An interesting blog about how traditional art can help prevent alcohol abuse.
Alcoholism has plagued the Aboriginal people of Australia for decades, but now, with the help of a cultural resurgence and a few clever young artists, these communities are no longer suffering from alcoholism. This is an infographic by DesignYourTrust.com that highlights this amazing turnaround.
The Aboriginal art style is regularly featured in galleries around the world and is known for its “dotting” technique that dates back thousands of years. It’s not just artwork that is used to combat alcoholism though; it’s the entire culture of these communities. The tribesmen and women have turned to their traditions and spirituality for guidance to help them deal with their problems rather than turning to alcohol or drugs.
How Aboriginal Art Is Saving These People From Alcoholism (Infographic)
[Infographic] By Marie Wilcox, The Huffington Post
The gorgeous drawings of the indigenous people are not only art, but also a form of healing. It is part of the healing process to re-learn and improve their ancestral art forms. A lot of indigenous children have said that they feel happier and healthier when they draw. It is important to teach them this art form as it helps them to express themselves as they are in a creative way, and it has helped them to overcome their depression and sadness.
This blog shares a great infographic about aboriginal art. It shows how Aboriginal Art is saving these people from alcoholism.
The Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation is a group of artists from Yuendumu in the Northern Territory of Australia. They have created a set of symbols that are used in their art as well as a code for language. The images are based on the natural world and the landscape around them, and each has its own meaning.
This infographic explains how this Aboriginal art is saving these people from alcoholism:
Alcoholism is a major problem for many Indigenous communities. Some statistics state that up to 80% of the population in some communities are alcoholics and the rate of suicide is extremely high. During the 1950s, policies were enacted to ban and prohibit the sale of alcohol to Indigenous Australians thus having a huge impact on their lives (Fourie, 2010).
But despite the obvious problems with alcohol abuse, it is still a major part of many Indigenous cultures. The art and symbols used in ceremonies are imbued with meaning relating to the land and the ancestors. Many Aboriginal people do not understand how their culture can be both connected to their land, spirituality and ceremonies but also be harmful. So how do you reconcile these two conflicting ideas?
This infographic explores some of the ways that Aboriginal art is helping this community heal from alcoholism. It shows how art can be used as a bridge between traditional culture and modern life.
The Warlpiri Aboriginal people of Australia’s Northern Territory are the world’s most prolific artists. They paint their body and their world, and they sing to their land.
But there’s a problem: in this culture, young men become men by learning how to drink alcohol. And according to Dr. Justin O’Brien, “the more they drink the less likely it is that they’ll continue painting.”
Dr. O’Brien is an Australian psychologist who has been working with the Warlispiri people for over 20 years. He began by trying to wean them off of alcohol, but he had limited success. From his observations, he realized that art might be a solution – a way to help keep the young people involved in their culture without falling prey to alcoholism.
This is a “small solution to a big problem,” Dr. O’Brien said. But he hopes it will catch on in other aboriginal communities. It has already begun to spread from the Warlpiri people to the neighboring Anmatyerre community, where some young men have begun painting again after being exposed to the art form through their peers at Warlpiri-run Alkali Caves Art Center.
In a town called Lajamanu, in Australia’s Northern Territory, the local Aboriginal people are using Aboriginal art to combat alcohol abuse. The “Bridging the Gap” program trains Aboriginal elders to build and sell wooden artifacts like boomerangs, shields and spears. The profits help fund scholarships for children to attend art classes.
The program has helped keep children in school, as well as reduce alcohol abuse. It also helps preserve a traditional way of life that might otherwise have died out.
The art of indigenous Australia has been in the center of controversy for years. The issue has now come to a head, as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Grants Committee (ATSIGC) is considering whether to fund art that depicts images of alcohol.
In a nutshell, the ATSIGC is an organization that provides grants for artistic endeavors by indigenous Australians. However, it does not provide funding for “depictions of alcohol in works of art.”
In a statement released this month, ATSIGC explained: “The Committee acknowledges that there are a number of artists who depict images of alcohol in their work. The ATSIGC seeks to support projects which contribute to reducing levels of alcohol abuse and violence in Indigenous communities.”
“The Committee remains concerned about any depiction of alcohol in works of art funded by the Scheme which could be interpreted as promoting or glamorising alcohol consumption.”
