Aborigine of Australia - the native inhabitant of the continent. All nationalities are isolated from others in racial and linguistic terms. The indigenous people are also known as the Australian Bushmen. "Bush" means vast areas with an abundance of shrubs and stunted trees. These territories are characteristic of some areas of Australia and Africa.
General information
The indigenous people speak Australian. Only some of it is in English. Australian Aborigines inhabit mainly areas that are far outside the cities. They can be found in the Central, Northwestern, Northern and Northeastern parts of the continent. A certain part of the indigenous population lives in cities.
New data
For a long time it was assumed that the Tasmanian Aborigines developed separately from other Australian tribes. It was assumed that this went on for at least several thousand years. The results of modern research indicate otherwise. It turned out that the language of the Tasmanian aborigines has many common words with other dialects of the Australian southern tribes. By race, these tribes are distinguished into a separate group. They are considered the Australian branch of the Australoid race.
Anthropology
On this basis, the natives of Australia, whose photos are presented in the article, belong to one characteristic species. It has certain features. The native of Australia has pronounced features characteristic of the Negroid complex. A feature of the Bushmen is considered to be a fairly massive skull. Also a distinctive feature is the developed tertiary hairline. It is now well established that the Australian Aborigines descended from the same race. However, this does not exclude the possibility of the influence of others. For that period, the spread of mixed marriages was a typical phenomenon. In addition, it should be taken into account that there were several migration waves to this continent. There was a significant time interval between them. It has been established that before the beginning of the period of European colonization, a huge number of Aborigines lived in Australia. To be more precise - over six hundred different tribes. Each of them spoke their own dialect and language.
Aboriginal life in Australia
Bushmen have no houses or dwellings, they have no domesticated livestock. Aborigines don't use clothes. They live in separate groups, which can include up to sixty people. Australian Aborigines do not even have an elementary tribal organization. They also lack many of the simple skills that distinguish humans from animals. For example, they are not able to fish, make dishes, sew their own clothes, and so on. Meanwhile, at present, even those tribes that live in the wilds of Africa are able to do this. In the 19th century, relevant research was carried out. Then scientists came to the conclusion that the Australian native is on a certain line between animals and people. This is due to the blatant savagery of their existence. At present, the Australian aborigine is a representative of the most backward nationality.
The number of indigenous people
It is just over four hundred thousand people. Of course, this is outdated data, because the census was conducted about ten years ago. This number includes those natives who live on the territory of the Torres Strait Islands. The indigenous population is about twenty-seven thousand people. The local Aboriginal people are different from other Australian groups. First of all, this is due to cultural characteristics. They have many features in common with the Papuans and Melanesians. Currently, most Australian Aboriginal people live off charitable foundations and government assistance. Their means of life support are almost completely lost. Accordingly, there are no gathering, fishing and hunting activities. At the same time, a certain part of the natives living on the islands of the Torres Strait owns manual agriculture. Traditional religious beliefs are preserved. The following types of natives are distinguished:
Development before European intervention
The exact date of the settlement of Australia has not yet been established. It is assumed that this happened several tens of thousands of years ago. The ancestors of Australians are from Southeast Asia. They managed to overcome about ninety kilometers of water barriers. The Pleistocene era served as a road. They appeared on the continent. Most likely, this was due to an additional influx of immigrants who arrived by sea about five thousand years ago. This is also due to the emergence of the stone industry. Even before the intervention of Europeans, the racial type and culture of the Australian aborigines boasted breakthroughs in evolution.
Period of colonization
Europeans arrived here in the 18th century. At that time, the number of Australian Aborigines was approximately two million people. They formed groups. The composition was quite varied. As a result, there were more than five hundred tribes on the mainland. All of them were distinguished by a complex social organization. Each tribe had its own rituals and myths. Australian Aborigines spoke more than two hundred languages. The period of colonization was accompanied by the targeted destruction of the indigenous population. Australian aborigines were losing their territories. They were forced out into ecologically disadvantaged areas of the mainland. The outbreak of the epidemic contributed to a sharp reduction in their numbers. In 1921, the population density of Australia, the indigenous in particular, was no more than sixty thousand people. Later, government policy changed. Protected reservations began to be created. The authorities organized medical and material assistance. The combination of these actions greatly contributed to the fact that Australia has increased.
