Book Description

First published 1887; detailed account of totemism throughout the world; v.1; Survey of exogamous systems of Australia; p.7; Belief in descent from totem in W.A., relationship to totem among the Geawe-gal; p.8; Origin of W.A. clan names; p.8-9; Refusal to kill or eat totem except in emergency (Mount Gambier tribe); kinship with totem among Narrinyeri; p.14; Totemic animals kept as pets (Narrinyeri); p.18-19; Punishment for eating totem, general food taboos; p.19; Less respect for totem among Narrinyeri, Dieri; p.22; Warnings & help given by totem (Coast Murring, Kurnai); p.24; Inanimate objects as totem (Encounter Bay tribe, Dieri, Mukjarawaint, Wotjoballuk, Kamilaroi, KuinMurbara, Kiabara); p.27-29; Initiation of totem in tooth avulsion, nose ornaments, cicatrization; p.35; Burial ceremonies (Wotjoballuk); p.40; Totem figures in Yuin initiation rites; p.41-44; Initiation ceremonies in N.S.W., Vic. (Kurnai), the lower Murray & among the Dieri; p.47; Sex totems (Kurnai, Kulin, Coast Murring, Mukjarawaint, Tatathi, Port Lincoln tribe); p.54-55; Infringement of exogamy rule (Ta-ta-thi, Port Lincoln tribe, Kunandaburi); p.60-65; Division of tribes into phratries & subphratries (Turra, Wotjoballuk, Ngarego, Theddora, Kamilaroi, Kiabara) & associated myths (Dieri & W. Vic. tribes); p.65-71; Rules of descent; p.73-75; Cannibalism & blood-letting among kin p.76-77; Eaglehawk & crow as totems among the Dieri, Mukjarawaint, Ta-ta-thi, Keramin, Kamilaroi, Mycoolon, Barinji, Kuinmurbura, Turra, Mount Gambier, Kunandaburi, Wonghibon; p.78- 80; Classification of natural phenomena as subtotems in Mount Gambier, Wakelbura & Wotjoballuk; p.102-115; Central Australian totemism - food taboos, exogamy, increase rites for witchetty grubs, emus, hakea flowers, manna, kangaroos, ceremonies for people of other totems; quotes Spencer on religious aspect of totemism; distribution of religious & social aspects towards the S.E.; p.124-129; Association of soul with sacred objects (ritual objects, nurtunja); p.131.