Dreaming and ceremonial sites
Aboriginal people recognise three types of significant sites:
- djang (Dreaming places)
- djang andjamun (dangerous, sacred Dreaming places)
- ceremonial sites
Djang and djang andjamun sites relate to the activities of the Creation Ancestors. The sites mark the Ancestors' passage through the land and their change into other forms or they signify where the Ancestors entered or departed the earth. Ceremonial sites are places created by human action.
Djang
These
sites are often some unusual feature in the landscape that marks the journey of a Creation Ancestor. The sites are not dangerous and access to them is not necessarily restricted.
Djang andjamun
These
sites are associated with the Creation Ancestor Bula and his wives. If djang andjamun sites are disturbed the results will be catastrophic for all.
The Jawoyn people, who look after this area, have strict laws and protocols for access to these sites.
Ceremonial sites
These sites
are used for the performance of rituals. Among the common ceremonies are the 'rite of passage' ceremony, which marks a person's progress from one stage of their social and religious life to another, and ceremonies connected with primary and secondary burial.