Subsequent development
Such a thing as did not exist until the beginning of 1949. Most of the locals were considered British subjects. An appropriate law was issued, according to which the entire indigenous population became citizens of Australia. Every person born in a given territory after this date was automatically its citizen. In the 90s, the number of Australian Aborigines was about two hundred and fifty thousand people. This is only one and a half percent of the entire population of the mainland.
Aboriginal mythology
The indigenous people of Australia believed that existence was not limited to physical reality. The natives believed that there was a world where their spiritual ancestors lived. They believed that physical reality echoed it. And thus they influence each other mutually. There was a belief that the sky is the place where these two worlds meet. The movement of the Moon and the Sun was influenced by the actions of spiritual ancestors. It was also believed that they could be affected by a living person. A huge role in the mythology of the natives is played by celestial bodies, stars, etc.
Archaeologists and historians have been studying fragments containing Bushmen drawings for a long time. Until now, it is not completely clear what exactly the rock paintings depicted. In particular, were they celestial objects or some pictures from everyday life? Aborigines possessed certain information about the sky. Found that they tried to use to implement the calendar. However, there is no information that he was somehow connected with the lunar phases. It is also known that there were no attempts to use celestial objects for navigation.
As soon as the Dutch set foot on the coast of Australia, which was at that time the western southern land, they immediately appeared before them representatives of the oldest civilization on the planet- Australian Aborigines.
To guests from Europe, the indigenous inhabitants of the mainland treated with extreme caution. Especially the natives of Australia began to resent when curious sailors from Europe frequented the lands of the Green Continent. So who are the Aborigines of Australia and what was their way of life?
Typical appearance of an Australian aborigine
One of the versions says that the first inhabitants appeared in Australia about 50 thousand years ago.
But some researchers and scientists claim that people lived in Australia and 70 thousand years back when New Guinea and Tasmania had not yet separated from the mainland.
The first inhabitants of Australia arrived on the Green Continent by sea. Where exactly they immigrated to this day is unknown.
The Australian Aboriginal way of life remained over forty thousand years unchanged. If the Europeans had not begun to develop these remote lands, the indigenous population of Australia would not have known for a long time what writing, radio and television are.
The aborigines of the mysterious and magical outback of Australia still adhere to their long-standing traditions and habits. These people can be called real representatives primitive way of life.
The photo shows Aboriginal rituals Australia:
This arid and barren area is now home to 17% of the Aboriginal people who live in Australia. The largest settlement is 2500 people.
Qualified medical care began to be provided here only, since 1928. Also, there are no educational institutions here, and children are taught by radio.
What do the Bushmen of Australia look like?
A dark-skinned man with a lush shock of curly hair, a convex facial part of the skull, and a wide base of the nose - that's what it looks like typical native Australia.
Characteristic physique Bushmen(as the indigenous population of the mainland is called) is rather frail, but at the same time, the Bushmen of Australia are athletic and have well-developed muscles.
A photo Australian Bushmen:
10 % The dark-skinned Aborigines who lived in the Solomon Islands northeast of Australia had blond hair. Scientists have long argued whether this is due to European expeditions to the southern land.
The conclusion of the researchers suggests that such a seemingly incompatibility of dark skin and blond hair is genetic mutation thousand years ago.
Modern Aboriginals Australia (photo):
The Aborigines of Australia are divided into three races. Most black indigenous population Australia resides today in the province of North Queensland.
Aboriginal Australian body decoration - scarring(a photo):
The tallest natives Australia, which scientists attribute to the third wave of immigrants, live in the north of the mainland. They have a dark coda, and the vegetation on the head and body is practically absent.
But the valley of the largest river of the Green Continent Murray is inhabited by Murray type natives. The population of medium height with thick hair on the body and head, scientists attribute to the second wave of seafaring settlers.
