Bora is the Aboriginal Australian initiation ceremony traditionally associated with boys becoming men.
The word bora can refer both to the ceremony and, in some regions, to the ceremonial ground where it takes place. Aboriginal groups in parts of eastern Australia used bora ceremonies to teach initiates law, stories, obligations, ritual knowledge, and adult responsibilities. Men and women often had distinct roles in the proceedings, and ceremonial designs could include connected circles or pathways.
Practices varied greatly between language groups, so there was no single bora format across the continent. Some ceremonies involved seclusion, instruction, singing, dancing, body decoration, and ritual acts overseen by senior community members. Colonial disruption, mission policies, and forced removals damaged or interrupted many traditions.
Bora is sometimes treated as a synonym for corroboree, but the terms are not interchangeable. Corroboree is a broad English label for Aboriginal ceremonial gatherings, while bora refers more specifically to an initiation tradition and its associated places in particular regions.