The Dreamtime
	Aboriginal people believe that, in the beginning the earth was flat and grey. The earth wasn't dead but it was asleep. There were no mountains or rivers, birds or animals and no billabongs. Then long, long ago came the Dreamtime. This is when life began. Aboriginal people believe that in the Dreamtime there were these great animal creatures who taught their ancestors how to live. From them they learned that the land is special. A rock or mountain, river or tree will always be special because it reminds Aboriginal people of these great creatures from the Dreamtime.
Aboriginal people believe that they come from one of these great creatures. These creatures gave each Aboriginal tribe parts of the country called tribal land which continues to remain their link to their ancestors. Aboriginal people remember their ancestors, their relationship to the land and their links to the great Dreamtime animals. They pass on this knowledge from generation to generation through their paintings, songs and stories.