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'Survey of Aboriginal sex life'

Archive Collections / Sir John Burton Cleland / Series AA 60/07 / 'Survey of Aboriginal sex life'

  1. 'Scheme for field work on the sex life of a primitive group', outlining suggested topics for discussion - demography, sex knowledge, sexual practices, childbirth, courtship and marriage.

  2. Handwritten draft of questions to be included in questionnaire.

  3. 'Sex history of Australian Aborigines' by Daisy Bates (No. 1), providing information obtained principally from Aboriginal people at Ooldea on topics such as menstruation, sexual practices, conception, pregnancy, birth and child-rearing. Typed copy.

  4. Handwritten notes by Daisy Bates on Aboriginal sexual practices and beliefs, relating mainly to the Bibbulman people of south-west Western Australia and Aboriginal people at Ooldea.

  5. Handwritten notes by Cleland, 'The method of coitus practised by the Australian Aboriginal (Information supplied by Mrs Daisy Bates, Ooldea)', with some additional comments added by Bates (No. 18).

  6. Correspondence between Bates and Cleland in August-October 1928 relating to Wissler's survey of sexual practices and beliefs.

  7. 'Sex life amongst the Australian Aborigines' by Ursula McConnel (No. 14), providing information obtained from Aboriginal people of Cape York Peninsula on topics such as menstruation, intercourse, conception, pregnancy, birth and child-rearing. Typed copy, final draft.

  8. 'Sex life amongst the Australian Aborigines' by Ursula McConnel, providing information obtained from Aboriginal people of Cape York Peninsula on topics such as menstruation, intercourse, conception, pregnancy, birth and child-rearing. Two typescript copies, first draft.

  9. Questionnaire 'Sex history of Australian Aborigines, Board for Anthropological Research (BAR), University of Adelaide', with handwritten responses from McConnel.

  10. Correspondence (1928-29) between Cleland and Dr GA Chambers of Penong re sexual practices and beliefs of Australian Aboriginal people. Information relates to South Australian west coast and Nullarbor Plain region.

  11. 'General information obtained from Yarcu aka Benjamin (Ben) or Yarcu (Minning tribe), aet 70' by Dr Chambers, Penong, 1929 (three typescript copies).

  12. 'Sex life amongst the Australian Aborigines', information obtained by Dr GA Chambers, Penong, South Australia, June 1929 (No. 16); information obtained from 'Coonoo', aged about 50 years, a member of the Minning (Mirning) tribe from Mundrabilla, Western Australia.


  13. 'Information obtained from the Iliaura tribe, Central Australia' (No. 22); data on sexual practices and beliefs etc evidently obtained by Cleland from the Chalmers family and from Aboriginal informants at MacDonald Downs Station during the BAR expedition, 1930.

  14. 'Sex history of Australian Aborigines. Kokata tribe, Great Australian Bight, SA. Notes collected by R. Francis Matters MD, ChM, FRCS' (No. 8). Typed notes on menstruation, marriage, conception beliefs, pregnancy etc.

  15. 'Sex history of Australian Aborigines. Kokata tribe, Great Australian Bight, SA. Notes collected by R. Francis Matters MD, ChM, FRCS' (No. 8). Handwritten notes on menstruation, marriage, conception beliefs, pregnancy etc.

  16. 'Information as to the course of labour etc in the case of a pure-blooded Aboriginal woman at Point Pearce, South Australia. Supplied by Sister D. Richards, Nurse in Charge' (No. 12). Description of the birth of a baby boy to Florrie Roly Murray on 16 April 1929, based on information supplied by Sister Richards (see below).

  17. Letter from Sister Richards at Point Pearce to Cleland on 14 May 1929 describing the above birth.

  18. (No. 10) Handwritten notes by Cleland on sexual practices and beliefs obtained from Lydia (aged 68) and , aged about 40.

  19. (No. 11) Handwritten notes by Cleland on birth statistics.

  20. 'The sex life of the Australian Aboriginal (No. 17) Information obtained in our presence through Mr H. A. Heinrich from old men of the Loritja and Arunta Tribes at Hermannsburg, CA, August 1929'. Typescript notes on menstruation, marriage, conception beliefs, pregnancy, and child-rearing (three copies, one marked 'incomplete' but appears to be the same as the other two copies).

