Aborigines Of Western Australi PDF Download

"Among the rudest tribes of men, inhabitants of the wild forests and deserts, dependent for their food and clothing on the accidental produce of the earth or spoils of the chase, a form of skull is prevalent, which is termed prognathous, indicating an extension forward of the jaws. The facial angle peculiar to this formation is low, and is strongly developed among the Alfurian or Australian races. They probably spring from a common source; and the Rev. William Ridley draws attention to the interesting fact that the blacks themselves always have in idea that their ancestors came from the north. Then the current of migration has been ever towards the south and west, and the natives of the north-eastern corner call it "Kai Dowdai" or Little Country. This seems strange when New Guinea is known to them as "Muggi Dowdai" or Great Country. The anomaly is accounted for by their ignorance of the extent of country they inhabit. To those living near Cape York, and passing to and fro across the strait dividing New Holland from New Guinea, the low narrow promontory would seem insignificant compared with the great mountain ranges of the latter. Then again there is a tradition among some tribes that their first parents landed on the North West Corner from Java. All this, however, is at the best but wild conjecture. The real source from which the Aborigines of Australia originally came is one of those mysteries buried in the impenetrable depths of an unwritten past." Table of Contents PREFACE INTRODUCTION LANGUAGES EARLY ACCOUNTS CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTS LAWS OF MARRIAGE LAND OWNERSHIP LAW WOMEN HUNTING AND GATHERING PHYSICAL STRENGTH CHILDHOOD MUSIC AND POETRY RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY FUNERALS OLD TESTAMENT PARALLELS BOOMERANGS HUMOR PROTECTION OF ABORIGINES CONCLUSION