Photo of the traditional type of weapon of an Australian aborigine - boomerang:
Australian Aboriginal language
Before the advent of Europeans on the mainland, the natives spoke in 500 dialects, each language of which was not similar to the other. Today, each indigenous tribe of Australians has its own unique language.
It's important to know! Most of the Australian Aboriginal languages exist orally, as some tribes have not mastered writing.
Melodically, these dialects are not similar to any of the African, European or Asian languages. Today, linguists talk about what Australian aborigines say more than two hundred languages.
Aboriginal dances Australia - imitation of the habits of animals (photo):
Interesting that almost all the inhabitants of the Aboriginal tribes of Australia speak English.
Aboriginal customs in Australia
Australia's sacred mountain Uluru main object of worship Bushmen. The indigenous people of Australia say that this rock is the door between the worlds.
It's important to know! Scientists claim that the shrine of the indigenous people of Australia is more than six million years old.
This mountain is called by different names. So in Europe, Mount Uluru was given the name Ayres or Aires Rock. A very popular type of recreation are sightseeing tours to this unusual natural phenomenon and local shrine.
Attention! More than once, tourists who tried to climb to the top of the mountain died tragically. You should not "flirt" with death in these mysterious places, because it is not in vain that customs exist.
Various rituals that were performed thousands of years ago are still practiced by the indigenous people of Australia near Mount Uluru. Belief says that climbing to the top will lead to the wrath of spirits and ancestors.
The invention of the boomerang and the traditional Aboriginal pipe didgeridoo
Few people know, but boomerang invention owned by the Australians. Only real warriors can manage it.
This art is taught by natives to tourists on the east coast. in Tjapukai.
Culture, life and traditions of the indigenous population of Australia very varied.
So, in the tribes that inhabit the northern regions of the mainland, are popular individual singing accompanied by percussion instruments. But in the center and in the southern parts of the Green Continent, group singing is popular.
Interesting that a number of Australian Indigenous musical instruments have sacred significance. For example, the magic buzzer of the natives made of stone and wood, with sacral symbols applied. She makes very strange and terrifying sounds.
But the didgeridoo created by nature is spiritual musical bushman instrument. A trunk of bamboo or eucalyptus eaten inside by termites, the length of which is from one to three meters, is still decorated by the indigenous people of Australia with totem symbolic images.
It's important to know! For many centuries, the natives of the Green Continent knew about the movements of stars and planets thanks to a stone structure that exactly repeats the famous Stonehenge. It is located on the way from Melbourne to Geelong. One hundred huge stone blocks located from half a meter to a meter high indicate exactly the summer and winter solstices, as well as the equinoxes.
Aborigines of Australia are the indigenous population of the Green Continent, which keeps the tradition to this day, customs and even the way of life of people who lived on the mainland thousands of years ago.
Thanks to their culture, you can learn how people lived in Australia before the Europeans arrived on the continent. It must be said that the life of a multinational civilized society significantly different from the way of life of the indigenous people. This is all of Australia!
We invite you to look interesting video about how Australian aborigines demonstrate ritual dances, javelin throwing, an ancient musical instrument - the didgeridoo:
Residents of each country have a particular mentality. Different habits, different character and different rules of behavior... This is what distinguishes the Japanese from the Chinese, the Americans from the British, the Ukrainians from the Russians. Each nation has its own rich history, which is rooted in the depths of time and forms the face of modern man. Who were the indigenous people of Australia and who lives in the country now? More about this.
The first mention of the Australian continent dates back to the 17th century, but it was explored only a hundred years later - in 1770, James Cook landed on the shore with an expedition. It is from this moment that the European history of the state begins. 18 years later, on January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip set foot on the shores of the continent, who founded the first settlement, Sydney Cove. This date is still a big holiday in the country and is celebrated as Australia Day.
The history of the settlement of the continent cannot be called romantic: the first settlers were English prisoners, for whom there was simply no place in prisons. They, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, began the exploration of Australia at the end of the 18th century.
