Australia's Indigenous people are respected and honoured as the world's oldest living culture. The archeological record shows that Aboriginal people have been in Australia for 40,000 years. But, contemporary Aboriginal cutlre is also celebrated worldwide for its remarkably rich and diverse artistic expression. Northern Australia is seen to be at the heart of this creativity.

Aborigines in Northern Australia are directly in touch with the past through rock art galleries dated to 20,000 years. They are also part of the modern world, using their art to reaffirm their connections with country and to engage in dialogue with the wider world.

In this module we examine the spiritual beliefs that are part of the world view of Aboriginal people with their enduring connections to the land. With colonisation in 1788 Aboriginies experienced radical change. From the experience of colonisation new forms of cultural identity have emerged.

The importance given to Aboriginal culture is reflected in the emerging status of Aboriginal art. Since the 1970s and 1980s a contemporary Aboriginal art has won national and international acclaim as world art.

View the contents of this module in a table.