Aboriginal Religions in Australia - A Bibliographical Survey

Tony Swain has prepared a comprehensive bibliographical survey of all substantial publications on Aboriginal religions appearing between 1798 and early 1990. The volume opens with a three-chapter narrative section which provides the historic and analytic contexts for the cataloguing that follows. The 1,076 entries are critically annotated and classified by geography and theme. More specific investigation of selected topics can be pursued through the four indexes which, besides offering an alphabetical listing of all titles and authors, provide access by tribes and places and general subjects.

The three narrative chapters explore the history of the study of Aboriginal religions, the emergence of key themes in investigating these traditions, and the unique features of the regions which provide the primary classification for the bibliography that follows. Chapter one shows how a succession of theories, conceptions, and blatant prejudices have molded the way writers approached the traditions of the Aborigines. Chapter two examines those themes scholars have felt useful in analyzing Aboriginal religions, placing their emergence in historical perspective and discussing their usefulness as conceptual tools. Finally, the third chapter highlights the unique features of the ten regions used as the primary categories of classification, describing possible historical forces which have shaped their particular forms. This first bibliography of Australian Aboriginal religions is an essential acquisition for all serious academic libraries.

List of contents

Foreword by G. E. Gorman
Preface
Narrative Survey
The History of the Study of Australian Aboriginal Religions
The Themes
The Regions
Bibliographical Survey
Trans-Regional
Torres Strait Islands
Cape York Peninsula (and Gulf Region)
Central-North
Kimberley
South-West
Western Desert
Central Desert
Lake Eyre
South-East
Tasmania
Author Index
Title Index
Tribes and Places Index
General Subject Index

About the author

Tony Swain

Product details

• Authors: Tony Swain, Swain Tony
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 25.07.1991
• EAN: 9780313260445
• ISBN: 978-0-313-26044-5
• Series: Bibliographies and Indexes in Religious Studies
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Dictionaries, reference works > Dictionaries, encyclopaedias; Religion, Ethnic Studies, Australia, 20th Century, REFERENCE / Bibliographies & Indexes, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, C 1700 To C 1800, Tribal religions, Bibliographies, catalogues, Indigenous, ethnic and folk religions and spiritual beliefs, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Cultural & Ethnic Studies / General, RELIGION / Folk & Tribal