The Dreaming

The dreaming is an European denotation for the Aboriginal conception of the Cosmos and its inner workings. The dreaming or dreamtime refers to a mythological era of creation which lies beyond the memory of mankind. The term does not imply a state of unreality but focuses on the existence of a truth beyond our planet’s direct perception.

In the dreamtime, creation ancestors, often considered as Mimi-spirits, went on epic journeys, creating flora, fauna, landforms and celestial bodies. It is from their experiences that social mores such as marriage and kinship have evolved. Until the advent of white civilisation, the land had also sustained and nurtured its indigenous people, becoming an integral part of both religious belief and, at a more practical level, daily survival.

Today, despite the vast changes that have occurred to their lands through the impact of European civilisation, Aboriginal people continue to travel where possible, along Dreaming paths which cover the continent-reconnecting with significant sites through routes which can cover thousands of kilometres.

All pictures are copyrighted © 2008 Lex Gillen