Australia, sacred land of the Aborigines
In the great myth of origin, man and everything in the universe are articulated in a complex belief system. This extremely rich mythology is called the Dreamtime. It is expressed notably through an abundant oral literature, song and dance. At the heart of this system is totemism. This belief is based on a relationship of kinship between each human being and everything that is part of Creation (animals, plants, springs, mountains, rocks...): all are invested with a spiritual value. As a principle of organization and identification, both individual and collective, totemism both expresses and explains the Aborigines' respect for nature as a whole. Aboriginal beliefs consider that the world was previously unformed and unbalanced. It is then that Warramurrungundji gave birth to human beings. He was followed by other spirits, who sculpted the relief of the earth. Thus, Ginga, the crocodile ancestor, shaped the rocky lands, Gandajitj, the giant kangaroo, dug the canyons and caves. Almudj, the rainbow snake, created the lines of hills. Known under different names, they are spread in many places on the whole continent. The snake, a particularly emblematic animal, is the guardian and protector of places vital for survival in desert regions. Once their creative acts were complete, the great ancestral spirits showed the first humans the pilgrimage routes. Seeing their lives as a journey in search of their ancestors, the Aborigines went from site to site(walkabout), embarking on an initiatory journey where they sang Dreamtime tunes, the songlines, adapted to each place. Moreover, the aboriginal religion is characterized by secret rites and initiation ceremonies. Far from being a religion that seeks to proliferate, it seeks on the contrary to reserve its knowledge to the initiated. Depending on the region, these rites extend over more or less long periods. In general, a child is initiated with a group of men from puberty until he is about 40 years old. He is taught the rites, the codes, but he is also revealed the mysteries of the aboriginal cosmogony. Women are excluded from the sacred initiation, which is exclusively reserved for men.
The creative myths
For the Aborigines, there are many stories to explain the creation of the world. Around 500 tribes lived on the continent when the settlers arrived, but despite the obvious disparity between cultures, there is a common thread running through all these religions. The most widespread belief is that of the creator-goddess: a sleeping goddess trapped underground escaped and used her powers to bring the rain of years to the desolate land. The traces left by her passage form rivers, mountains and valleys. Places watered by the milk of her breasts become fertile, growing fruit, flowers and great tropical forests. After creating the animal kingdom, she finally awakens a man and a woman and teaches them the customs they must apply: respect for living things, for the Earth, for everything is sacred and part of the world she has created. "You are not the owners of the Earth, but only its guardians," she declares before returning to slumber in the bowels of the Earth. But another original myth follows: the quarrel and lament of the animals. They complained about their anatomy, and this reached the ears of the Great Creator Spirit. So the Goddess decided to listen to their complaints and grant their wishes for transformation. The wombat, too skinny, wanted to be lively and stocky, the echidna asked for quills to protect itself, the cockatoo wished for a yellow hoopoe to color its plumage and a strong beak to crush all seeds. The kangaroos, for their part, wanted to be more colorful, smaller, climbers... So different marsupials with different characteristics populated the territory. The platypus was the most indecisive, hesitating between the assets of the duck, otter, beaver or snake. She transformed it into a very special appearance that met the platypus's various criteria: impossible to confuse with any other animal, it could be mammal, bird and reptile all at once!
European missionaries and evangelization
Contrary to popular belief, the colonization of Australia by the British was not a peaceful occupation. When James Cook disembarked on May 6, 1770, he took possession of the land on which he landed on behalf of the King of England, head of the Anglican Church. The Aborigines welcomed the settlers at first, according to the laws of hospitality, but realized that their sacred lands were coveted. Thus, acts of renunciation were later signed by Aborigines who could neither read nor write: they gave up the land on which they lived without knowing it. The European missionaries, Catholics and Protestants, who already had the knowledge or experience of the colonization of America, already had the intention of assimilating the Aborigines to the Western culture. The colonists and other missionaries were able to control the Aboriginal rebellions by expeditions called "pacification", a term that does not reveal the real colonial practices. Thus, throughout the territory, some missionaries gradually baptized the natives while others took an interest in local cultures: these missionaries, also considered the first ethnographers, were responsible for studying languages and cultures. For example, in central Australia, a Lutheran mission coordinated by Pastor Strehlow was established at the end of the 19th century. In order to "protect" them from the brutality of the cattle ranchers, the mission learned about the rites and cults of the Aranda Aborigines and the pastor's son even became an anthropologist. Encouraging the Aborigines to convert to Christianity, some missionaries also made local and Christian spirituality co-exist through syncretism: Jesus is equated with a creator ancestor, or an equivalent is established between a mythical figure and the god of the Christians, as was often done in South America. For example, a millenarian cult was established around the figure of a Jesus with half-white and half-black skin.
