Posted on May 26, 2021
This is an update of my post published on May 26, 2010:
This Australian event is held each year to express regret for the historical mistreatment of Australia’s indigenous peoples.
On this day in 1997, a report was formally given to the Australian government about the horrible practice of taking children away from indigenous families. (The children who were taken from their families and made wards of the state are now called the Stolen Generations.)
In Australia, there are concerts, barbecues, lunches, teas, and other gatherings, media statements and speeches, flag-raising and candle-lighting ceremonies, reconciliation walks, and so forth. People sign “sorry books” as a way of showing their commitment towards reconciliation, and local indigenous Australian elders are invited to speak to students. There are even essay competitions for school children.
Find out more here.
It’s a good day for non-Australians to learn about the indigenous peoples of Australia.
The two main groups of indigenous Australians are Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. (Nowadays the word aboriginals is less common, because each group prefers to be called by its own specific name.)
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| Above, flag of Torres Strait Islanders. Below, flag of Aboriginal peoples. |
People came to Australia at least 40,000 years ago—perhaps as far back as 125,000 years ago!—and they spread over the mainland, nearby islands, and Tanzania.
There is a mix of languages, cultures, and customs among the indigenous groups, and there was even more diversity before European settlers started coming. (For example, there were between 250 and 300 languages when Europeans first “discovered” Australia. Today there are about 200 of these languages still in use—but all but 20 are classified as “endangered,” because most Aboriginal people use English.)
There are lots of Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories on YouTube. Here is one. And here is a simple explanation of Dreamtime.
The Australian Museum website has a rich and interesting website.
Some groups of indigenous Australians use sticks or echidna quills to paint “dreamtime stories” with traditional symbols such as fish, turtles, crocodiles, snakes, kangaroos, and other creatures. Because of the materials they use to paint, they create pictures with dots.
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| “Minyma Kutjara,” by Janice Woods Pitjantjatjara, Western Desert |
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| “Tingari,” by Thomas Tjapaltjarri Pintupi, Western Australia |
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| “Minyma Kutjara,” by Julie Woods Pitjantjatjara, Western Desert |
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| “Sandhills and River Bed Country,” by Delvine Petyarre Country at Atneltyeye, Utopia Homelands, Central Australia |
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| According to Wikimedia, an unnamed Aboriginal artist turned over rights to this piece to the public. |
Are you inspired to create some dot pictures? You can use the brush part of a paintbrush for large areas, and the wooden tip of the “wrong” side of the brush for the dots. Or use Q-tips dipped in paint.
I have always found it difficult to paint smooth river rocks with long brush strokes, but it’s fairly easy to decorate rocks with dots of paint! I love painting black river rocks with white or light-colored paints!
Note: It is disrespectful to copy the specific symbols, patterns, and forms used by Aboriginal artists, because they have importance and even spiritual meaning within their various cultures. Anyone not in that culture who copies specific elements of their art would not understand those meanings, so it is a kind of sacrilege. Also, of course, copying art is a kind of theft.
Instead of copying, be inspired by Aboriginal artists to tell your own stories using dots to create forms and symbols that are important to you!
Of course, we can also appreciate the beautiful pieces made by Aboriginal artists! Appreciate – don’t appropriate. Be inspired – don’t copy.
One last website–another wonderful source for dot painting!
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| “Bush Fire Dreaming,” by Petra Nampitinpa Walpiri Tribe, Northern Territory |
Also on this date:
World Lindy Hop Day
Anniversary of William of Ockham fleeing from the Pope
“Catholics may not enter!” – Anniversary of an awful law
Astronaut Sally Ride’s birthday
Independence Day in Georgia
Independence Day in Guyana
Paper Airplane Day
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Birthday of Prince Frederik of Denmark
Mother’s Day in Poland
Anniversary of Iceland’s change to right-hand traffic
Vesak in India and Indonesia
(Dates vary)
World Orienteering Day
(Fourth Wednesday of May)
Plan ahead:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
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May holidays
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May birthdays
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Historical anniversaries in May
And here are my Pinterest boards for:
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June holidays
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June birthdays
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Historical anniversaries in June