A highly illustrated pocket book looking at the history and culture of the Australian Aborigines.

This concise pocket guide to the social and cultural history of Aboriginal Australia traces the origins of these people through to the present day. The authors explore their social structure, spiritual beliefs, the Aboriginal relationship with the land and animal world, and their art and literature, which has recently enjoyed a major revival and is now used to represent Australian heritage.

The years of colonialism and the impact this has had on the indigenous population is obviously covered as well, as is a discussion of how they managed to survive and maintain their identity.

How did the porcupine get his spikes? How was the Murray River made? Filled with mythical half-human, half-animal beings like the Rainbow Snake and the woman who changed into a kangaroo, this extraordinary collection of legends and fables explains how the animals and birds appeared in Australia, and how the lakes, rivers and mountains were made.

Gathered from all over Australia, these legends have been passed down through the tribes for thousands of years. Here they are retold for a new generation of readers.

Aboriginal Fables and Legendary Tales is a magical introduction to the world of Aboriginal folklore and the Dreamtime, for all those interested in Australia's colourful history.

The first book to reveal the secret and sacred practices of Aboriginal shamans, Aboriginal Men of High Degree presents an extraordinary series of rites by which the young Aboriginal male begins the degrees of shamanic initiation - each marked by its own portion of esoteric knowledge.

One of Australia's most eminent anthropologists, A. P. Elkin focuses on the karadji, or men of high degree, who possess magical powers and who serve as channels between the Dreamtime beings and their own communities. As psychologists and psychic experts, the karadji are essential to the groups' social chesion. They are believed to cure and kill mysteriously, make rain, anticipate future events, and appear and disappear at will.

Not content to explain away these phenomenon, Elkin boldly suggests that we enter into the karadji worldview and try to understand this remarkable culture on its own terms.

An A-to-Z guide to the mythology of Australia written by one of the greatest contemporary Aborigine academics and novelists.

The Australian Aborigines are a traditional people whose origins lie in distant antiquity. Spanning their history from the earliest legends to the present day, this book is a reference guide to the different aspects of the Aborigine tradition. It gives an overview of Aborigine culture, lifestyles, ceremonies, spiritual awareness, beliefs and religions.

This fascinating book presents a wealth of poetic and imaginative tales from Aboriginal cultural heritage. While retelling the stories simply, this book captures the mystical bonds that exist between Aboriginal people, their environment and the spirit life of the Dreamtime.

Each story provides the reader with an insight into one of the oldest cultures on earth.

Aboriginal Stories of Australia: A.W. Reed (engl.) 110 S.

und

Aboriginal Words of Australia: A. W. Reed (engl.) 124 S.

in einem Buch zusammen.

Abbildung exemplarisch, es gibt Ausgaben mit anderen Covern

An enthralling collection of traditional tales that date back to the beginning of time.

Learn how Yhi the sun goddess introduced life to the world, why the emu cannot fly and how the kangaroo got his tail.

Packed with myths and legends about creation, these stories retell how people and animals were made as well as how the moon and stars came to hang above us.

Includes a glossary, giving the English translation for many Aboriginal words used in the text.

A sensational collection of stories from 29 of Australia's finest Aboriginal story tellers. The stories come from across Australia, from young and old, men and women, bush people and country dwellers, experienced hands and emerging writers. Their writing comes from their own traditions and communities and from the realms of imagination.

Cuts across urban and outback settings - sometimes poignant, sometimes funny - dealing with topics such as coming to terms with the past, coping with racism, relationships, childhood, work and the future.

Contributors include Beatrice Ballangarry, John Clark, Bruce Pascoe and Janice Slater.

Originaltitel: Voices of the First Day