Already after 100 years, the group of prisoners has grown to a fully mature society. Immigration was in full swing, wishing to live on the "new continent" flocked from all over the world. Australia became a full-fledged participant in the economic life of Great Britain, and meat and wool were even exported from there.
The authorities tried to impose restrictions on those entering on a racial basis: at one time, Asians were forbidden to immigrate here. But the restrictions did not bring results, so the audience crept up motley. Most visitors are of Asian, New Zealand, English origin.
Of course, it is impossible to fit the history of the formation of an entire nation into one small article. If you are interested in how the British colonized the continent, we advise you to watch this documentary film made by Australians about Australians.
From the moment the British settled, the problems of the indigenous inhabitants of Australia began. Initially, the number was, according to various sources, from 300 thousand to 4 million people, but with the appearance on the mainland of not the most intelligent Englishmen with a criminal record, the number of aborigines began to decline sharply.
Indigenous people of Australia: how did the most ancient civilization fall?
So who were the masters of the continent before Arthur Phillip appeared on it? The indigenous people of Australia are also called Bushmen. There is a theory according to which the Bushmen are the oldest people on Earth. Civilization has more than 70 thousand years! The indigenous inhabitants of Australia are divided into three separate types; at the time of the landing of Europeans, more than 500 languages were spoken on the continent. The main occupations of the Australians were hunting, gathering, construction.
The indigenous people of Australia belong to the race of the same name - Australoids, their facial features are appropriate: dark skin (but lighter than that of Negroids), wide nose, lush hair, very dark and curly
The natives also had a religion, according to which God is nature and all the phenomena that surround a person. Mountains, trees, water are sacred things in which the spirit of mighty gods is hidden.
How does the indigenous population of Australia live today?
The paradox is that Aboriginal descendants could not be Australian citizens until 1967. Until that time, they lived in special reservations - villages, where access to outsiders was closed. They were not taken into account even in the census. Only half a century ago, the indigenous people of Australia received the right to choose their place of residence and move around the country. Not all, however, left the reservation. Moreover, some of them never came to civilization. About ten thousand descendants of the ancient Australoids still live without knowing the written language, the English language, or modern technologies.
Most of the natives dispersed throughout the country, you can meet them in any city. Some work in the field of tourism: they entertain tourists with excursions to fake tribes or real reservations, in which the way of life and way of historical times has been preserved.
As souvenirs, you can buy a variety of gizmos, allegedly made by the hands of the natives. In fact, truly authentic things rarely come across; usually, under their guise, an ordinary village “mass market” is sold. We wrote an article about what souvenirs to buy in the country. Some of them may be no less interesting. Check out the list of the best souvenirs from Australia.
Not far from Australia, in New Zealand there are also aborigines. They are called Maori, which translates as "natural, real." These tribes are remembered as brave people who defend their rights like no other.
Unfortunately, among the natives who moved to large cities, there are many representatives of the marginal segments of the population. A large percentage of the crimes committed in the country are accounted for by them; among the descendants of ancient people, alas, there are often drug addicts and drinkers.
Modern inhabitants of Australia: who are they?
The locals of Australia are full of various types, colors of skin and eyes. This picture is completely unusual for a tourist from Russia, because in our country we see only people who look like us. Everything is mixed up here, therefore, no matter how you look, you will never catch a single sidelong glance on yourself. For the same reason, representatives of different faiths peacefully coexist in the country. Religions were distributed as follows: 26% of the local population of Australia are Protestants, 19% are Catholics, and the rest are less than 5%.
In the country, by local standards, very cheap food. This played a cruel joke on the inhabitants: obesity is very common on the sunny continent.
The number of local residents of Australia is just over 24 million people. This data is for 2016. By 2030, an increase of up to 28 million is expected. The birth rate here is the highest in the world: for every woman, on average, there are 1.9 children. Average life expectancy is also one of the highest - more than 80 years. The majority of Australians are, of course, immigrants from England. Followed by visitors from New Zealand and Italy. There are very few indigenous people in Australia, less than 5%.
The largest city in Australia in terms of the number of inhabitants is Sydney, but there are many Asians among them, which is why the city cannot be called prosperous and comfortable for life.
