Aborigines of Victoria 1878


Cat No.:   AU7029:

(2 vols, 1040 pages)

Author: R. Smyth

Robert Brough Smyth (1830-1889) was born in Northumberland, England the son of a mining engineer.  He published books on mining and one book about Aboriginal peoples called 'The Aborigines of Victoria: with notes relating to the habits of the natives of other parts of Australia and Tasmania', compiled from various sources for the government of Victoria.

Smyth emigrated to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in 1852 and spent time on the goldfields. He then took various positions with the Victorian survey and mining departments. He resigned all his public offices in 1876, remaining only on the Aborigines Protection Board.

As a Board member Smyth had collected much information on culture and languages of the Aboriginal peoples of Victoria. The book arose from his efforts to gather information and artifacts of Victorian Aboriginal cultures at a time when their vestiges were fast disappearing.

Produced in two large volumes, he has collected information on various tribes and their customs, as well as their physical and mental character; birth and education of children; marriage; death and burial of the dead; daily lives of the natives; food; diseases; dress and personal ornaments; weapons; implements and manufacturers; nets and fish hooks; methods of producing fire; canoes and myths. Smyth also devotes about two hundred pages to Aboriginal languages, as well as including details and customs of the aborigines in Tasmania.

Complete with hundreds of sketches, the work is still a valuable resource not only for those with in an interest in aboriginal culture, but also those wanting to know the early history of Australia.



FastFind:  Yes;  ISBN No.:   9781921371745;