Didgeridoos with Dreamtime symbols
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Corroborres
are of vital importance to the Aboriginal way of life. A wide
variety of occasions call for corroborees, ranging from victory in
battle to the religious consecration of a site as sacred to a tribe
or band. At a corroboree, the elders within each tribe tell
Dreamtime stories. Traditional dances and songs are performed by
those tribesmen and women of full standing within the tribe, usually
around or by the light of a bonfire. Though often enjoyable, these
ceremonies are rarely held solely for entertainment. “Their primary
function is to teach the young, to regulate social harmony, and to
connect with [or describe] the spirit world (p. 70)” (Sveiby &
Skuthorpe, 2006).
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Music is a
necessary component in all corroborees. Music is a primary means of
transmitting history for the Aboriginal people. Through specific
melodic arrangements, it is possible to identify one’s clan and
totem. The song of the kangaroo, for instance, tells not only of the
animal, but also of the Ancestral Kangaroo- the first kangaroo,
created by the ancestral spirits. The base melody of this song does
not change from tribe to tribe and clan to clan, however, each clan
may add sub-melodies representing their culture and history when
playing the song at large corroborees. In this way, the clan is
associating themselves with the kangaroo.
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Each occasion
worthy of a corroboree is distinctly nuanced within an individual
tribe. Tribes use these details to communicate their separate
histories and cultures to one another. An excellent example of this
feature deals with body painting. Aboriginal clans and tribes use
this form of non-verbal communication to express their personal
totems, as well as share the tribe’s collective feelings concerning
a specific place or event. The paints used come only in four colors:
red, black, yellow, and white (Lawlor, 1991). All symbols used are
narrative, and usually representative of an action rather than a
thing. Over the years, a shared symbolic language has evolved in
body art, to avoid the ambiguity inherent in a system of specific
symbols for individual tribes. Gender related lines and patterns
exist, as do chronological ones. One’s authority or standing within
the tribe may also be represented through body painting, based on
which Dreamings one has the right to illustrate (Clarke, 2003).
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Symbolic representation of characters and events extends beyond the human body in a typical corroboree. Designs are also drawn in the sand surrounding the fire. Again, gender specific themes appear, as some symbols may only be drawn by women. The women of a tribe are responsible for tracking their gender’s history within the tribe. Matrilineal descent is depicted in this nature, as are marriage and even lovemaking. While recounting a story, a tribeswoman will wipe clean the sand in front of her, clearing the past to make way for the future (Lawlor, 1991) In this way, the tribe follows the precedent set by their creative ancestors, shaping stories and life from the dirt of the Earth.
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When an Arrernte tribesman stands before a bonfire, surrounded by his clan, he does not imagine himself “on stage.” He may consider prior to his dance the movements he will make or the gestures he will use. He may paint his body with symbols and designs to alter his appearance. He may even rehearse the tribal songs he will sing- but he does not make these preparations to provide better entertainment. Instead, he uses his voice and body as vessel, containing the message of the spirit and pouring its story into the hearts and minds of his people. Corroborees are not akin to scripts and plays; they are the Aboriginal method of sharing a Dream.
Christine I. Keller
Copyright © 2001 by University of North Texas. All rights reserved.
Revised:
24 Nov 2007 11:11:43 -0600
Didgeridoo player in full body paint.
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