2. The expression “dreamtime” is often used to refer to the “time before
time”, or “the time of the creation of all things”, while “Dreaming” is
often used to refer to an individual's or group's beliefs.
Sometimes creating their surroundings and
sometimes changing into animals or people, the
Dreamtime reflected the events and characters of
daily life in the Australian desert.
The Dreamtime for Aboriginal
people is the time which the
earth received its present form
and in which the patterns and
cycles of life begun.

4. The Rainbow Serpent is a consistent theme in
Aboriginal painting and has been found in
rock art up to 6000 years old. The Rainbow
Serpent is a powerful symbol of the creative
and destructive power of nature.

12. Australian Aborigines were
almost exterminated by the
English colonizers. Today, they
represent only 1% of the
Australian population, roughly
estimated at around 200,000
people. When Captain Cook
arrived in 1770, there were
about 300,000 of them. The
Aborigines inhabited Australia
for at least 25,000 years (this
was proven by Carbon 14 on
paintings left on rocks). At that
time, Australia was probably
connected with Papua-New
Guinea, and had many more
rivers and forests in contrast to
the desert that it is today.

14. Most paintings of Rainbow Serpent tell the story of the creation of landscape
particular to an artist's birthplace. Some aspects of Rainbow Serpent stories are
restricted to initiated persons but generally, the image has been very public.

15. Today most artists add personal clan designs to the bodies of Rainbow Serpent,
symbolizing links between the artist and the land

20. One of the most important dragons of creation mythology is the Australian Rainbow
Serpent, its symbol being the rainbow bridging Heaven and Earth.

21. The belief in the Rainbow
Snake, a personification of
fertility, increase (richness in
propagation of plants and
animals) and rain, is
common throughout
Australia.
It is a creator of human
beings, having life-giving
powers that send conception
spirits to all the waterholes. It
is responsible for regenerating
rains, and also for storms and
floods when it acts as an agent
of punishment against those
who transgress the law or upset
it in any way.

24. In Dreamtime mythology, the Rainbow Serpent slept beneath the ground until the time
of creation. At that time, it awoke and pushed its way to the surface, creating ridges,
mountains, and gorges in the process. Since then, the Rainbow Serpent inhabits
permanent waterholes and controls water.

26. Sound: Yanni & David Hudson – Rainmaker
Yothu Yindi - World Turning Right
Pictures & text: net
Arrangement: Sanda Foi oreanuş