The Meaning of Aboriginal Art Symbols

Obviously the full meaning of all the symbols in our art is not known today. The sun, moon (lutana in Tasmanian), male, female & animals tracks are believed to be depicted. Here are a few other Tasmanian words:- luyni = rock or stone, nayri = good, waranta = we or us, mina = I or we, nina = you, temma = hut, poatina = cavern, redpa = mosquito, yula = mutton bird, ringina = burrow, putiya = no or not, kipli = eat, payathanima = wallaby, purinina = Tasmanian Devil, mapali = lots of

Answers, clockwise from top left are:- 1/ coolum, 2/ emu tracks, 3/ a woman, 4/ kangaroo, 5/ firesticks. Depending on their importance to a story, symbols used can be much larger than what is illustrated above. Look for the shape. Colours will vary from painting to painting. Test yourself:- Check out Billabong Gathering - see the billabongs (water hole symbols) running water & tracks illustrated? Now look at Rosetta Dreaming. Can you see the birds nesting, flying to the waterholes, eating grass seed etc? The white dots at top left symbolise dreaming. Rivers are often Rainbow Serpents the spirit ancestor that created them. Check out The Square Place, notice mountains, the swamp, trees & caves that mark special locations depicted. Similarly many paintings are infact maps. They were used in time past to illustrate such things as the location of sacred sites & food sources.

To fully understand our Aboriginal paintings and their meanings, I suggest you read the History of our Art (on menu above) if you have not already done so. The symbols illustrated below are used in most parts of Australia. As you will notice the same symbols can have several different meanings.

Australian Cave Art is among the oldest & most interesting in the world. The people who later became known as Tasmanian Aborigines were the original Australians. Of course they were the first artists. Tasmanian rock carvings are world famous. Tasmanians also developed circle art; (now used extensively around Alice Springs) and their necklaces are world-famous and expensive. Below are some of the most common symbols used in their carvings. Like the symbols were used to convey information to the viewer.

Australian Aboriginal Art Symbols & Their Meaning