Australian Aboriginal art has only become recognized in the world art scene quite recently (mainly during the last few decades).
Among themselves and in Australia, our Aborigines prefer to be called Kooris (pronounced Coo Reez), so it is correct to refer to Australian Aboriginal art as Koori Art.
Australian Aboriginal Art
The work ranges from Aboriginal cave paintings (Australian Aboriginal Rock Art) which date back thousands of years, to Australian Aboriginal art on tree bark or modern canvas (Australian Aboriginal Dot Art) and tourist items such as boomerangs, woomeras (spear throwers) didgeridoo tubes (“didge” for short) and hardwood clap sticks (percussion instruments used to make Aboriginal music).
There are shops selling genuine Australian Aboriginal art in Sydney’s The Rocks district, which is underneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge and elsewhere. But please make sure the stuff is real.
Do not buy cheap tourist souvenirs which pretend to be Australian Aboriginal art. These fakes are manufactured in China or somewhere like that where they pay pennies for the mass-produced souvenirs that then get sold over here for an obscene profit. The same applies to rip-off Aboriginal designs on many tee shirts… the genuine Australian aboriginal designs are copyright to the artist and the style will be unique to his tribe.
If you want some genuine Australian Aboriginal art, then do yourself a favor and get the genuine article. After all, you have traveled thousands of miles to reach Australia, and now that you’re here, do you really want to take home some rubbish that was made in a factory in China?
These Aboriginal artists are very talented, and like good artists everywhere, they deserve to be paid for their work and their unique skills.
By purchasing only genuine Aboriginal art, you’ll be doing the right thing. Your money will get back to the Koori artist who created the design and you know the proceeds will be shared with his tribe. What is more, you will find the real Australian Aboriginal art items will be reasonably-priced as well.
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