Nevertheless, there is something to see in Sydney, you just need to know where to go. To find out what sights to see in the largest city on the continent, so as not to constantly run into guest workers, read. In it, we have collected the most interesting sights of Sydney.
What do the people of Australia do?
The country has a high standard of living: the purchasing power of an average citizen is $3,000 per month. This means that life is not aimed at making money all the time. Local residents of Australia devote a lot of time to self-development, hobbies, active and passive recreation.
There is no excessive desire to look good. They dress “immaculately” only for work and on important occasions. The rest of the time, because of the hot weather, it is impossible to constantly induce chic.
It's not just about the weather, but also about the mentality: the locals of Australia are about equally well off, so they don't try to prove something to anyone, but just live in pleasure. Accordingly, no one tries to dress pretentiously and expensively. Distinguishing an employee from a millionaire is not easy.
The hobby of Australians is directly related to the environment. Are there many rocks around? Alright, let's get on them! Around the ocean? Just great, grab a surfboard! No snow at all, but tons of sand in the desert? What's the problem, let's invent a snowboard on the sand!
This sport is called "sneedboarding". He proves that the absence of snow is not a hindrance to real extreme sportsmen. The rules are the same as in snowboarding: slide on the board. The only difference is that instead of snow - dunes, and instead of a warm suit - a T-shirt and shorts.
Another hobby of Australians is gambling and horse racing. It is understandable: when people do not feel a constant lack of money, it is easy to waste them.
The natives of Australia are called the word "ozzy". Or rather, they call themselves that. Being Ozzy means getting lost in the words of the National Anthem, being proud of your beer belly, and giving a damn about what's going on in the rest of the world.
In general, Australians have quite a lot of strange character traits. It is these features that form the rules of conduct in Australia for tourists. So that you know how to behave in this distant country - we have collected all the rules
Roughly speaking, the Universe for Ozzy is limited by the ocean. Where the continent ends, everything that can excite the locals ends. If suddenly you would inform a resident of Australia that many interesting and important events are taking place outside the continent, most likely he would grin and bluntly declare that he is not interested. Here, in general, as a rule, they do not stand on ceremony and speak directly, as they are. But the charming simple-hearted Ozzy, nevertheless, does not want to be offended at all for this.
Australia and Oceania are one of the smallest parts of the world, their area is about 9 million km 2, with 7.7 million km 2 falling on the Australian continent, the rest on the island states of Oceania. The population also does not differ in large numbers: about 25 million people, most of them are the population of Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. The composition of the historical and cultural region of Australia and Oceania is the states of Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Caribati, Micronesia, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Fiji.
Australia and the Pacific Islands were explored by European navigators much later than other continents. The name of the mainland Australia is the fruit of an erroneous theory of scientists of the 16th century, who believed that New Guinea, discovered by the Spaniards, and the archipelago of the islands of Tierra del Fuego, discovered by Magellan, are actually the northern spurs of the new mainland, as they called it "the unknown southern land" or in Latin "terra australius incognita".
Conventionally, Oceania is divided into several parts, which are radically different both in culture and in ethnic composition.
The so-called "Black Islands" - Melanesia, islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, formerly the mainland of Australia, the largest of them is New Guinea.
The second part, Polynesia or "Many Islands", includes the southernmost part of the western islands, which is composed of New Zealand, also with a large number of large and small islands randomly scattered in the ocean, resembling a triangle in shape. Its peak in the north is Hawaii, in the east is Easter Island, in the south is New Zealand.
A part called Micronesia or "Small Islands" lies to the north of Melanesia, these are the Marshall Islands, the Gilbert Islands, the Caroline and Mariana Islands.
Indigenous tribes
When European navigators came to this part of the world, they found here tribes of indigenous people who belonged to the Australo-Negroid group of peoples at various stages of development.
(Papuan from New Guinea)
The settlement of the Australian continent and the nearby islands was mainly due to the tribes that came here in search of happiness from Indonesia, as well as from the west of the Pacific Ocean, and lasted for many centuries.
