In traditional society, Aboriginal people learned about their environment
first hand and were soon able to identify the characteristics of animals,
plants, sources of food and water, useful materials and the weather. The
stories provided them with a map of their environment and information such
as trade routes and resources. The information about the land allowed them
to travel successfully around the Australian landscape. Lack of this knowledge
was the main reason why many early
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Europeans
and explorers died when they first came to Australia. From
a young age Aboriginal people are introduced to the spiritual world through
the Dreaming stories. These
are important lessons which make up their identity. The individual's relationship
with the land is a very complex, spiritual relationship as they are always
conscious of the Dreaming ancestors who created the geographical features.
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