Creation and Dreamtime Drama

“All the triumph

The tragedy

Of each yesteryear

Seems somehow to say, forever quite near.

This is the Dreaming.

Tomorrow

Will dawn

A tomorrow that’s clear,

A tomorrow that is not shadowed by fear.

This is the Dreaming.”

(Ellis 1994)

(Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers should be aware that this document/blog may contain images or names of people who have since passed away)

Like most sophisticated drama, the drama of Indigenous Creation and Dreamtime is dependant upon its form, its subject matter and the links it forges between stories and social contexts across time and history (Berndt 1985:390-391 ). The language used in dreamtime storytelling and dreamtime dramas is often heightened or formal in its tone. Once again, I should point out that the dreamtime and dreamtime drama should not be simply copied or imitated without consultation with or permission from local knowledge holders. Usually this is granted for classroom or education use with children but permission for public performance is a different thing. So, consult, ask for permission, and consult and ask for permission at each stage of the process. Don't just think that you can read a dreamtime story in a class and then act it out in an assembly. Plan lead up time and consult with local knowledge holders.

The subject matter of dreamtime stories and dramas are often powerful statements of how natural species adopted the shapes they have today or how topographical features were created (frequently the dramas are maps of journeys and territories in a similar fashion to indigenous dot paintings) or tales of how humans emerged culturally and physically (Berndt 1985:391). Because these stories are essentially parables, they are most often either spoken dramas where the gestures enact out the sequences, or they are done in sequences where one part of the story is told and then danced or acted out, and then the next part is told before it is enacted in dance or they are done as silent drama or mime. The didactic nature of these dramas is evident through some stories telling of, or emphasising catastrophes or changes of fate.

One of the most popular dreamtime stories which is still acted and danced tells of and acts out how the Rainbow Serpent – the Great Rainbow was shattered and how each fragment became a bird and then goes on to tell of how the kangaroo stood up to see the shattering of the colours and adopted thereafter adopted the standing pose which we associate with kangaroos. Often animals like kangaroos, brolgas and emus are imitated or enacted during the dance drama. Many stories of the Dreamtime Dramas are often as blatantly didactic such as the kangaroo story (e.g. Why Koala has no tail see Reed 1993: l82-189).

One of the best resource for this type of storytelling and drama is the 2006, Film Australia DVD Ceremony – The Djungguwan of Northeast Arnhem Land. It uses rare film from 1966, 1976 and 2002—including, for the first time, secret and sacred scenes.

The Dreamtime Dramas also tell of individual tribes and the development and significance of their totems but unlike totem dramas, the stories and ceremonies are usually not secret and are seldom traded. Dreamtime dances and dreamtime dramas are, in many ways, epic stories coupled with stories of the origins of elements such as earth, water, fire and wind. Some examples of these dances are evident on demonstrated by actor/dancer David Gulpilil on Film Australia’s 1983 Aboriginal Dance – Three Dances by Gulpilil and Five Dances From Cape York.

Many examples of Dreamtime dances are described in accounts throughout various books. A fire dance which centres on the discovery of fire enacts the almost comic fight between two women and a swarm of snakes. Fire is born when one of the women strikes a rock instead of a snake (Reed 1993: 145). The most widespread and common Dreamtime Dramas are those that involve the storytelling and dancing of Rainbow Serpent or Rainbow Snake stories.

“The importance of snakes to aborigines is evident in the stories surrounding Uluru. Almost every feature of the rock is described in a story, dance and/or drama.”

(Reed 1993:93)

Often 'corroborees' (corroboree is in fact the English version of the Indigenous word caribberie) involve a combination of songdrama and dreamtime drama. The songs and dances performed, unlike initiation ceremonies, are normally not secret and pass on information about the Dreaming. As a part of these ceremonies, participants often paint designs on their bodies to indicate the type of ceremony being held and the language group and family group performing. Frequently, the symbols painted on faces and bodies portray incidents or happenings from the Dreamtime stories being enacted. Sometimes special costumes are worn and special instruments are played or made for the ceremony. Design patterns are usually painted on the participant's bodies to show observers the type of ceremony being enacted. These ceremonies are dramatic representations using song, dance, mime and enactment of the characters or creatures portrayed.