New Guinea was settled by settlers from Southeast Asia belonging to the Australoid race, then this region was overtaken by a wave of migrations several more times, as a result, all the descendants of various “waves” of migrations to New Guinea are called Papuans.
(Papuans at present)
Another group of settlers who settled in some part of Oceania, probably belonging to the race of the southern Mongoloids, first came to the island of Fiji, then Samoa and Tonga. The thousand-year isolation of this region has formed here a unique and inimitable Polynesian culture, which has spread throughout the entire Polynesian part of Oceania. The population has a motley ethnic composition: the inhabitants of the Hawaiian Islands are Hawaiians, in Samoa - Samoans, in Tahiti - Tahitians, in New Zealand - Maori, etc.
The level of development of the tribes
(European colonization of Australia)
By the time Europeans penetrated the Australian lands, local tribes lived at the level of the Stone Age, which is explained by the remoteness of the continent from the ancient centers of world civilizations. The aborigines hunted kangaroos and other marsupials, gathered fruits and roots, their weapons were made of wood and stone. The most famous device of the Australian Aborigines for hunting game is the boomerang, a sickle-shaped wooden club that flies along a curved path and returns to its owner. The tribes of Australians lived in a tribal communal system, there were no tribal unions, each tribe lived separately, sometimes military conflicts arose over land or for other reasons (for example, due to accusations of insidious witchcraft).
(Modern Papuans in terms of development no longer differ from Europeans, skillfully reincarnated as actors of national traditions)
The population of the island of Tasmania differed in appearance from the Australian Aborigines, they had a darker skin color, curly hair, puffy lips, which made them similar to the Negroid race living in Melanesia. They were at the lowest level of development (Stone Age), worked with stone hoes, hunted with wooden spears. They spent time gathering fruits, berries and roots, hunting. In the 19th century, the last representatives of the Tasmanian tribes were exterminated by Europeans.
The level of technical development of all the tribes that inhabited Oceania was approximately at the same level: they used stone tools, wooden weapons with cut stone tips, bone knives, and seashell scrapers were in use. The inhabitants of Melanesia used bows and arrows, grew agricultural crops, and bred domestic animals. The fishing industry was very well developed, the inhabitants of Oceania moved well across the sea over long distances, they knew how to build strong twin boats with floats and wicker sails. Successes were achieved in pottery, in weaving clothes and in the construction of household items from plant materials.
(By the middle of the 20th century, the indigenous Polynesians had already merged with the European way of life and the modern life of society.)
The Polynesians were tall, dark skin with a yellowish tint, curly locks of hair. They were mainly engaged in the cultivation of agricultural crops, the cultivation of various root crops, one of the main sources of food and an excellent material for making clothes, household items and a wide variety of devices was the coconut palm. Weapons - clubs made of wood, stone and bone. High level of development of shipbuilding and navigation. In the social system there was a division of labor, division into castes (artisans, warriors, priests), there was the concept of property;
(Also, current Micronesians)
The population of Micronesia was a mixed ethnic group, whose appearance was a mixture of features of the inhabitants of Melanesia, Indonesia and Polynesia. The level of development of the social system is intermediate between the system of the inhabitants of Melanesia and Polynesia: the division of labor, a group of artisans stood out, an exchange was carried out in the form of natural (shells and beads), the famous money of Yap Island - huge stone disks. Formally, the land was common, but in fact it belonged to the tribal nobility, wealth and power were in the hands of the elders, they were called yuroshi. It turns out that the inhabitants of Micronesia did not yet have their own state by the time the Europeans appeared, but they were very close to creating it.
Traditions and customs of local people
(Aboriginal traditional musical instruments)
In Australia, each tribe belonged to a certain totem group, that is, each tribe had patrons among representatives of flora and fauna, who were strictly forbidden to kill or eat. The ancient Australians believed in mythical ancestors, who were half people, half animals, in connection with this it was very common to perform various magical rituals, for example, when young men, having passed the test of courage and endurance, became men and received the title of warrior or hunter. The main public entertainment in the life of the Australian Aborigines were ritual holidays with chants and dances. Corroboree is a traditional ceremonial dance of Australian aboriginal men, during which its participants are painted in a certain way and decorated with feathers and animal skins, showing various scenes of hunting and everyday life, mythological and legendary stories from the history of their tribe, thus communicating with the gods and spirits of their ancestors .
