Bora Traditional Cache
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Historic site - please be respectful
Plastic box placed in the outer area so you do not have to walk over the bora.
Historic site - please be respectful
"Aboriginal people inhabited areas in Bellbowrie (Bellbowrie is an Aboriginal word meaning, ‘place of flowering gums’) and the rich plant and aquatic life in the nearby creeks and rivers provided them with abundant resources. Evidence of Aboriginal occupation includes the bora ground at the end of Riversleigh Road, Bellbowrie. "
We did not know this though we have been living here for a while. It seemed sad to us that all evidence of Aboriginals here has vanished.
It gave us joy to learn and get some connection to the area where we decided to live.
The Jagera and Turrbal groups occupied land in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas. The exact boundaries are not known, however, the Turrbal generally occupied the area north of the Brisbane River. Both groups had closely related languages which are classified as belonging to the larger Yaggera language group.
Aboriginal people inhabited areas in Bellbowrie (Bellbowrie is an Aboriginal word meaning, ‘place of flowering gums’) and the rich plant and aquatic life in the nearby creeks and rivers provided them with abundant resources. Evidence of Aboriginal occupation includes the bora ground at the end of Riversleigh Road, Bellbowrie.
The main bora ring is 22 metres in diameter and the site is still visible. Unfortunately the smaller ring and track joining the two rings have been replaced by housing development.
The average size of a large ring is about 25 - 30 m across, and a small ring 10-12 m. There is a wide range of variation however. The earth is mounded up to a height of c.25-50 cms. Usually there is a path, often to the south-west from the large ring, connecting to smaller ring.
With respect to terminology, generally the term “Bora Ring” is used for a single ring, and “Bora Ground” for a complex which might include up to three rings. “Bora site” is a general term and indicates a wider area than just the ring itself.
Bora were used in what is called “man-making ceremonies”, that is, male initiation ceremonies. In the literature says that the large ring in the complex was usually part of a relatively public ceremony, with women looking on; the smaller ring was the site of the major initiation rites, for initiated men and initiates only. The purpose of the third ring is not as well documented in the literature. It has been suggested that these are women’s rings, but it is not clear to me that this was always the case. Bora sites were often associated with carved trees.
With respect to the views of Aboriginal people, there is a general consensus that these are men’s sites, and should only be visited by Aboriginal men. There is a general view that they should not be generally accessible, that they should not be “educational” sites. The usual preferred option, when asked what the ideal option would be, is to register it, then leave it alone. Where public visitation is inevitable, there should be a sign to elicit respect.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures