Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making
Australian Aboriginal symbols are visual forms of knowledge that express cultural intellect. Being classified by a Western interpretation of “art” devalues thousands of years of generational knowledge systems, where visual information has been respected, appreciated and valued. This article highligh...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Arts |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/4/2/68 |
| _version_ | 1818128688007348224 |
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| author | Elizabeth Cameron |
| author_facet | Elizabeth Cameron |
| author_sort | Elizabeth Cameron |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Australian Aboriginal symbols are visual forms of knowledge that express cultural intellect. Being classified by a Western interpretation of “art” devalues thousands of years of generational knowledge systems, where visual information has been respected, appreciated and valued. This article highlights how Aboriginal creativity has little concept of aesthetical value, but is a cultural display of meaning relating to Creational periods, often labelled as The Dreamings. With over 350 different Aboriginal Nations in Australia, this article focuses of the Dharug Nation, located around the northern Sydney area of New South Wales. The Dharug term for the Creational period is Gunyalungalung—traditional ritualized customary lores (laws). These symbols are permanently located within the environment on open rock surfaces, caves and markings on trees. Whilst some symbols are manmade, others are made by Creational ancestral beings and contain deep story lines of information in sacredness. Therefore, creative imagery engraved or painted on rock surfaces are forms of conscious narratives that emphasise deep insight. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:37:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7bcb28d831c9496290df3d584b3a3645 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0752 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T07:37:13Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arts |
| spelling | doaj.art-7bcb28d831c9496290df3d584b3a36452022-12-22T01:15:40ZengMDPI AGArts2076-07522015-06-0142687410.3390/arts4020068arts4020068Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative MakingElizabeth Cameron0The Institute of Koorie Education, Deakin University, Geelong Waurn Ponds, Geelong, Victoria, 3220 AustraliaAustralian Aboriginal symbols are visual forms of knowledge that express cultural intellect. Being classified by a Western interpretation of “art” devalues thousands of years of generational knowledge systems, where visual information has been respected, appreciated and valued. This article highlights how Aboriginal creativity has little concept of aesthetical value, but is a cultural display of meaning relating to Creational periods, often labelled as The Dreamings. With over 350 different Aboriginal Nations in Australia, this article focuses of the Dharug Nation, located around the northern Sydney area of New South Wales. The Dharug term for the Creational period is Gunyalungalung—traditional ritualized customary lores (laws). These symbols are permanently located within the environment on open rock surfaces, caves and markings on trees. Whilst some symbols are manmade, others are made by Creational ancestral beings and contain deep story lines of information in sacredness. Therefore, creative imagery engraved or painted on rock surfaces are forms of conscious narratives that emphasise deep insight.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/4/2/68Aboriginal ArtAustraliavisual knowledgeculturetraditionalsymbols |
| spellingShingle | Elizabeth Cameron Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making Arts Aboriginal Art Australia visual knowledge culture traditional symbols |
| title | Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making |
| title_full | Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making |
| title_fullStr | Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making |
| title_full_unstemmed | Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making |
| title_short | Is It Art or Knowledge? Deconstructing Australian Aboriginal Creative Making |
| title_sort | is it art or knowledge deconstructing australian aboriginal creative making |
| topic | Aboriginal Art Australia visual knowledge culture traditional symbols |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/4/2/68 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elizabethcameron isitartorknowledgedeconstructingaustralianaboriginalcreativemaking |