Native Tribes of Central Australia

by Baldwin Spencer, F. J. Gillen

Sir Baldwin Spencer (1860–1929) was a British/Australian biologist and anthropologist, best known for his work amongst the indigenous Aboriginal tribes of Australia. After graduating from Exeter College, Oxford in 1884, Spencer was elected a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, before being appointed the Professor of Biology at the University of Melbourne. In 1896 Spencer joined his friend and co-author Francis James Gillen (1855–1912) to undertake fieldwork during the Aboriginal tribal gathering known as the Engwura. This pioneering volume, first published in 1899, is the result of this fieldwork. Spencer and Gillen were initiated as members of the Arunta tribe and became the first Europeans to witness many tribal customs and social structures. The kinship structures, marriage and burial ceremonies and religious beliefs of several tribes are described. This fascinating volume influenced contemporary ideas concerning palaeolithic society and the origins of art and religion.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction

740 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1899

Reviews

[Emily Van Coolput · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have happily traded the detailed description of dozens upon dozens of ceremonies for a more structured analysis of the society as a whole, but for a book I picked up almost at random in a second-hand shop it provides a fascinating glimpse into what was still, at the turn of the 20th century, one of the last traditional communities uncontaminated by Western civilisation (and on a side note, I'd be really curious to know how my copy made its way to Mechelen, Belgium from the public library of Sydney).

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is detailed description of various ceremonies performed by various totems of the tribes of central Australia. Most of the work focuses on the Aranda tribe and the work is greatly helped with photographs of the men in costume conducting their rites. There are elaborate headdresses and body decoration created with bird down, ochre, clay and human human blood. The everyday lives, food sources and social structure of the people is only hinted at in connection with ceremony. Still, the writers were able to collect a staggering amount of data and native artifacts for the reader to enjoy. The tribes of central Australia were more resilient to the changes brought on by colonial contact, due to inhospitality of the desert environment and their location in the center of the continent.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of detail