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Title: The Aborigine Tradition (The "Elements Of..." Series) by James G. Cowan ISBN: 1-86204-144-X Publisher: Element Books Ltd. Pub. Date: December, 1997 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.95

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Average Customer Rating: 3 (1 review)

Rating: 3
Summary: An informative book about an amazing people
Comment: This book is a good read for anyone with an interest in mythology, native peoples in general or the Aborigines themselves. The writing is somewhat complex (read: your typical academic prose), however, the stories and descriptions of the belief system(s) is well worth wading through it. There are some excellent renderings done by various Aborigines that you could sit and ponder for hours.

The book covers the anthropological and metaphysical history of the people. It is also a very sad book as you witness, mostly between the lines, the slow genocide taking place in Australia. It is much like the story here in America (yes, North AND South AND Central) where entire native nations were wiped out in the name of progress and religious re-education.

Here is a quick sampling from the back cover of the book:

...explains the world of the Sky Heroes, and how the land was formed by mythic creatures from the Dreaming

...their secret rites and rituals, and ideas of reincarnation (these were really interesting)

...how their stories, fables and myths sustain the belief in the metaphysical basis of the human spirit

...how they represent the conscience of all mankind, offering us today a parable for survival

I think this book is an excellent in-depth review of a people that may soon be lost to this world. Some legends say that when the Aborigines are all gone and there is no one left to dream the Dreamtime that the world will end. Maybe that has as much validity as the Y2K scare did, but maybe there's more to it than just what is implied on the surface. What is humankind without their connection to the soul and to the world around them? This book gives you a good idea of one peoples' belief on the matter.