In Polynesia, various legends, myths and legends about the creation of the world, various deities and spirits of ancestors are widely developed. Their whole world was divided into a divine or sacred “moa” and a simple “noa”, the moa world belonged to persons of royal blood, rich nobility and priests, for an ordinary person the sacred world was a taboo, which means “specially marked”. The cult temples of the Polynesians in the open air "marae" have survived to this day.
(Geometric patterns and aboriginal ornament)
The bodies of the Polynesians (Maori tribes, residents of Tahiti, Hawaii, Easter Island, etc.) were densely covered with a special geometric ornament, which was special and sacred for them. The very word "tatau", which means drawing, has Polynesian roots. Previously, only priests and respected people of the Polynesian people (only men) could wear tattoos, drawings and ornaments on the body told about its owner, what kind of tribe he was, his social status, occupation, his main achievements in life.
In the culture of the Polynesians, ritual chants and dances were developed, the popular Tahitian dance "tamure" is known all over the world, which is performed by a group of men and women dressed in puffy skirts made from durable fiber of the hibiscus plant. Another famous Polynesian dance "otea", which is recognizable by the luxurious movements of the shaking hips of the dancers.
(Typical housing of local tribes)
The Polynesians believed that people communicate not only on the physical level, but also on the spiritual level, i.e. when meeting people, their souls are still touching, so all the rituals and customs are built in accordance with this statement. Families are very respectful of community foundations; for Polynesians, the concept of a family called "fetia", which includes a large number of relatives on both sides, can extend to an entire village or village. In such family formations, traditions of mutual assistance and mutual assistance are strong, a joint household is maintained, common financial problems are solved. Polynesian women have a special place in society, they dominate men and are the head of the family.
Most of the Papuan tribes of New Guinea still live, observing the customs of the traditions of their ancestors in large families of up to 30-40 people, the head of the family is a man, he can have many wives. The traditions and customs of the Papuan tribes vary greatly, because there are a very large number of them (about 700).
Modernity
(Coast of modern Australia)
Today, Australia and Oceania are one of the least populated parts of the world. The population density of the Australian continent is 2.2 people / km 2. Australia and New Zealand are states with a resettlement type of population formation. Here, descendants of immigrants from Great Britain mainly predominate, in New Zealand they represent 4-5 of the entire population of the state, it is even called "Britain of the South Seas".
Australian Aborigines live in the central part of Australia on marginal lands. The indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, the Maori tribes, make up about 12% of all inhabitants of the country. On the skeletons of Polynesia, there is a predominance of the indigenous population: the Papuans and other Polynesian peoples, and the descendants of European settlers, immigrants from India and Malaysia, also live here.
(The current natives do not mind hospitality and are happy to pose for the guests of the mainland)
The modern culture of the peoples of Australia and Oceania, to varying degrees, has retained its originality and uniqueness. On remote islands and territories, where the influence of Europeans was minimal (in the depths of Australia or in New Guinea), the folk customs and traditions of the local population remained virtually unchanged, and in those states where the influence of European culture was stronger (New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii), folk culture has undergone a significant transformation, and now we can observe only the remnants of once original traditions and rituals.
According to anthropological data, the Australian Aborigines are a type of Australoid large race. Outwardly, they are medium or tall, with dark hair, thick and curly. They have thick lips and wide noses, medium sized eyes. A feature of this race can be considered a protruding eyebrow. Until the 18th century, 1.2 million Aborigines lived in Australia. Scientists believed that they arrived on the mainland from Asia. At the end of the 18th century, Europeans also came to it, who brought colonization and disease with them. The indigenous population was not ready for these processes and many aborigines died. Before colonization, they were engaged in hunting and fishing, gathering fruits. Such crafts as pottery and weaving, metalworking were not known to them.
