Ceremoniallife

Initiation
InitiationistheAboriginalritualceremonyorreligiousriteofpassagedenotingthetransitionfrom
childhoodtoadulthood.Thereisamaleinitiationandafemaleinitiation.Althoughtherearevarious
stagesofinitiation,anddifferentformsofinitiationfromonelanguagegrouptoanother,thelaws
governingthesepracticesarefixed,maintainedandpassedonfromgenerationtogeneration.
Initiationbringswithitresponsibilitiesandobligationsinbothspiritualandsociallife.
Maleinitiation
CircumcisionmarksthestageatwhichanAboriginalmalemovesfromboyhoodtomanhood.The
initiatebeginstolearnskinrelationshipsaswellaskinship,landandceremonialobligations.His
relationshipswithandbehaviourstowardsfemaleswillchange.Heistaughthowtoknowwhomto
approachandhowtodistinguishbetweenacceptableandnonacceptablebehaviour
Forboystheageatwhichsuchinitiationritesareperformedvariesfromsixyearstotwelveyears,
dependingonthelanguagegroup;thereisnoconsistentprocesswithinAboriginalAustralia.The
initiationriteisseenastheritualdeathofaboyandhisspiritualrebirthintomanhood.
Usually,theboyistakenfromhiscommunitybythemaleeldersasthewomenbegintowailforhim.
Notfarfromthecampthesoundsofthebullroarersareheard.Thesesoundssymbolisethevoiceof
theAncestralBeingthatwillingesttheboy(whichresultsinhisritualdeath)andthenspewhimback
(whichconstituteshisrebirthandentryintomanhood).Fromthispointforwardheisnolonger
consideredtobeaboybuthasgainedanewfoundstatusandisassimilatedwithotherinitiated
malesintohiscommunity.
Theinitiationritualischaracterisednotsomuchbytheboysperformanceofcertainactsasbyhis
submissiontotheinitiatedelders,whoactrituallyuponhim.Duringthisperiodtheboysformal
teachingatthehandofmaleeldersbegins,asdoesdisciplineandtrainingforhisnewrole.Thisisa
criticaltimeinayoungmanslife.Onlythroughinitiatoryritescanyoungboyseveracquirethe
standingofanadultandtherighttomarryandparticipateinrituallife.Notallknowledgeisobtained
duringthefirstinitiatoryrites;rather,thejourneyofknowledgebeginshere.Sacredknowledgewill
beimpartedtoamanthroughthecourseofhislife.
ThroughoutAustraliatherearemanyformsofAboriginalinitiation.Theyincludecircumcision,

cicatrisation(scarringofthebody),fireceremony,depilation(removalofhair),nosepiercingand
toothextraction,tonameafew.Circumcision
isconsideredtobethemostimportantandwidespreadrite
Femaleinitiation
Atthefirstsignofpubertyayounggirlistakenfromthecommunitytoanisolatedarea,where
shelterhasbeenprepared.Theretheoldwomen,ensuringthatfoodtaboosareobserved,passon
mythsandsongstothegirl.Theyteachthegirlhernewresponsibilities.Theyteachherhowherroles
changeandinstructherhowtobehaveinmarriedlifeandhowtolookafterherself.
Theyteachhertheskillsrequiredingatheringfoodsources,medicinesandfoodpreparation.She
learnsceremonialWomensBusiness.Shelearnsrespectfortheboys.Shelearnsaboutrelationships.
Herbehaviourtowardsthemalegenderwillchangeaccordingtothekinshipsystemandtaboos
governingtheserelationshipsandassociations.Shelearnsabouthermotherslandandherfathers
land,aswellasabouttherelevantceremonies,obligationsandsoon.
InitiationinAboriginalsocietydefinesthegenderrolesofmenandwomenanddifferentiates
betweenchildhoodandadulthood.Initiationbringsincreasedstatus,responsibilitiesandobligationsto
kinship,land,ceremoniesandrituals.Itdoesnotmean,however,thatadulthoodhasbeenfully
reached.Therearemanystagesinthepassagetoadulthoodyettobecompleted,andonlyatmarriage
isadulthoodfinallyrecognised.
Funeralceremonies
FuneralceremoniesareamongthemostimportantofAboriginalceremonialoccasions.
SongsandceremoniesensurethatthespiritofthedeceasediscarriedbacktoaspecificAncestral
Beingsland,andthattheresponsibilitiesofthedeceasedarepassedon.
Communitiesacknowledgetheskinlineorbloodlineofthedeceased,thusindicatingrelationships
withspecificancestorsandwithaspecificlandandcreation.Thecommunitiesalsorememberthe
personslifeandresponsibilities.Ceremoniesvaryfromdaystoweeks,dependingontheimportance
andgenderoftheperson.
Duringmourning,orwhatAboriginalpeoplecallsorrybusiness,thenamesofpeoplewhohave
diedarenotspokenforuptothreeorfouryears,asasignofrespect.Afterthistheeldestsonor

daughtercanrenewusageofthenamebypassingitontoaninfant.