'Research data on aboriginal tribes in Australia gathered by Norman B. Tindale. Chiefly from South, West and Central Australia. Period 1924 to 1936'.

Archive Collections / Dr Norman Barnett Tindale / Series AA338/01 / 'Research data on aboriginal tribes in Australia gathered by Norman B. Tindale. Chiefly from South, West and Central Australia. Period 1924 to 1936'.

This volume is a compilation of mainly original manuscript material, with Tindale's annotations. It is not directly associated with Tindale's journals. It is preceded by Tindale's introduction (probably written during the 1970s), explaining that this data was drawn together during his initial period of research into tribal boundaries relating to the West Coast of South Australia.

The manuscript material is as follows:

  • a foolscap page hand-written letter from MC Donegan, Fowlers Bay Police Station, to William John Peterswald, Commissioner of Police describing 'specimens of vegetable substances used as food & medicine at the present time by the Cocata tribe of Aborigines who inhabit the country between Ooldea and the Musgrave Ranges', dated 24 August 1895

  • Pencil map of 'C Strehlow's (see AA 315) arrangement of West Coast tribes', c.1920

  • Ink map of tribal boundaries in western South Australia, annotated, featuring the 'Wirrung' and 'Parnkallas', 'according to JJ East'

  • Ink map of tribal boundaries in western South Australia, annotated, 'according to Howitt' (see AA 143)

  • Hand-drawn map in pencil, with annotations and typed description, of tribal groups in western South Australia, attributed to Anthony Gladstone Bolam (see AA 640)

  • Copy of newspaper clipping entitled 'Caring for the Aborigines - West Coast Mission' dated 10 June 1926, featuring the work of Pastor Wiebusch

  • Tindale's notes on the Wirrangu resulting from a conversation with Rev. CA Wiebusch

  • Tindale's notes from George Aiston (see AA 3) concerning 'the Parnkalla, Ooldea and Ngameni tribe', dated 24 November 1926

  • Tindale's note from Dr Robert Henry Pulleine referring to a vocabulary of the Lake Wangary area

  • Nanga [Wirrangu] vocabulary from Fowlers Bay obtained from Robert Limb dated July 1925, additional notes dated February 1928, June 1927, Wirrangu vocabulary and notes dated 8 and 14 September 1926, 22 February 1928 and 26 July 1928. Limb was known to Tindale as a preparator at the South Australian Museum, but had been brought up at Fowlers Bay during the 1870s and spoke the Wirangu language

  • Correspondence between C Hoff, Superintendent of the Koonibba Lutheran Mission and Tindale dated 1 July, 1 & 20 August, and 12 November 1926, regarding West Coast groups

  • Copy of a newspaper clipping describing a meeting of the Anthropological Society of South Australia (see AA 824) at which Tindale discussed his project 'Native Tribes of South Australia' in which he defined a tribe: 'several local groups, bound together by peculiarities of language, organization, and custom formed a tribe, marked by the possession of a name; its members speaking a common language, which might have several dialects, but differed strikingly from that spoken by adjoining tribes, and they occupied a defined territory'. 'Register', 5 July 1927

  • Letter and completed questionnaire to Tindale from Charles Sullivan relating to Denial Bay Aboriginal people

  • 'Weerung' vocabulary (c.180 words, including some phrases) prepared by Charles Sullivan, dated September 1927

  • Tindale's notes on the Nauo dated December 1927, from interview with Frank Kent

  • Daisy Bates's (see AA 23) typescript notes on 'South Australian tribes' dating 20 January 1916

  • 6 photocopies of Tindale's hand-drawn maps relating to West Coast tribes with references to Alfred William Howitt, Rev. Clamor Wilhelm Schurmann, Rev. George Taplin (see AA 319) and George Aiston (see AA 3)

  • Photograph of Wirrangu people at Streaky Bay, Willie Yangelty, Budgeri 'King', Nellie 'Queen', Mason Billie and Cranky Jennie. Photographer is unknown and taken prior to 1928

  • Tindale's draft of a 'Board for Anthroplogical Research Expedition (see AA 346) to West Coast of South Australia' report dated August 1928

  • 'Notes on Ooldea Natives and language in vicinity' from Daisy Bates dated 1931

  • Notes, from Biria (Fred Murray), man from Eucla, 4-5 February, 1932

  • Eucla words from Fred Murray (Biria), 5 February 1932 (approximately 35 words)

  • 'Genealogy of Jirkla Mining people at Eucla, W. Australia, from Fred Murray, 4-5 Feb, 1932', recorded by Tindale

  • Tindale's notes from C Hoff on the 'Snake Legend re Pidinga Rocks' dated 7 February 1934

  • Photocopies of photographs of Kukata people taken on the 1926 Wilgena Expedition



Tindale Tribes: Arabana; Jadliaura; Kokata; Kujani; Kukatja (NT); Mirning; Nauo; Ngalia; Ngameni; Nukunu; Pangkala; Pindiini; Potidjara; Wailpi; Wirangu; Arnga.

CreatorDr Norman Barnett Tindale
ControlAA 338/1/29
Date Range24 August, 1895  -  07 February, 1934
Quantity 1.5cm,   1   red hardcover exercise book, 21.7x28.1 cm
FormatsNewspaper Clippings, General Correspondence, Maps, Loose Photographic Prints, Photocopied Documents
Series AA338/01