Ngadlu tampinthi ngadlu Kaurna Miyurna yartangka. Munaintya puru purruna ngadlu-itya. Munaintyanangku yalaka tarrkarriana tuntarri.

We acknowledge we are on Kaurna Miyurna land. The Dreaming is still living. From the past, in the present, into the future, forever.

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Charles Pearcy Mountford

Archive Collections / Charles Pearcy Mountford
Born : 08 May, 1890
Died : 16 December, 1976

Charles Percy Mountford (Monty) was born on 8 May 1890 in Hallett, South Australia to Charles and Arabella (nee Windsor) Mountford. He attended schools at Hallett, Georgetown and Moonta.

From 1909 to 1911, Mountford became a tram conductor in Adelaide and simultaneously studied mechanics and engineering through the South Australian School of Mines correspondence courses. In 1913, Mountford was appointed as an electrical mechanic with the Postmaster-General's Department.

On 18 March 1914, Mountford married a 23 year old Florence Julge Purnell at the Methodist Church at Thebarton. She bore two children, Kenneth and Joyce who later became Mrs Haenisch. The family moved to Darwin (NT) from 1920 to c1924 when Mountford secured a Senior Mechanic position. It was here that Mountford first came into contact with Aboriginal people and became interested in their art and culture. Soon after the Mountford's return to Adelaide, Florence died in 1925. Mountford later remarried on 28 October 1933 to Bessie Ilma Johnstone at the Gartrell Memorial Methodist Church, Rose Park (SA).

In 1926, Mountford became a founding member of the Anthroplogical Society of South Australia. At this time, Mountford spent surveying rock engravings. In 1935, he was appointed as an Honorary Assistant in Ethnology, secretary of a board of enquiry to investigate allegations of ill-treatment of Aboriginal people in Northern Territory and he participated in his first Board for Anthropological Research expedition (see AA 346). During expeditions until the 1960s, Mountford took photographs, filmed and recorded art and culture. From 1938 to 1939, Mountford was appointed Acting Ethnologist at the South Australian Museum.

The following is a list of expeditions, publications and awards:

Expeditions

  • 1935: Ethnologist on the University of Adelaide expedition to Warburton Ranges (WA)

  • 1936: Ethnologist on the University of Adelaide expedition to Granites (NT)

    • 1937: Ethnologist on the University of Adelaide expedition to Nepabunna (SA)
  • 1951: Ethnologist on the University of Adelaide expedition to Yuendumu (NT)

  • 1938: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Nepabunna (SA)

  • 1939: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Nepabunna (SA)

  • 1940: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Mann and Musgrave Ranges (SA-NT)

  • 1942: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Haast Bluff

  • 1948: Leader of the USA National Geographic Society expedition to Arnhem Land (NT)

  • 1949: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Western Arnhem Land (NT)

  • 1951: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to North-Eastern Arnhem Land (NT)

  • 1952: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Uluru (NT)

  • 1956: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Central Mount Wedge (NT)
  • 1956: Leader of the USA National Geographic Society expedition to Melville Island (NT)

  • 1960: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to North-West Central Australia

  • 1963: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to North Western Australia

  • 1965: Leader of the University of Adelaide expedition to Cape York (QLD)


Books by Mountford
  • 1944: The Art of Albert Namatjira

  • 1948: Brown Men and Red Sand

  • 1956: The Art, Myth and Symbolism of Arnhem Land

  • 1956: Australian Tree Portraits

  • 1958: The Tiwi, their Art, Myth and Ceremony

  • 1961: Australian Aboriginal Art

  • 1965: Aboriginal Paintings from Australia UNESCO

  • 1965: Ayers Rock, it's People, their beliefs, and their Art

  • 1967: Australian Aboriginal Portraits

  • 1967: Winbaraku and the Myth of Jarapiri

  • 1969: The Aborigines and their Country

  • 1976: Nomads of the Australian Deserts

  • 1976: Before Time Began


Books with Ainslie Roberts
  • 1965: The Dreamtime

  • 1969: The Dawn of Time

  • 1971: The First Sunrise

  • 1973: The Dreamtime Book

  • 1973: Legends of the Dreamtime


Prize Winning Films
  • 1940: Walkabout Awarded Sherlock Gold Cup, first place for best 16mm International Film exhibited in Australia

  • 1942: Tjurunga Awarded second place in 16mm International Film contest in Australia

  • 1967: Walkabout Awarded Diploma in International Film Festival, Florence, Italy


Awards and Honours
  • Honorary Life Fellow, National Geographic Society

  • 1945: Australian Natural History Medallion, Field Naturalists Club of Victoria

  • 1949: Franklin-Burr Award, National Geographic Society for outstanding leadership

  • 1955: Officer of the British Empire for Ethnological Research

  • 1955: John Lewis Gold Medal, Royal Geographic Society, South Australian Branch

  • 1955: Founders Gold Medal, Royal Geographic Society, Queensland Branch

  • 1957-1959: Nuffield Research Scholar

  • 1959: Diploma of Anthropology, Cambridge

  • 1964: Master of Arts, University of Adelaide

  • 1971: Sir Joseph Verco Gold Medal, Royal Society of South Australia

  • 1973: Honorary Dr Litt., University of Melbourne

  • 1976: Doctor of Letters, University of Adelaide


112 articles published in the following Journals:
  • Journal of the Royal Anthroplogical Institute

  • Anthropos

  • Oceania

  • Records of the South Australian Museum

  • Field Naturalist, South Australia

  • National Geographic Society Magazine, USA

  • Australian Association for the Advancement of Science


Mountford died on 16 December 1976 at Norwood and was survived by his wife and two children.

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Inventory Listings by Series
Series AA 228/1 - Documentaries produced by the South Australian Museum, filmed by Mountford
Series AA 228/2 - Drawings collected on 1948 Expedition to Arnhem Land
Series AA228/3 - Drawings collected on 1954 expedition to Melville Island
Prepared By: Francesca Zilio and Margaret Davey
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