How to Protect the Aboriginal Culture in Australia?

The aboriginals were the first to arrive in Australia, probably at around 50,000 years ago, when Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea were connected by a landmass. For man years the aboriginals lived in Australia as nomads, and many tribes were found in all parts of Australia; desert, beaches, inland... At the time of initial European settlement, over 250 languages were spoken; it is currently estimated that 120 to 145 of these remain in use, but only 13 of these are not considered endangered. .

The History of the aboriginals are fascinating. Think... how would they be able to survive to such harsh climates and crazy poisoning animals and insects that we find in Australia? Well, certainly the spiritual connectivity these people had with their land is truly magical.

But this magical connection got abruptly disrupted with the arrival of the Europeans in Australia. Aboriginals used to be considered just another animal of the exotic Australian fauna. Many were hunted and killed, kicked out of their lands (countries), and completely disconnected to the Spirit of the Land.

Australia today is nothing like when the first Europeans arrived, of course. But it seems that the damage done to Aboriginals in the Colony period can be reflected until now, in the ways that aboriginals try to live. Alcohol is one of the main problems faced by them. While to government tries some ways of protecting the aboriginal culture, many are still spiritually lost, suppressing their loss in the alcohol.

While the Australian Government continues to find different ways to work on this social issue, many more tribes of aboriginals are disappearing, leaving no traces of its existence. Not-for-profit organisations seem to do a much better job though. My friend from the country of Jervis bay explained to me that aboriginal kids and teens that have been involved with drugs, robbery, are being through activities that make them to reconnect with their lands. They go on retreats to the bushes and live like the ways they used to, they are again introduced to their rituals, culture, values and their Land.

My hope with this post is to show that aboriginals in Australia are still alive, and their culture remains strong, despite of many being spiritual disconnected.