WELCOME TO GRANDMOTHER LORE
For the Grandmothers, Aunties, Sisters & Little Sisters across Country.
Our women have been chosen by the Creator to be the portal between the spiritual realm and this physical realm. The only force on Earth powerful enough to navigate unborn spirits onto this planet.
My thoughts on the Voice
An Introduction to Grandmother Lore/Law
Our Grandmothers held the lore/law and they carried and passed it on to future generations. The grandmother’s law held a sovereign supreme position central to the community for it was from the first great grandmother that the tribe descended from. As Grandmother Mulara says, “follow the egg”. We have always had the Grandmother’s Lore/Law, or Grannie’s Ways and women’s kinship law and knowledge systems as our cultural authority.
In a rapidly changing scenario of colonisation with its consequent patriarchal dominance, the laws of the grandmothers went underground but was never ceded or never extinguished. The colonisation of Terra Australis displaced, until now, the sovereignty of the Grandmother Lore/Law. A male dominated colonial and First Peoples society emerged where women were made invisible and their law ‘non existent’. However, Original lore/law men know their ‘men’s law’ was pinched from the women’s law, “they took our dilly bags” is the cry, whereas initiated lore/law men honour and respect the law of the grandmothers. The survival of their lore/law depends on it.
It has been difficult for the grandmother lore/law to re-establish itself after 230 years of colonisation that saw massacres, removal of children, deliberate murder through issue of blankets laced with smallpox, displacement from tribal grounds, and government assimilation programs. The dominant culture had no clue about Original legal systems and the place of women’s lore/law within it.
As Professor Irene Watson, a Nunga woman from South Australia writes, “the presence of Aboriginal women and our calling up of the sovereignty of the Grandmother’s law causes a disruption to the stability of a colonising white patriarchy’. Indeed, this disruption of the corporation of the colonial state is exactly what is needed to free ourselves, all peoples, from the tyranny of government control and their corporate agency’s agendas.
One of the more powerful laws is the grandmother’s law which is a holistic law governing a whole way of living, an axiology of wellbeing, guiding kinship connections and the spiritual and cultural foundations of families, in particular the sacred women’s business of pregnancy, birth and child care.
Grandmothers lore/law has returned in a new way as prophesied by our old people. The grandmothers are standing up and asserting their rights to be custodians of the land. ‘New Dreaming’, ‘Wirritjin’, ‘New Way Dreaming’, ‘Black Fella-White Fella’ Dreaming, whatever phrase our old people taught us across this great continent, they mean the same thing. All skins are now walking together with the Grandmother Lore/Law in the lead.
OUR COMMUNITY
Grandmother Lore Aboriginal Prophecy -The New Song Lines of the New Dreaming
AB/ORIGINAL GRANDMOTHER LORE
Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia, "Grandmother lore" refers to the rich oral traditions, cultural teachings, and wisdom passed down from grandmothers and older female members of the community.
This lore encompasses a diverse range of knowledge, including spiritual beliefs, Dreamtime stories, traditional practices, and practical skills. It plays a crucial role in preserving the cultural identity and resilience of Indigenous communities. Here are key aspects of Aboriginal grandmother lore:
Dreamtime Stories:
Grandmothers are often storytellers, sharing Dreamtime stories that explain the creation of the land, the origin of plants and animals, and the cultural beliefs and values of the community. These stories are not only narratives but also serve as a spiritual and moral guide.
Connection to Country:
Aboriginal grandmothers pass down a deep connection to the land, teaching the younger generations about the significance of specific sites, the importance of caring for the environment, and the spiritual connection between people and Country.
Ceremonial Knowledge:
Grandmothers hold essential knowledge about traditional ceremonies, rituals, and rites of passage. This includes initiation ceremonies, corroborees, and other cultural events that are integral to the community's spiritual and social fabric.
Bush Medicine:
Aboriginal grandmothers often possess knowledge of bush medicine, including the use of native plants for healing purposes. This traditional form of medicine is based on a deep understanding of the properties of different plants and their application for various ailments.
Survival Skills:
Traditional skills related to hunting, gathering, and bushcraft are passed down through grandmother lore. This includes knowledge of tracking, hunting techniques, finding water sources, and creating tools and implements from natural materials.
Art and Craftsmanship:
Aboriginal grandmothers may be skilled in various forms of traditional art and craftsmanship, such as painting, weaving, and carving. These artistic expressions are not only aesthetically significant but also carry cultural and spiritual meanings.
Language Preservation:
Aboriginal languages are an integral part of cultural identity. Grandmothers contribute to language preservation by teaching younger generations the languages of their ancestors, ensuring the continuation of linguistic diversity.
Family and Kinship Systems:
Grandmother lore often involves teachings about family structures, kinship systems, and the importance of maintaining strong relationships within the community. These teachings contribute to the social cohesion of the community.
Teaching Cultural Protocols:
Grandmothers guide younger generations in understanding and respecting cultural protocols, including appropriate behaviour in ceremonies, the significance of symbols, and the observance of cultural taboos.
Spiritual Guidance:
Grandmothers often provide spiritual guidance, offering insights into the spiritual dimensions of life, the Dreaming, and the interconnectedness of all living things. This guidance helps shape the spiritual beliefs of the community.
Grandmother lore within Ab/original communities is a living, dynamic tradition that continues to evolve while maintaining a deep connection to the cultural roots of Indigenous peoples in Australia. It underscores the importance of intergenerational knowledge transfer in sustaining cultural identity and resilience.
Grandmother Mulara
Senior Lore/Law Woman
January 2024
Grandmothers Song
Sheffy Oren Bach
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers calling me
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers song
She says “Stand in your power Women, Stand in your power” Listen Listen Listen Listen
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers calling me
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers song
She says “Give birth, give life Mothers, Give birth, give life” Listen Listen Listen Listen
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers calling me
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers song
She says “Teach them, be wise, Grow, Teach them, be wise” Listen Listen Listen Listen
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers calling me
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers song
She says “Wake up, wake up Child, wake up wake up” Listen Listen Listen Listen
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers calling me
I hear the voice of my Grandmothers song
She says “Stand in your power Women, Stand in your power” Listen Listen Listen Listen
DOCUMENT DOWNLOADS
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Grandmother Lore
TJUKURPA OF THE NATION
4. Dave Serving DMZ NSW Police Inspector
1.1 NDADMZ Overview and Serving CD 16 Mar 24
The female voice has served for many years not only to teach but also mold and inspire young minds towards change.
Wise women are weavers of stories. Sitting at the feet of our mothers, grandmothers and aunties and really listening to them from the heart is almost like a ritual. It’s a way to connect with our past and gain new strength for the present.
The kind of oral legacy that older generations give us often has a huge impact. This impact is even bigger than just our genetic inheritance or anything material our elders could ever give us.
These stories have a purpose. Values and principles, magic and spirituality, are interwoven like threads.
KŌ B'A JÃ
Art: Autumn Skye
