Kinship Organisations and Group Marriage in Australia

Name: Kinship Organisations and Group Marriage in Australia
Author: Thomas, Northcote Whitridge

Thomas, Northcote Whitridge

Aboriginal Australians -- Kinship; Aboriginal Australians -- Social life and customs; Consanguinity; Ethnology -- Australia; Kinship; Marriage -- History; Tribes

We have still much to learn of the relations of the central tribes and
their organisations to the less elaborately studied Anula and Mara. I
have therefore passed over the questions discussed by Dr Durkheim. We
have still more to learn as to the descent of the totem, the relation of
totem-kin, class and phratry, and the like; totemism is therefore
treated only incidentally in the present work, and lack of knowledge
compels me to pass over many other interesting questions.

The present volume owes much to Mr Andrew Lang. He has read twice over
both my typescript MS, and my proofs; in the detection of ambiguities
and the removal of obscurities he has rendered my readers a greater
service than any bald statement will convey; for his aid in the matter
of terminology, for his criticisms of ideas already put forward and for
his many pregnant suggestions, but inadequately worked out in the
present volume. I am under the deepest obligations to him; and no mere
formal expression of thanks will meet the case. I have been more than
fortunate in securing aid from Mr Lang in a subject which he has made
his own.

I do not for a moment suppose that the information here collected is
exhaustive. If any one should be in a position to supplement or correct
my facts or to enlighten me in any way as to the ideas and customs of
the blacks I shall be obliged if he will tell me all he knows about them
and their ways. Letters may be addressed to me c/o the Anthropological
Institute, 3 Hanover Sq., W.

NORTHCOTE W. THOMAS.

BUNTINGFORD,
  _Sept. 11th, 1906._




CONTENTS.


                                                                   PAGE
PREFACE                                                             vii

CONTENTS                                                             ix

BIBLIOGRAPHY                                                        xii

INDEX TO ABBREVIATIONS                                              xiv


CHAPTER I.

INTRODUCTORY.

Social Organisation. Associations in the lower stages of culture.
Consanguinity and Kinship. The Tribe. Kinship groups: totem kins;
phratries                                                   Pages =1-11=


CHAPTER II.

DESCENT.

Descent of Kinship, origin and primitive form. Matriliny in Australia.
Relation to potestas, position of widow, etc. Change of rule of descent;
relation to potestas, inheritance and local organisation         =12-28=


CHAPTER III.

DEFINITIONS AND HISTORY.

Definitions: tribe, sub-tribe, local group, phratry, class, totem kin.
"Blood" and "shade." Kamilaroi type. History of Research in Australia.
General sketch                                                   =29-40=


CHAPTER IV.

TABLES OF CLASSES, PHRATRIES, ETC.

TABLES I, I a. Class Names                                      =42, 47=

TABLE II. Phratry Names                                             =48=

TABLE III. Comparison of "blood" and phratry names                  =50=

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Kinship Organisations and Group Marriage in Australia

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