The Australian Aborigines
by Adolphus Peter Elkin
On This Page
Description
First published in 1938; this edition is a revised version of The Australian Aborigines; how to understand them 4th ed; New preface discusses the history of the book; Antiquity, origin and migrations, language information; Living off the land, seasons, hunting, artefacts, psychological adaptation, shelters, nomadism; Position amongst the peoples of the world; Tribes and inter-tribal gatherings, customs, local groups, family, kinship, classificatory system, types of systems (Ngarinjen, Nyul show more Nyul, Aranda, Luritcha, Karadjeri, Kariera); Social groups, section and moieties, alternative and irregular marriages; Kinship avoidance, taboos, methods of obtaining a wife, marriage of old men and young girls, pirauru relationship; Totemism; Secret life and initiation, missionary problems; Meaning and social function of rites; Philosophy and beliefs, increase rites, mythology and mythological figures - sky heroes, mother-goddess cult, rainbow serpent; Art and rituals - 8 art regions, bark paintings, carving; Music and dancing, sacred chanting, musical instruments, secular music, musical patterns, Songman, description of dances, diffusion, poetry, song and chant and cycles; Medicine men and magic, causes of illness and death, making of medicine men; Death, inquest and revenge, burial rites, fate after death; Briefly summarizes the phases of AboriginalEuropean contact and past govt. policies, growing Aboriginal involvement and the development of Aboriginal service and welfare organizations; Mixed-bloods, disintegration of traditional life, and the problems of prejudice; Aboriginality and cultural identity. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
I believe that much of this has been disputed. The book is important as being the first book to write in depth about the Australian Aborigines. However the white man's belief that they were simple hunter gathers is wrong. Sophisticated agriculture, and dwellings are not as such recognised nor cleverly designed and executed fish traps. There are better books now.
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
Some Editions
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1938
- Important places
- Australia
Classifications
- Genres
- Anthropology, Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 305.89915 — Society, government, & culture Social sciences, sociology & anthropology Social group - Age, Gender, Ethnicity Ethnic and national groups Other ethnic and national groups Papuans; Aboriginal Australians and Tasmanians; Malayo-Polynesian and related peoples; miscellaneous peoples
- LCC
- GN665 .E43 — Geography, Anthropology and Recreation Anthropology Anthropology Ethnology. Social and cultural anthropology Ethnic groups and races By region or country
Statistics
- Members
- 104
- Popularity
- 312,240
- Reviews
- 2
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 14
