Aborigine Mythology Essay

When one looks at the archetypes of Aboriginal society, it makes one think of how they have affected modern society. From creation to the hero archetype, each one is somehow significant in contemporary society. Archetypes help people discover other cultures. Also, by learning about other cultures' ideas and traditions, it makes one think about his own culture, and how they are similar. Society as we know it today would be a somewhat different place without archetypes like these. Our society is the way it is because of archetypes like those of the Aboriginal culture. Even though the Aboriginal and the modern societies are different, the impacts of these archetypes in both cultures are similar; and the cultures would not be the same without them.

Every culture has beliefs or ideas about where they came from and their creation. In the Aboriginal culture, great spirits came down to Earth and created everything that is natural. This is the same for modern society, because every religion has its own beliefs about how people were created. "Everything in the natural world is a symbolic footprint of the metaphysical beings whose actions created our world" (In the Beginning was the Dreamtime). Humans are sentient beings, meaning they are aware of their past and their future. This is true whether one lives in Aboriginal or American culture.

The hero myth is prominent in today's culture as well as the Aboriginal culture. Just like the Aborigines, we strive to be better people because of our heroes. Some examples of current day heroes are celebrities, athletes, musicians, and religious figures. Heroes like these push people to achieve more in their own existence. If the Aborigines didn't have Butcha, the Baluchi warrior, they wouldn't have any hope or inspiration in their lives, just as people in modern society wouldn't without Jesus or John Elway. Butcha, the weakling warrior helped the Aborigines achieve their goals because they saw that people who are not the strongest in the tribe, like Butcha, can achieve great things just as anyone else can.

In the Aboriginal society, magic was very important. "Magic assisted the Aborigines in surviving as a race and they are the oldest surviving race in the entire world" (Australian Aborigines-History and Culture). One such magic story is the story of the moth. The moth story told about how a little boy was saved by the magic of the great spirits. This helped the Aborigines feel protected. If they were ever in trouble, they could remember the story of the moth and know that the great spirits would somehow protect them. Magic also helped the Aborigines survive the modern world by keeping their stories alive. Magic also helps our own culture survive in many ways. People have always been fascinated with magic because it brings supernatural things into their somewhat tedious and boring lives. It also adds an element of mystery. Without this, lives of people in every culture would lack diversion.

We use animals as a symbol in our culture all the time. The fox is crafty; the owl is wise, the dove is a symbol of peace. "Stories which have been recorded throughout Australia indicate clearly that the animals were a part of the culture of the Aborigines" (In the Beginning was the Dreaming). The Aborigines believed unborn babies or spirit children were descendants of ancestors who had taken the form of an animal, bird or other species during the Dreamtime. Therefore, animals to Aborigines are sacred. Animals are a huge part of all cultures as well as our own. They are included in our everyday lives just like they are in the Aboriginal culture. References to animals are found in our language all the time. "He is as strong as an ox, watch her catlike speed, they are swifter than eagles." We consider animals a part of our families. We keep them as pets, and we are hurt a great deal when they disappear or die. It has also been discovered that animals can even help heal people. Dogs and cats are used for comfort and healing in rest homes and hospitals. Leeches are still used today to help rid the body of infection. Without them, our culture would be very different, and so would the Aborigine's culture.

It is obvious that the archetypes of Aboriginal society are present in modern society as well. They may not be exactly the same, but essentially they say similar things. From animals, to magic, to creation, any society would not be the same without them. Even though people in contemporary society may not think about the Aborigines every day, their cultures actually do have a lot in common. It is accurate to say that Aboriginal culture is definitely significant in contemporary society.