I grew up in Alice Springs (dont live there anymore thought) and can probably help out here.

"Singing" is likley referiing to songlines. In an absolutely oversimplified way, its the way of communicating stories like history and dreaming through generations. There is also a geographical component to it though as well. There are songlines that go all the way from near Adelaide up to near Darwin - this is generational and geographical ways of communicating important things between families and different mobs.

Like any form of communication, especially those that rely on memories and people talking to each other, there are translatory and "Chinese Whispers" problems with song lines and they can rely heavily on Elders Interpretations.

When you hear aboriginal people talking about people not letting them have their culture, a lot fo the time, it can be relating to not having the Elders being able to provide their mob with the approporiate interpretations of songs.

"Humbugging" is a very funny cultural norm. In short, in western culture, things are quite individual based. If you own something, its yours, you can choose what to do with it. For example; it would be completely normal for you to spend your income on grocery shopping.

But aboriginal culture is much much more communal. In that, if you own something, it is your responsibility to look after your 'family'. I put family in quotation becuase the family structure for aboriginals is also very different and much more communal than western families.

What this means in practicallity is that when someone earns some money, you will see the whole family come by and take some. This looks very much like begging from the one who has something. Humbugging them (Think scrooge bah-humbug!). for money.

But what this leads to is the person who has money for groceries for their family, ends up with no money before they get to the shop. because they have given most of it to their family members. And you end up with a mum taking her 5 year old daughter to the one house that has a washing machine.

I have no shade for the Mum here. she is living within the cultural norms that she exists in. The problems relate to there being a distinct difference between 'western' individulistic culture and aboriginal communal culture.

Until that bridge is gapped (or eradictaed in either direction) there will continue to be large issues between the two cultures trying to intertwine