“… way, way back, the wise spirits were sitting around and ... one of them said, ‘You know ... We can make a special land, a place like no other place we ever make ... this place will be so special, it will know only the touch of soft padded feet ...’ And Smarty Pants said, ‘Well, what about books and papers for when they read and write?' ... ‘Well, people will learn by using what they are born with. They will learn through the dances and the songs and the paintings, the storytelling, the nursery rhymes, the ritual and the ceremony, that is the way they will learn...'''

(Watson in O'Toole and Donelan 1996: 148-149)

Further Readings and Resources on Creation & Dreamtime Drama

Aboriginal Dance – Three Dances by Gulpilil and Five Dances From Cape York (video). 1983. Film Australia. Sydney.

Berndt, R.M. & A.T.  1985. The World of the First Australians. Rigby. Adelaide.

Berndt, R.M. & Phillips, E.S. 1973. The Australian Aboriginal Heritage: An Introduction Through the Arts. Ure Smith. Sydney.

Ellis, C.J. 1991. Aboriginal Music: Education for Living. University of Queensland Press. Brisbane.

Ellis, J.A. 1994. This is the Dreaming. Collins Dove. Nth Blackburn.

Films of the Ceremony: Djungguwan at Gurka’wuy. 2006. Film Australia. DVD Education Pack.

Issacs J. 1982. Australian Dreaming: 40,000 Years of Indigenous History. Bay Books. Sydney.
Reed, A.W. 1993. Aboriginal Myths, Legends and Fables. New Holland Publishing Australia. Melbourne.

Strehlow, T.G.H. 1986. Aranda Traditions, Melbourne University Press. Melbourne.

Woolgoodja, S. 1976. Lalai Dreamtime. Aboriginal Arts Board. Canberra.

A number of good websites and books exist to help with teaching and learning about Dreamtime Drama. Some of these include:

Miers, J. 2008. Aboriginal Dreamtime Stories website.

http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/dreaming/stories.html

The NSW Department of Education and Training website has excellent information on the Aboriginal Perspectives in the Creative Arts section.

http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/primary/creativearts/crosscurriculum/aboriginal/index.htm

Swasbrook, E. 1997. Aboriginal Legend Plays. Prim Ed Publishing. Greenwood, W.A.

 

Creation and Dreamtime Drama Exercises and Discussion

Creation and Dreamtime Exercises

1. Decide before you begin, whether this drama is going to be enacted by simply narration-based storytelling using hand gestures or by telling the story in segments that are acted out or danced after each section is told.

Look at the hills, mountains, rocks or any geographic features that are outside. Look at the shape of one geographic feature and think of an animal which that feature could represent. Look at other geographical features and decide what other animals each feature could represent. Look at the arrangement and relationship of the different geographical features and attempt to make up a story that tells how these animals came to be frozen in these particular poses in this particular place. Begin to develop your Dreamtime drama in the form (spoken with gesture or spoken with dance) you have chosen. Make your story as imaginative as you can. Don’t be too realistic.

2. Introduce Indigenous Dreaming stories

View/read a Dreamtime story. Look at books or at a website like:

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Stories-of-the-Dreaming

or

http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_indigenous_dreamtime/index1.htm

The teacher should then retell the story to the students and ask students to remember as much of the story as they can. The teacher and students then record and sequence the story visually. The students can then re-order the story if they wish. The students then either come up with a still image for each major part of the story or role play the story. Alternatively the students can do this as a Reader's Theatre sequence where one student reads out all the narration or indirect speech parts from the book or website and the other students read the direct speech or dialogue sections or act them out with dialogue.

Creation and Dreamtime Discussions

1.   Discuss customs and festivals from own cultural group in the class. Organize a visual display of international celebrations and cultural activities to discuss similarities and differences.
2. Discuss the place and role of story in culture and retell stories from their culture.
3. Discuss the place and role of story in Indigenous culture. It is “…by the acquisition of knowledge, rather than material possessions, that an Aborigine attains status in Aboriginal culture. Art is an expression of knowledge and it is therefore a statement of authority.”
4. Discuss the differences between societies and cultures that put value on material possessions and those which put value on knowledge and cultural ownership.