5 ways to experience ancient Indigenous rituals in Queensland
List
By Laura Walls
Rituals and ceremonies have always been central to Indigenous culture. From rites of passage and ceremonial gatherings through to healing rituals using bush medicine, these sacred traditions have evolved over tens of thousands of years – and many are still practiced today as a way for Indigenous Australians to stay connected to their culture and country.
A willingness to share their way of life with the rest of the world means there are countless opportunities to immerse yourself in these traditional aspects of Aboriginal culture.
Here’s a guide to how you can experience some of the more widely practiced Indigenous customs and rituals in Queensland.
Welcome to Country
Performed by elders to welcome visitors to their land and pay respect to their ancestors, this ceremony dates back thousands of years to when neighbouring peoples sought permission to enter and pass through another clan’s territory.
Today, Welcome to Country ceremonies are held to officially open cultural festivals and gatherings, as a way to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land. Many of our Indigenous experiences also include a Welcome to Country.
Join Quandamooka Tours on a day trip to the second largest sand island in the world, Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island), for an authentic Welcome to Country performed by a local Quandamooka guide.
Smoking Ceremony
A cleansing ritual to ward off bad spirits and omens which involves placing essential-oil-rich leaves of native plants on hot embers to produce a steamy, healing smoke, this is one of the oldest and most significant ceremonies in our Indigenous culture.
Head to the Mossman Gorge Centre outside of Cairns or uncover the history of the Gold Coast with Jellurgal to witness a traditional smoking ceremony and hear ancient stories of the Dreamtime; or hear history told in a unique and moving way at Brisbane's Spirits of the Red Sand - an immersive theatre performance unlike any other.
Ochre Anointment
Indigenous people have long believed in the spiritual power of ochre. Formed from hard clay which is dried out, ground into powder and mixed with water before being applied to the body, ochre forms the basis of many sacred ceremonies and has a powerful symbolism within Aboriginal culture.
Discover the significance of this ritual with an Indigenous cultural guide from Walkabout Cultural Adventures or on a Dreamtime Walk with a local Pamagirri guide at the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience just outside of Cairns.
Bush Medicine and Tucker
You’ve heard the old adage ‘nature provides’? Nowhere is this more apparent than in Indigenous culture, where the land furnishes everything necessary for survival, from food and shelter to ancient remedies.
There's opportunity to learn how healers use native plants to soothe and cure throughout Queensland. From bush tucker tours on K'gari (Fraser Island) to exploring the Daintree. You can even experience the therapeutic powers of bush medicine at the Daintree EcoLodge and Spa. Named ‘Wawu-karrba’ or ‘healing of the spirit’ by the Kuku Yalanji people, the spa’s menu features ochre mud wraps, Aboriginal massage techniques and native ingredients like quandong, an Australian wild peach.
For more ways to experience Indigenous culture between Cairns and Cooktown, you can explore the history and Aboriginal rituals with this itinerary.
Bora Ring
Bora Rings, or ceremonial grounds, were an ancient Aboriginal institution used primarily for ceremonial purposes and as meeting places.
Prior to European colonisation, there were many bora rings across southern Queensland. However while most have been lost, several bora rings can be found in Nudgee, Samford and the Glass House Mountains – all easy drives from Brisbane.
Want to see one for yourself? Brisbane’s Nyanda Cultural Tours will take you on a ‘rite of passage’ journey lead by a traditional owner guide. Learn local Yagara words, taste and learn about bush foods, and listen to a bull-roarer at the sacred bora ring in Nudgee.
