Literacy Does Not Erase Orality

Taking the above definitions into consideration, a number of inferences can be drawn about the nature of cultures. Firstly, it could be argued that cultural values and practices are a direct product of the environment in which a particular society exists. Secondly, as stated in the first definition, cultures exist in relation to time, and therefore can be perceived as dynamic by nature; as the environment changes with time, so too will the society and cultures within that environment. All this considered, it would seem that changes to a culture occur only as a result of changes to the environment over a given period of time, and those changes undertaken are necessary for the culture to successfully adapt to that environment. It would also seem reasonable to assume, that any given facet of a culture not explicitly affected by a change of environment, will remain unchanged until required by the environment to do so. Assuming the above to be true, it seems difficult to argue that any change caused to Aboriginal culture as a whole by the adaptation of European forms of literacy can be detrimental. The change in itself is necessary to adapt to the new environment presented by the invasion of Australia by the British. Without in any way trying to argue that the taking over of Aboriginal lands was justifiable or moral, the change to the Australian environment has irrevocably occurred, and therefore, for Aboriginal society not to adapt somewhat to Western ways would surely be a negative outcome.

Let us now consider the idea of Aboriginal culture being one of orality. Saying that Aboriginal culture is an oral culture seems to imply that their interaction as a society is restricted to speaking. It is generally well known that oral communication has been, and still is a very important means by which Aboriginal people interact, and pass on their cultural heritage and ideals to younger generations. It is also true that before adopting phonographic script from Europeans, Aboriginals had no way to directly express their languages other than verbally. But to say that speech was the only form of communication used by Aborigines before the arrival of Europeans before the arrival of Europeans is simple untrue. Phonographic script is by no means the only non-verbal medium of communication that has been used by humans throughout history. Other abundant forms of written communication include pictographs and ideographs (lecture 11th March, 2004). A pictograph can be defined as any picture or symbol representing a word, idea, or numerical figure (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=pictograph). An ideograph is also a pictorial form of expression, representing an idea or object, but without expressing the pronunciation of a particular word; as would phonographic script (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=ideogram). Aboriginals were using pictographs and ideographs to convey information long before any foreigners set foot on Australian shores. They have carved and painted

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