Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- ERRATUM
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
- CHAPTER II THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE TRIBES
- CHAPTER III CERTAIN CEREMONIES CONCERNED WITH MARRIAGE, TOGETHER WITH A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SAME
- CHAPTER IV THE TOTEMS
- CHAPTER V THE CHURINGA OR BULL ROARERS OF THE ARUNTA AND OTHER TRIBES
- CHAPTER VI INTICHIUMA CEREMONIES
- CHAPTER VII INITIATION CEREMONIES
- CHAPTER VIII INITIATION CEREMONIES (continued)—THE ENGWURA CEREMONY
- CHAPTER IX INITIATION CEREMONIES (continued)—THE ENGWURA CEREMONY (concluded)
- CHAPTER X TRADITIONS DEALING WITH THE ORIGIN OF THE ALCHERINGA ANCESTORS OF THE ARUNTA TRIBE AND WITH PARTICULAR CUSTOMS
- CHAPTER XI TRADITIONS DEALING WITH THE ORIGIN OF THE ALCHERINGA ANCESTORS OF THE ARUNTA TRIBE AND WITH PARTICULAR CUSTOMS (continued)
- CHAPTER XII CUSTOMS CONCERNED WITH KNOCKING OUT OF TEETH; NOSE-BORING; GROWTH OF BREASTS; BLOOD BLOOD-LETTING, BLOOD-GIVING, BLOOD-DRINKING; HAIR; CHILDBIRTH; FOOD RESTRICTIONS; CANNIBALISM
- CHAPTER XIII THE CUSTOMS OF KURDAITCHA AND ILLAPURINJA AND THE AVENGING PARTY OR ATNINGA
- CHAPTER XIV CUSTOMS RELATING TO BURIAL AND MOURNING
- CHAPTER XV THE IRUNTARINIA AND ARUMBURINGA, OR SPIRIT INDIVIDUALS
- CHAPTER XVI THE MAKING AND THE POWERS OF MEDICINE MEN; VARIOUS FORMS OF MAGIC
- CHAPTER XVII METHODS OF OBTAINING WIVES
- CHAPTER XVIII MYTHS RELATING TO SUN, MOON, ECLIPSES, ETC
- CHAPTER XIX CLOTHING, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, DECORATIVE ART
- APPENDIX A THE NAMES OF THE NATIVES
- APPENDIX B THE WILYARU CEREMONY OF THE URABUNNA TRIBE, TOGETHER WITH REFERENCES TO MR. GASON'S ACCOUNT OF THE DIERI (DIEYERIE) TRIBE
- APPENDIX C TABLE OF THE MEASUREMENTS OF TWENTY MALES AND TEN FEMALES
- GLOSSARY OF NATIVE TERMS USED
- INDEX
- Plate section
CHAPTER II - THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE TRIBES
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- ERRATUM
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
- CHAPTER II THE SOCIAL ORGANISATION OF THE TRIBES
- CHAPTER III CERTAIN CEREMONIES CONCERNED WITH MARRIAGE, TOGETHER WITH A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE SAME
- CHAPTER IV THE TOTEMS
- CHAPTER V THE CHURINGA OR BULL ROARERS OF THE ARUNTA AND OTHER TRIBES
- CHAPTER VI INTICHIUMA CEREMONIES
- CHAPTER VII INITIATION CEREMONIES
- CHAPTER VIII INITIATION CEREMONIES (continued)—THE ENGWURA CEREMONY
- CHAPTER IX INITIATION CEREMONIES (continued)—THE ENGWURA CEREMONY (concluded)
- CHAPTER X TRADITIONS DEALING WITH THE ORIGIN OF THE ALCHERINGA ANCESTORS OF THE ARUNTA TRIBE AND WITH PARTICULAR CUSTOMS
- CHAPTER XI TRADITIONS DEALING WITH THE ORIGIN OF THE ALCHERINGA ANCESTORS OF THE ARUNTA TRIBE AND WITH PARTICULAR CUSTOMS (continued)
- CHAPTER XII CUSTOMS CONCERNED WITH KNOCKING OUT OF TEETH; NOSE-BORING; GROWTH OF BREASTS; BLOOD BLOOD-LETTING, BLOOD-GIVING, BLOOD-DRINKING; HAIR; CHILDBIRTH; FOOD RESTRICTIONS; CANNIBALISM
- CHAPTER XIII THE CUSTOMS OF KURDAITCHA AND ILLAPURINJA AND THE AVENGING PARTY OR ATNINGA
- CHAPTER XIV CUSTOMS RELATING TO BURIAL AND MOURNING
- CHAPTER XV THE IRUNTARINIA AND ARUMBURINGA, OR SPIRIT INDIVIDUALS
- CHAPTER XVI THE MAKING AND THE POWERS OF MEDICINE MEN; VARIOUS FORMS OF MAGIC
- CHAPTER XVII METHODS OF OBTAINING WIVES
- CHAPTER XVIII MYTHS RELATING TO SUN, MOON, ECLIPSES, ETC
- CHAPTER XIX CLOTHING, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, DECORATIVE ART
- APPENDIX A THE NAMES OF THE NATIVES
- APPENDIX B THE WILYARU CEREMONY OF THE URABUNNA TRIBE, TOGETHER WITH REFERENCES TO MR. GASON'S ACCOUNT OF THE DIERI (DIEYERIE) TRIBE
- APPENDIX C TABLE OF THE MEASUREMENTS OF TWENTY MALES AND TEN FEMALES
- GLOSSARY OF NATIVE TERMS USED
- INDEX
- Plate section
Summary
The fundamental feature in the organisation of the Central Australian, as in that of other Australian tribes, is the division of the tribe into two exogamous inter-marrying groups. These two divisions may become further broken up, but even when more than two are now present we can still recognise their former existence.
In consequence of, and intimately associated with, this division of the tribe, there has been developed a series of terms of relationship indicating the relative status of the various members of the tribe, and, of necessity, as the division becomes more complex so do the terms of relationship.
In the tribes with which we are dealing we can recognise at least two important types which illustrate different grades in the development of the social organisation. The first of these is found in the Urabunna tribe, the second in the Arunta, Ilpirra, Kaitish, Waagai, Warramunga, Iliaura, and Bingongina tribes.
The less complex the organisation of the tribe the more clearly do we see evidence of what Messrs. Howitt and Fison have called, in regard to Australian tribes, “group marriage.” Under certain modifications this still exists as an actual custom, regulated by fixed and well-recognised rules, amongst various Australian tribes, whilst in others the terms of relationship indicate, without doubt, its former existence. As is well known, Mr. McLennan held that the terms must have been invented by the natives using them merely for the purpose of addressing each other or as modes of salutation.
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- Native Tribes of Central Australia , pp. 55 - 91Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1899