Australian Aboriginal language
Australia is a developed country. In our time, aborigines live on its territory, whose way of life is unchanged. They do not know how to produce, do not use the achievements of civilization and even the calendar. Their culture is original. It has nothing to do with the population from other countries of the world. This is because Australia has lived in an insulating space for a long time. Each of the local tribes has its own language, and it is not similar to Asian dialects. Writing is developed among several tribes, and there are about 200 dialects of the language. For a long period of time, the indigenous population of the mainland lived on reservations. These were the most deserted territories where strangers were not allowed. The population of the reservations did not participate in the census.
At the end of the 19th century, the Aboriginal Protection Act was passed in the state of Victoria. This document was a set of legal norms governing the lives of the indigenous population. And a century later, as a result of a referendum held in this country, the indigenous people of Australia were officially recognized as citizens of the state and received the right to free movement within the country. Aboriginal people have been seeking equal rights with the white population for many years. Many of them moved to live in large ones. The country has launched programs to increase the birth rate and preserve the cultural heritage of the natives. In 2007, they launched a television channel for the indigenous people of Australia. It is broadcast in English, since it is difficult to use 200 dialects at once. 
Aboriginal life in Australia
In modern times, the natives are involved in tourism. For travelers who come to Australia and have a desire to visit its beauties, excursions to the reservation are organized. Tourists are shown the life and way of life of the indigenous population. It is different from our world. Australian Aborigines are the best guides. For travelers, performances are created with dances and song accompaniment, in addition, with the performance of rituals that are considered ritual by the indigenous population of Australia. The sale of souvenirs, hunting objects and wicker clothing is very developed in Australia. Interestingly, about ten thousand people inhabiting Australia are still at the level of the Stone Age. But only thanks to them the primordial culture of Australia is preserved.
Cultural heritage
- Paintings
Art and design lovers are familiar with canvases painted in the original ethnic technique, which is inherent only to the indigenous population. Each of the artists in his picture describes a different life. They call it a spiritual reality or another life. It differs from modern society and reflects a spiritual connection with the world of deities. As them, the natives still call the sun and the moon, as well as many animals. - Music
Australian Aborigines are masters of making musical instruments. One of them is the didgeridoo instrument, which is a pipe with a length of 1 to 2 meters. Made from eucalyptus trunk, eaten by termites in the central part. Not everyone will be able to play this instrument, as this requires practice, as well as a good respiratory system. As for the natives, they can safely play this pipe for several hours in a row. While playing, they dilute the music with the help of their guttural sounds and for an additional effect with imitation of the sounds of animals and birds. - Dancing
In dances, the natives imitate the movements of animals inhabiting the continent. These are kangaroos or snakes, wallabies. In the process of dancing, they masterfully imitate their movements. Many of the dances are similar, they have musical accompaniment with percussion sticks and didgeridoo. But not all dances are entertaining: some of them are brightly ritual in color. - Boomerang
As a weapon, it was invented by the indigenous people of Australia! Means "returning throwing stick" in their language. Boomerangs were used by them for hunting, but also sometimes in local conflicts with other tribes. To return the boomerang to the hands of the owner, it is necessary to have certain skills: throw it at an angle of certain indicators and hold it correctly, release it in time, taking into account the direction of the wind. A skillfully made boomerang should have cuts at the ends. He simply does not return without them. In addition, the Aborigines of Australia use throwing spears, and they throw them at a distance of up to 100 meters, masterfully hitting a target the size of a coconut. The shields made by the indigenous people are narrow and used for dancing and ceremonies. Although they can be used as a defensive weapon. - Geography of settlements
Where do Australian Aborigines live today? The largest group is in Queensland. In addition, Aboriginal people can be seen in Western Australia and New South Wales. There are few in Victoria. But the indigenous population, sacredly observing their traditions and customs, is trying to get away from civilization. For the most part, they do just that. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that they are concentrated in the desert regions of Australia and places on the Cape York Peninsula. These places are hard to reach for an unprepared person.
