Voices of the First Day: Awakening in the Aboriginal Dreamtime

“A remarkably comprehensive and fascinating account … truly worthwhile.” * Kirkus Reviews *“This is a compelling work. Lawlor writes clearly, his research is impeccable, and his dedication to the Australian peoples is made clear by the donation of the book’s profits to aboriginal organizations.” * Pat Monaghan, Booklist *“The best of what the Aboriginals have let outsiders know about their ecological and shamanic practices, origin myths and kinship rituals, social and spiritual practices. The illustrations are spectacular, more than 150 color and duotone illustrations include some of the earliest photographs of Aboriginal people, shown here for the first time.” * Whole Earth Review *“Voices of the First Day is a comprehensive and fascinating account of the aboriginal culture-its mysticism, its spirituality and initiation, and its family/community orientated lifestyle.” * The Planet *“Lawlor’s consideration of Australian Aboriginal culture’s logic, spirituality and benefits is essential for understanding their society: it provides not the usual history of Aboriginal heritage; but a review of their beliefs, psyche and society.” * The Bookwatch *“Voices of the First Day is a giant step toward retrieval of what the author calls “archaic” wisdom which has been kept alive in the pristine Aboriginal traditions.” * Shared Transformation *“Customs and beliefs of the Australian Aborigines have long fascinated social scientists. Placing little value on material possessions or the concept of linear time, the Aborigines possess a complex social, religious, and ceremonial system focused on preserving and maintaining their ancestral lands. In the tradition of armchair anthropologists, Lawlor attempts to enter the Aboriginal mind, taking as sources early ethnological accounts, conversations with Aborigines reviving ancestral beliefs, and insights from his study of ancient religions. He believes the Aborigines possess an archaic consciousness vital to the survival of the planet, a view of human life held by ancient hunter-gatherer societies but lost with the emergence of advanced technology. Avoiding anthropological jargon, Lawlor presents a survey of Aboriginal belief and way of life, enhanced by illustrations of Aboriginal art and early photographs of Aboriginal ceremonies. Bibliographic sources, though not seen, appear to be extensive. Recommended for large collections.” * Library Journal (Wednesday, January 01, 1992) Lucille Boone, San Jose P.L., Cal. *

Robert Lawlor (1938–2022) was a writer and film producer who lived in Australia and studied aboriginal culture firsthand. His published works include Sacred Geometry: Philosophy and Practice (Thames & Hudson, 1982), Earth Honoring: The New Male Sexuality (Inner Traditions 1991), and the translation of the works of Schwaller de Lubicz and Alain Daniélou.

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