After watching some documentaries on Aboriginal Art, Culture and Design I was intrigued to know what the warning at the beginning of the documentaries was for. Before researching into this I found it difficult to understand why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that the program may contain images and voices of people who have passed away. I thought it could have something to do with respecting the people/person who has passed.
I soon found out that the Aboriginal people believe that their ancestors live through the 'spirit world' and if their name is used it would recall and disturb their spirit. "An Aboriginal person's soul or spirit is believed to "continue on after our physical form has passed through death", explains Eddie Kneebone [3]. After the death of an Aboriginal person their spirit returns to the Dreamtime from where it will return through birth as a human, an animal, a plant or a rock. The shape is not important because each form shares the same soul or spirit from the Dreamtime."
I soon found out that the Aboriginal people believe that their ancestors live through the 'spirit world' and if their name is used it would recall and disturb their spirit. "An Aboriginal person's soul or spirit is believed to "continue on after our physical form has passed through death", explains Eddie Kneebone [3]. After the death of an Aboriginal person their spirit returns to the Dreamtime from where it will return through birth as a human, an animal, a plant or a rock. The shape is not important because each form shares the same soul or spirit from the Dreamtime."
Traditionally, this meant avoiding referring to the dead person by name directly after their death as a mark of respect and also because it is considered too painful for the grieving family. It is also now deemed culturally inappropriate to show images of deceased Aboriginal People but the White People have not respected this until recently when community leaders asked if they could wait twelve months before an image is shown and most programs do respect this however, some don't wait but will give the warning. Majority of times when it comes to the media and mainstream tv, they have no respect at all and they show images immediately after a death and never give a warning.
The deceased person does not have to be totally ignored and can be referred to in a round-a-bout way for example ""that old lady", or by their generic skin name, but not by first name"
"In some areas, families may determine that a substitute name such as 'Kumantjayi' or 'Kunmanara' may be used instead of a deceased person's first name for a period. For example, 'Kumantjayi Perkins' is now increasingly referred to once again as the late 'Charles Perkins'."
This above information was sourced from:
I found this information so interesting and I respect this 'warning' and if I find a movie or documentary etc without this I would be very hesitant to watch it for the fear of offending the Aboriginal People in case they have had someone pass and this movie/documentary and it does not have their permission to speak of/ show images of or ever refer to the person who has passed.
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