The History Behind "Secret Business"
This gendered knowledge system has been part of Aboriginal societies for a very long time, and was first extensively documented by anthropologists studying Central Australian peoples from the 1890s onward.
Today, organisations like AIATSIS formally recognise secret and sacred material as Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, to be respected and protected accordingly.
The elders explained that some parts of the ceremony were secret business, not to be shared outside the community.
How Aussies Actually Use It
Used respectfully to describe restricted ceremonial or spiritual knowledge that outsiders, and often members of the opposite gender, are not entitled to know.
Understanding the concept is an important part of engaging respectfully with Aboriginal culture and protocols.
🎓 Want to sound like a true Aussie?
Watch Down Under English on YouTube for real Australian pronunciation, slang lessons, and culture — taught by an Australian educator.
Watch on YouTube →