A journey into Aboriginal culture

On 26th March, we (classes 4a, 4b and 4c) had the opportunity to spend two hours with Anthony, an Aboriginal Australian and it was an incredible experience. He taught us so much about his culture, his people and their struggles. It was very interesting to listen to him and we learned a lot from his stories.
One of the most important things we took away from this experience was the importance of respect in his culture – respect for parents, family, teachers, animals, nature and respect for oneself. Anthony also pointed out that gender roles and responsibilities are clearly divided in his culture. “There is men’s business and there is women’s business,” he said.
It was truly shocking to hear about the difficulties the Aboriginal people have had to face since 1788 when Europeans started to colonise Australia. Before, we did not fully understand what his people have had to go through. Now we realize how much they have had to suffer and how strong they are.
We finished the lessons on a happy note by learning some words in his native language and by listening to the amazing sounds that he played on his didgeridoo. Moreover, we got to know different hunting methods, what totems are and how traditional dances are performed.   
Anthony spoke with so much passion and we could feel how important it was for him to share information about his culture with us. We now understand that we should appreciate and respect different cultures more. We are very grateful for these two lessons with Anthony. The workshop was truly eye-opening and we will remember his words for a long time.

Text: Cecilia Illius Torres und Teresa Dörfler, 4a sowie Kira Eller, Olivia Moser und Magdalena Pregenzer, 4c
Fotos: Prof. Gabriel Hagn, Prof. Ingrid Lechner