Aborigine Dreaming: An introduction to the wisdom and thought of the Aboriginal traditions of Australia - Softcover

Cowan, James

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9780007145461: Aborigine Dreaming: An introduction to the wisdom and thought of the Aboriginal traditions of Australia

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0007145462 ISBN 13: 9780007145461

Publisher: Thorsons, 2002

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A comprehensive introduction to Aborigine history, culture and spirituality by award-winning Australian writer James Cowan.

The author, James Cowan, is an authority on aboriginal art, on which he has published many books, and the winner of The Commonwealth Writer's Prize for his novel A Mapmaker's Dream (Warner Books, 1997).

In the vast silence of their isolation, the Australian Aborigines have learned the ways of living in harmony with the Earth and kept a sacred perspective on the natural world. Aborigine Dreaming looks at the fascinating history and culture of the Aborigines and explains:

The world of the sky heroes, and how the Earth was formed by mythic creatures from the Dreaming

The secret rites of the Aborigines, their ideas of reincarnation

Their stories, fables and myths, which form an extraordinary testament to the human spirit

How the Aborigines represent the conscience of mankind, offering a parable of human survival in harmony with the environment

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From the Author:

The Australian Aborigines are traditional people whose origins lie in distant antiquity. Where they come from and how they came to be in Australia is still a matter of learned conjecture as these people chose not to record their heritage, except in the form of myth and story. Their lives are rich in myth even today which has, of course, contributed to the perception that they are strange, Stone Age people with undeveloped sesibilities. The idea that they owe allegiance to no political organization, that they worship numerous spirits, and that they practise obscure, secretive rites, has branded them as being prehistoric in the eyes of many. The truth is that Australian Aborigines represent the concious of us all as they recognize and acknowledge at all times the metaphysical orignins of the human spirit.
It is with this in mind that I have attempted to explore certain key aspects of Aboriginal Tradition which I believe form the basis of their way of life.

From the Back Cover:

In the vast silence of their isolation over countless millenia, Australian Aborigines have learned the ways of living in harmony with the Earth. From their close study of nature, they have been able to draw conclusions that embody profound spiritual principles common to all existence. For these people have witnessed in nature much more than its visible beauty, its fraternity and practical purpose as provider. They have seen in it a symbol of an underlying reality, which needs to be understood as something sacred if true wisdom is to be attained.

In 'Aborigine Dreaming', acclaimed author James Cowan looks at the fascinating history and culture of the Aborigines, and explains:
� The secret rites of the Aborigines, their ideas on reincarnation
� Their stories, fables and myths,which form an extraordinary testament to the human spirit.
� How the Aborigines reflect the conscience of humankind, offering us a parable of survival in harmony with our environment.

James Cowan is a distinguished author and poet and a leading authority on Aboriginal history and culture. He has written numerous books, including his novel 'A Mapmaker's Dream', for which he was awarded the Australian Literature Society's Gold Medal. He lives in Queensland, Australia.

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