The ‘Ordinary’ Dreams of the Yolngu in Arnhem Land

Abstract

The phenomena of dreams have been accorded significance by all branches of mankind of which there is record. Australian Aborigines in their traditional cultures are no exception, although unfortunately the printed record of their dreams is meagre. This paper reports nine dreams which were volunteered by Arnhem Landers of the present day. The subjects they dreamed about represent a melange of traditional and introduced concerns competing for attention, including lifting a taboo, portents and auguries, a shark attack, a brake failure in a truck, a mysterous light in a cave, a visit from the dead, a disappointing love tryst, a drink problem and the Christian revival movement. The ordinary dreams of Aborigines resemble those of modern Western subjects in aspects such as frequency, duration, clarity of recall, shifts in attention and derailment of the narrative, but they differ from them in being accorded more significance and in being more reflected upon during waking hours. In this respect, Aborigines infer a closer connection between the dream and the waking life.