A songline, also called dreaming track, is one of the paths across the land (or sometimes the sky) within the animist belief systems of the Aboriginal cultures of Australia. They mark the route followed by localised "creator-beings" in the Dreaming. These routes serve as crucial connections between individuals and their ancestral lands, carrying intricate geographical, mythological, and cultural information.
At its core, a songline functions as both a navigational aid and a repository of cultural knowledge. Embedded within traditional song cycles, dance rituals, stories, and artistic expressions, these pathways enable individuals to traverse vast distances while reciting the songs that describe landmarks, water sources, and natural features. Notably, the melodic contours and rhythmic nuances of the songs transcend linguistic barriers, facilitating cross-cultural understanding as different language groups interact and share the essence of these ancient narratives.
A unique facet of songlines lies in their role as cultural passports, denoting respect and recognition for specific regions and their inhabitants when the songs are sung in the appropriate languages. This intricate network of songlines interconnects neighbouring groups, fostering social interactions based on shared beliefs and obligations. The perpetuation of songlines through generations sustains a spiritual connection to the land, underscoring the concept of "connection to country," wherein the intricate relationship between individuals and their ancestral lands forms a cornerstone of Aboriginal identity and cultural preservation.
A songline, also called dreaming track, is one of the paths across the land (or sometimes the sky) within the animist belief systems of the Aboriginal...
The Songlines is a 1987 book written by Bruce Chatwin, combining fiction and non-fiction. Chatwin describes a trip to Australia which he has taken for...
Songlines Live is the seventh album and second commercially released live recording and first DVD by American jam band The Derek Trucks Band, released...
first book, In Patagonia (1977). He wrote five other books, including The Songlines (1987), about Australia, which was a bestseller. His work is credited...
inaugural Songlines Music Awards (2009) – announced 1 May 2009 – the new 'world music' awards organised by the UK-based magazine, Songlines. Ahluwalia...
nation and people of Australia. On 15 September 2017, the exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, referencing the creation story of the Seven...
Retrieved 4 February 2012. "Afghanistan – The Rough Guide to World Music". Songlines. "Ahmad Zahir: The Voice of Afghanistan". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com...
without causing offence. Modern roads in Australia often follow traditional songlines and routes of Aboriginal communities, reflecting how European settlers...
believed to have been established in August 1979. "14th Street: A New York Songline". www.nysonglines.com. Retrieved 2023-06-21. Danilov, Victor J. (1992)...
independent music producer, curator, artist manager and co-owner of Songtone (Songline/Tone Field Productions), specializing in recordings of singer-songwriters...
sites and significant places of interest in their travels. In this way, "songlines" (or Yiri in the Warlpiri language) were established, some of which could...
ceremonies. Aboriginal spirituality includes the Dreamtime (the Dreaming), songlines, and Aboriginal oral literature. Aboriginal spirituality often conveys...
established, as in the case of Indigenous Australian "highways" known as songlines. The Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age (from the Greek mesos, 'middle',...
from east to west, creating a songline which named and created the animals, plants, and geographical features. Songlines were an important navigational...
Dolphy Formations (Sanasar, 2017) Dálava: The Book of Transfigurations (Songlines, 2017) Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, Abraxas: Book of Angels Volume 19 (Tzadik...
Aboriginal culture Walkabout, a 1971 film based on a book of the same name The Songlines, a book combining fiction and non-fiction by writer Bruce Chatwin Australian...
Walet Oumar – vocals (died 2005) In 2012 Tinariwen won Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards. In 2012 Tassili won the Grammy Award for Best World Music...
novel, I sung up the movie. And in cultural ways you have that thread of a Songline which connects you to country, to family, to culture. She wrote and starred...
fireworksensemble.org. Retrieved 2008-08-25. "Bill Frisell biography". Songline/Tonefield Productions. Archived from the original on 2010-11-27. Retrieved...
Global Information