Ooldea (South Australia) sociological and anthropological data cards

Archive Collections / Board for Anthropological Research / Series AA346/04 / Ooldea (South Australia) sociological and anthropological data cards
Board for Anthropological Research Expedition B 'B1 - 31 Ooldea Sociological Data' and 'B1 - 32 Ooldea Anthropological Data'

Two card series containing sociological data, one card series containing anthropological data, and one series of paper slips containing anthropological data, all have (expedition symbol) B written in the top left hand corner.

  1. B1-31 [with gaps], Unidentified 1-17 Ooldea Sociological Data
    The card series comprises printed cards on which data has been recorded under the following headings: (individual subject) Number, Native Name, Sex, Age, Tribe, Location and Date; and which have space for two photographs. Most cards have two black and white photographic prints attached, usually a front and profile portrait showing head and shoulders or head and torso. Cards have 'OOLDEA, S.A.' and 'MAY 1926' printed in Location and Date headings. This series contains cards on individuals numbered 5, 6, 8,13, 14, 16, 17, 19-22, 27, 30 and 31. There are 17 individuals that are unidentified and have been accessioned as Unidentified 1-17. Cards have (expedition symbol) B printed in the top left hand corner. These cards were made in 2011 from negatives not previously located. Data on individuals was entered by the Museum Archive Access Officer.



  2. B1-6 Ooldea Sociological Data
    Card series containing data on six individuals. The series comprises printed cards on which data has been recorded under the following headings: (individual subject) Number, Native Name, Other Names, Tribe, Sex, Age, Date, Subclass, Totem, Location, Where born and Territory claimed. A second section has headings for the recording of a similar level of detail on the individual's father, mother, father's brothers, father's sisters, mother's brothers, mother's sisters, brothers, sisters, husband/wife, sons and daughters. At the bottom of the card is a checklist for those collecting data, and there is space for notes on the reverse of the card. The data was collected in May 1926 at Ooldea, and may have been transcribed later by NB Tindale from the publication: TD Campbell and AJ Lewis, 'The Aborigines of South Australia: Anthropometric, Descriptive, and other Observations Recorded at Ooldea', Trans Royal Society of South Australia 50 (1926), pp.183-191.



  3. B1 - B32 Ooldea Anthropological Data
    Card series containing data on 32 individuals. The data appears to have been recorded on paper slips (see below) in 1926 and transferred to cards in 1937 by NB Tindale. The card and paper slip series are interleaved. This series comprises printed cards on which data has been recorded under the following headings: (individual subject) Number, White name, Native Name, Sex, Age, Date, Locality, Tribe and Totem. A second section contains physical measurements and observations, and the reverse of the card records further physical measurements and observations. The series contains cards on individuals numbered 1 to 32.The first card includes notes indicating that NB Tindale has added information, including relating to tribal/language group names, to the cards following a trip to Ooldea in 1934, and 'copied and checked by NB Tindale 6.37'.



  4. B1 - B32 Ooldea Anthropological Data
    This series comprises paper slips on which data has been recorded under the following headings: (individual subject) Number, Recorded at, Date, Name, Tribe, Sex and Age. A second section contains physical measurements and observations, and the reverse of the slip records further physical measurements and observations. The series contains cards on individuals numbered 1 to 32. There is a note suggesting that the subject numbering system (prefix by BAR expedition alphabetical identifier followed by individual subject number) was adopted in October 1933. Individuals appear to have been originally given aphabetical identifiers.





Note that within any given series the amount of data recorded varies from card to card.

See related collections: AA 338 Tindale; AA 52 Campbell.

Note that the data cards contain many variant spellings of tribal/language group names. In the descriptions here the various terms and spellings have been reproduced, with what appear to be amendments noted square brackets. It has not been possible in all cases to supply corresponding tribal/language group names according to standardised spellings adopted by NB Tindale (see AA 338) and AIATSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies).

This card series includes references to the following named groups: Alindjera [Jankundjadjara]; Alinjera [Jankundjara]; Allinjera [Jankundjara]; Karnga [west]; Willoorara [Ngalea].


Tindale Tribes: Jangkundjara; Ngalea.

AIATSIS Tribal/Language Groups: Ngalea; Yankuntjatjara.

These series contain reference to the following region of South Australia: Nullarbor - Great Victoria Desert.

These cards are located in Drawer 1.

CreatorBoard for Anthropological Research
ControlAA 346/4/7
Date Range1926  -  1937
Quantity 2cm,   2   card series, I series of paper slips; cards and slips 20.5 x 12.7 cm
Series AA346/04
Tindale Tribes: