Australian Aboriginal Art
Updated: August 05, 2008
The Aboriginal people are the original inhabitants of Australia, and archaeologists believe they have lived there for at least 50,000 years. The lived in small family groups across the continent and had a deep connection to the land and their environment.When Europeans began settling in Australia in 1788, many Aboriginal people died trying to defend their land or from epidemics of European diseases. Later, the government tried to assimilate Aboriginal people into white Australia, which caused them to loose a lot of their cultures and traditions.
Recently, though, the government of Australia made a formal apology for mistreating Aboriginal communities and promised to take real steps to help the population. Still, Indigenous Australians suffer high rates of unemployment and poverty.
People indigenous to Australia have very distinct styles of art that reflect their land, cultures and lives. Across the country, old aboriginal paintings can be found on rocks and caves, and much of the symbolism and imagery lives on in art today.
See some amazing works by aboriginal artists and learn what all the symbols mean. Then put together a puzzle of a painting by a contemporary artist.
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