STORYTELLING

 Every year at the Barunga Festival, Jawoyn elders sit down with visitors to tell traditional Aboriginal Dreamtime stories. These stories can be specific to the Elders themselves, or they can be stories that have been passed down through the generations.

In years gone by, the Aboriginal people never communicated through writing. Instead, they had an oral history. The most important spiritual and cultural stories were told by Elders to the younger members of the clans. Often, there would be ceremony, dance and music associated with a story. Sometimes, a painting would tell accompany a story. These paintings were usually rockart - painted with ochre on rock walls and in caves. The next time the people visited that place, they would remember the story associated with that painting, and re-tell the story.

Over generations, stories would be told and retold, some stories lasting thousands of years - like the story of the Thirsty Sand Frog that Margaret Katherine told on ABC radio. (This will have a hyper link when ABC upload the story).
Other stories of the Jawoyn people have been made in to animations by ABC television for a program called Dust Echoes. These stories are from the Beswick people, and were developed by Tom E. Lewis of Djilpin arts.

Story telling is a way for Aboriginal children to learn their culture and their history. There is a special skill in captivating an audience, and the Dreamtime story-tellers at the Barunga festival certainly are gifted with that skill.

Click here to see Queenie and Margaret talk about their activities at the Barunga festival.