>>1702432BTW, despite hearing your post in Jeffrey Star's voice as I read it, it would only be fair to acknowledge that it featured interesting aspects that I spent several sessions unpacking in order to weigh and check myself against. And despite its lack of direct accuracy I consider that to be worthwhile contribution.
While not willing to expend the energy necessary to counter all points (some of which hit cans of worms simply too vast and complex for the format here), I will say that there is a difference in myths which seek to explore and express aspects of human nature and existence, and myths which claim to be the oral actual history of a people.
For instance, the abos claim that primordial beings brought them into existence at Ayers Rock. But again, we know that they feature specific genetic markers that more or less prove that untrue. Yet, the underlying notions of "Dreamtime" do have some interesting merit worthy of at least contemplation as pointers to potential principles of the nature of reality itself.
It would be respectable were the NAs and abos to say "these are our myths, we are aware that they are myths, and we only see them as such, tools for contemplating the nature of existence". But they are outright claiming them to be historical facts, and refuse to back down from them when confronted with tangible scientific evidence and raw data.
As far as they knew when those myths were created, they were the only humans in existence. Previous generations lacked significantly developed language, so there were no generations of kept oral histories going back to the times of initial migration. They were attempting to explain how they came into being as best they could figure.
They should be grateful that so much actual knowledge has now filled in so many blanks. They should learn some relevant methodology and join in on the filling in of as many more as possible.
