tailieunhanh - KINSHIP ORGANISATIONS AND GROUP MARRIAGE IN AUSTRALIA

It is becoming an axiom in anthropology that what is needed is not discursive treatment of large subjects but the minute discussion of special themes, not a ranging at large over the peoples of the earth past and present, but a detailed examination of limited areas. | KINSHIP ORGANISATIONS AND GROUP MARRIAGE IN AUSTRALIA BY NORTHCOTE W. THOMAS . Diplomé de 1 École des Hautes-Études Corresponding Member of the Société d Anthropologie de Paris etc. CAMBRIDGE at the University Press 1906 iv CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE C. F. CLAY Manager London FETTER LANE . Glasgow 50 WELLINGTON STREET. Leipzig F. A. BROCKHAUS. New York G. P. PUTNAM S SONS. Bombay and Calcutta MACMILLAN AND CO. Ltd. All Rights reserved. v DEDICATED TO MISS C. S. BURNE WHO FIRST GUIDED MY STEPS INTO THE PATHS OF ANTHROPOLOGY vi vii PREFACE. It is becoming an axiom in anthropology that what is needed is not discursive treatment of large subjects but the minute discussion of special themes not a ranging at large over the peoples of the earth past and present but a detailed examination of limited areas. This work I am undertaking for Australia and in the present volume I deal briefly with some of the aspects of Australian kinship organisations in the hope that a survey of our present knowledge may stimulate further research on the spot and help to throw more light on many difficult problems of primitive sociology. 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 .