The Dreamtime - Tjukurpa

Desert Oaks Frame Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

The Dreamtime - also called Dream Time or simply the Dreaming - is a prevalent concept in the mythology of the the aboriginal people. In their anient tales it is referred to as Tjukurpa (there are various alternate Anglicised spellings including Tjukurrpa).

What Is The Dreamtime?

At its simplest the Dreamtime can be a considered a creation myth. However it goes far deeper than that. Our Western creation myths are usually stories of events that happened long ago and are of no modern relevance. Although the Dreamtime was indeed long ago it still has great relavance to aboriginal thinking. As such it is less of a myth or religion and more of a philosophy or way of life.

There are many Aboriginal cultures and hence there are many tales of the Dreamtime. Although they differ in details, most follow the basic story given here.

The Dreamtime has its beginnings in the time before Time. Then there was only the land which was barren and the sky which was empty. Below the Land slept the Totemic Ancestors along with the moon, stars and other heavenly bodies.

On the First Day of Time itself, the Sun rose from the Land into the sky. As he warmed the Land, so the other bodies and the Totemic Ancestors woke and emerged. Their appearance on the Land represented the beginning of Time.

As the newly woken ancestors crossed the Land they called the rest of creation into existence by speaking the Names. Animals, plants and features of the Land itself were created by their naming. The ancestors sang songs which wove together these names and versions of these songs are sung today at some sacred ceremonies.

The Ancestors also left behind guruwari particles. These represent the very essence of life itself and the guruwari today provide us with a link back to the Ancestors.

Having travelled the Land and named all their creations, the Ancestors tired and returned to under the Land where they still sleep today. Thus ended the time of the Dream.

It's interesting to compare the Dreamtime stories with other creation myths. Some elements such as Ancestor worship and naming are familiar. What is distinctive is the importance of the Land. The Sun came from the Land and from the Land it brought forth the Ancestors who in turn created all life and features of the Land. Everything that is can thus be traced back to the Land and this is reflected in the special significance given to the Land in aboriginal culture.

The Land is not just lifeless chunks of earth. Every feature is connected with the ancestors, a web of invisible songlines marking their progress - one of the most spectacular examples is Uluru / Ayers Rock. The Land also acts as a canvas which records every action taken - it is the core of the vast, interconnected system that is the world.

This holistic view of the world is reminiscent of "New Age" interpretations of Gaia theory. The function of the Land as a repository of experience has also been likened to the collective unconscious of Carl Jung.

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