly ravaged by a vicious & often genocidal colonialism?

It's a good point, and one I've thought about quite a bit. I had issues even asking this question here because I know just how presumptuous it seems.

Too many have come in the name of *seeker* and have done horrors to these tribes.

True, but cause horrors to them now?
posted by simplesharps at 4:14 PM on September 14, 2008

And while I definitely appreciate book and movie advice, I'm looking for personal experiences and practical steps in seeking it out.
posted by simplesharps at 4:22 PM on September 14, 2008

within some Australian Aboriginal tribes there must be a shamanic system similar to other native cultures

Every culture is native to somewhere. Every culture has its own mystical traditions. Not every culture is inclined to share them with outsiders.

If you would like to learn about the spiritual and philosophical traditions of Australian Aboriginal cultures, one place to start might be with the Aboriginal Art and Culture Centre in Alice Springs.

Once you have a base of knowledge about the different spiritual traditions, you may be able to make connections with individual people who are leaders in different groups' traditions.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:24 PM on September 14, 2008

This advice made a big difference in my spiritual life years ago. It's directed to questions about Native American spirituality, but it seems to apply analogously to native Australian mysticism.

STATEMENT: "But I have always had a strong attraction to American Indian beliefs."

FACT: All of mankind once lived and loved within the Tribal unit. All beliefs were probably originally earth oriented, much like American Indian beliefs. If you are not a Native American and you feel a strong attraction to Native American beliefs, most likely you are feeling the desire to reclaim YOUR TRIBE'S unique beliefs. Unfortunately, most of these are unknown today, but still...why not try to seek out, uncover, and re-discover the Ways of YOUR People first?

At any rate, most persons do not recognize that they are feeling a desire for their own Tribe's religion, and so they mistakenly identify their "call" as being a "call" to the beliefs of American Indians.

If your question is anthropological rather than spiritual, we (or your local librarian) might be able to direct you to appropriate resources.

There are still people around who care enough about aboriginal religion to warn that women who play the digeridoo may become infertile, after the Daring Book for Girls by Metafilter's own Mothershock was published in Australia.

(no disrespect meant to the coauthor, I just can't figure out who she is...)
posted by Jahaza at 6:57 PM on September 14, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

A lot of other cultures are very open... Either they can't tell you or they just don't want to tell you. Both are fair enough. Although their art is everywhere. Hmm, maybe the Art and Culture center was a hint...?

I would think starting with your aboriginal friends (friends of friends??) and networking your way to an answer would be much less intrusive than just rocking up somewhere? I mean if someone just turned up at your place and wanted to look through all your old photos, play with the dog, hang out for the day and ask bunches of questions - Even if they were very polite and enthusiastic (maybe even brought you some presents), it's always going to be a bit odd at some point. :) Find someone to take you?
posted by mu~ha~ha~ha~har at 9:16 PM on September 14, 2008

Read The Songlines [wp], by Bruce Chatwin. Brilliant travelogue about Aboriginal belief.

More about Chatwin than any actual Aborginals.

Also stay away from B. Wongar; he's not who he says he is.
posted by Wolof at 9:22 PM on September 14, 2008

At any rate, most persons do not recognize that they are feeling a desire for their own Tribe's religion, and so they mistakenly identify their "call" as being a "call" to the beliefs of American Indians.<>

I'm Australian. I've grown up and lived on the edge of a rainforest my whole life. I have a natural affinity towards the local flora and fauna - that's the closest thing to a natural religious experience as I've come; walking amongst those trees and through trickling creek streams. I guess that's part of the reason why I'm seeking out these types of people. I can only gather that they, being so close to the land, have gained a unique perspective and understanding that I in my short lifetime could only hope to accomplish. I'm looking to fast track my progress :P

Aboriginal Art and Culture Centres look like my best bet for starting points. Any other ideas?

Daring Book for Girls - great website design btw!
posted by simplesharps at 4:34 AM on September 15, 2008

Also stay away from B. Wongar; he's not who he says he is.

Interesting. Care to explain?
posted by simplesharps at 4:36 AM on September 15, 2008

He's a serial liar, à la Demidenko. I don't want to draw traffic his way by linking to him, but he's a Serb who posed as an Aboriginal who garnered some pretty serious literary acclaim on the basis of that claim.

He's a bullshitter, although I won't deny he is an exceptional writer.
posted by Wolof at 4:23 AM on September 16, 2008

I was in the NT last year, and was travelling with an Aboriginal photographer for a few days who gave some interesting insights. One of the many things he told me about Aboriginal culture(s) that I didn't know was that their stories and rituals are closely guarded. Most members of a group won't even know everything. Some stories are allowed to be told freely, or in part, which is part of the reason that there are many versions of the few dreamtime stories rammed down the throats of Australian primary school children.
posted by Lucie at 6:03 PM on September 16, 2008

Sorry, that wasn't particularly helpful. What I meant to say was that I think the friends-of-friends idea in conjunction with public information such as the arts and culture centre. Even better if you can go there in person to chat to someone (although Alice Springs is a long way to go for a chat if wherever you are is near a rainforest). If you are sure to show yourself to be interested, thoughtful and respectful, which you seem to be, you'll be most likely to get some of the information you need. And be aware that some things they will not be allowed to tell you.
posted by Lucie at 6:19 PM on September 16, 2008