A predominant Christianity
When the first colony was established, two-thirds of the first Europeans were Protestants, and one-third Catholics. This predominantly British immigration set the tone for decades to come: the Australian people would be educated in the Christian tradition. Then, the 1901 Constitution prohibited the government from establishing a church or interfering with freedom of religion. However, the country remains predominantly Christian, and the monarchy is still approved by its people. This is still reflected in the figures, with 25.3% Catholics and 17.1% Anglicans.
In November 1999, voters even rejected the abolition of the Australian monarchy in a referendum: anarchist or republican, political beliefs do not prevent Australians from loving and respecting their Queen. If Christianity is so persistent, it's because Elizabeth II, "the nation's grandmother", maintained very conservative beliefs in a world that has completely changed. Modern Australians can't escape the nostalgic figure of the Queen, more symbolic than political. An ambassador for the monarchy and the Christian religion, she was the first Australian monarch to visit the country: her visits provoked huge crowds and, at the time, it was estimated that three quarters of the Australian population would have travelled to see her. Elizabeth II's values encouraged culture, philanthropy and charity - principles of life that went beyond religion.
But the affection fostered for this unifying ideal has not prevented Australians' growing disinterest in the Church: today, they still partly support the monarchy, but as they move down the age scale, this support becomes a minority. Over the past fifty years, Anglicanism has been competing with Catholicism, Hinduism and Islam. There are, for example, 2.5% Buddhists and 2.2% Muslims. In 2012, there were 4,300,000 atheists in the country. This trend is particularly noticeable among Australians descended from populations from all four corners of the globe: they no longer maintain Commonwealth traditions and are looking for a little more modernity. Multicultural Australia is therefore increasingly skeptical of the power of the monarchy and, indirectly, of the Church.
Modern beliefs and legends
Religions and spiritual beliefs aside, Australia is also home to a number of legends linked to its history and territory. Have you ever heard of the "Drop Bear"? Invented to frighten children, and sometimes tourists, the Drop Bear legend is actually a running gag about a giant, carnivorous koala. It surprises its prey by pouncing on them from the treetops. Another belief even advises applying Vegemite behind the ears to scare them off!
A less amusing aboriginal legend explains the existence of the koala: a tribe took in a child after the death of its parents. Ill-treated and thirsty, he chewed eucalyptus leaves for a long time to quench his thirst. One day, left alone, the child seized the tribe's water containers and fled to the eucalyptus trees. The tribe, pretending not to hold a grudge, persuaded him to come back down. Confidently, the child returned to the ground, but was betrayed: they hit him and, as the blows went on, the child transformed and covered himself in hair before hurrying back to the eucalyptus: transformed into a koala, he would stay on his eucalyptus to escape the men.
Following in the footsteps of the bush legends, urban legends are also enjoying a certain success, such as the legend of the ghost of farmer Frederic Fisher: one of Australia's most popular. This former convict, who became a farmer in Campbelltown, south of Sydney, disappeared mysteriously and suddenly. Since then, Fisher is said to still haunt the area. Inland, in the heart of the desert, Australians take the appearance and visit of aliens very seriously. Some localities have become veritable tourist centers dedicated to sightings of little green men: the town of Wycliffe in the Northern Territory has even proclaimed itself Australia's alien capital. According to the locals, you'll be lucky enough to spot UFOs every day..