  21. 'The sex life of the Australian Aboriginal (No. 17) Information obtained in our presence through Mr H. A. Heinrich from old men of the Loritja and Arunta Tribes at Hermannsburg, CA, August 1929'. Handwritten notes on menstruation, marriage, conception beliefs, pregnancy and child-rearing.

  22. Additional handwritten notes on sexual practices and beliefs by HA Heinrich at Hermannsburg.

  23. Correspondence (1929) between Cleland and EE Kramer relating to Wissler's survey of sexual practices and beliefs, including questionnaire completed by Kramer with information provided by A. W. Liddle on the 'Pitjintarra tribe' of the Petermann Range.

  24. 'Sexual life amongst Australian Aborigines (No. 13). Information supplied through Mr Emil E Kramer of Alice Springs, obtained from Mr AW Liddle, late of Wartaka Station, joining the Great Western Reserve for Aboriginals (which lies in the SW of Central Australia and the NW corner of SA)'. Information obtained from Pitjantjatjara people of the Petermann Range in August 1929.

  25. Correspondence (1929) between Cleland and Mr L Reece of Minnie Downs Station (South Australia) relating to sexual practices and beliefs of Aboriginal people, Aboriginal health and other matters, and correspondence relating to Cleland's 1934 trip to Minnie Downs, Pandie Pandie, Mulka and Mirra Mitta Stations.

  26. Typescript notes by L Reece of Minnie Downs Station relating to Aboriginal demography, particularly "the Wonka Maroo tribe" from the area between Annandale, Dalhousie, Macumba and Alton Downs (= Tindale's Wongkumara or Wongkamala? AA 338). Some statistical data (number of adults/children, number of children born to each mother) including references to named individuals (e.g. Lucy, Topsy, Maudie, Esther, Billy, Pandie Billy) and some information on population distribution, customs, health, ceremonies. Note that there is some additional ethnographic data from L Reece in the Anthropological Society of SA Collection (AA 824).

  27. Handwritten notes by Reece as above, also covering letter from Reece to Cleland dated 14 March 1929.

  28. 'Information supplied by Mr L. Reece of Minnie Downs in answer to a questionnaire dealing with the sexual life of the Aborigines' (No. 5b). Typescript notes abstracted by Cleland from Reece's written responses to Wissler's questionnaire (see below).

  29. Handwritten response to Wissler's questionnaire by Reece.

  30. Additional notes by Reece on marriage customs.

  31. Correspondence (1929) between Cleland and George Aiston at Mulka (South Australia) re sexual practices and beliefs.

  32. 'Report on the Native Tribes East and North-east of Lake Eyre, dealing principally with the Wonkonguru Tribe' by G Aiston of Mulka via Marree (No. 15). Typescript version with some handwritten corrections. Discussion of methods of acquiring a wife (including references to named individuals e.g. Isabel (Wonkanguru), Watti Watti, Sambo), some details of the Wilyaru and circumcision rites, scarification and other ceremonies. Includes references to Yaurorka and Arabana tribes and to places such as Clifton Hills, Mungerannie and Kopperamanna.

  33. 'Report on the Native Tribes East and North-east of Lake Eyre, dealing principally with the Wonkonguru Tribe' by G Aiston of Mulka via Marree (No. 15). Typescript corrected version of above.

  34. 'Information as regards sex matters amongst the Aborigines at Cockatoo Creek, Central Australia, 200 miles NW of Alice Springs' (No. 25). Information on relations between the sexes, some data on pregnancy and childbirth.

  35. 'Information as regards sex matters obtained at Cockatoo Creek, Central Australia, 200 miles' (No. 25). Information obtained in August 1931 from various informants including Claude Nicker (European), Wheeler ('full-blood' Aboriginal), Napperby Jim and Peter, Mary (Aremoa), Paddy (Arrernte) and Rosie re pregnancy and birth, menstruation, sexual intercourse, conception beliefs and other matters. Also some information obtained by Dr HK Fry on Ilpinja or Ilpitjai songs.

  36. Information on sexual practices and beliefs of Aboriginal people of Bathurst and Melville Islands obtained by Dr HK Fry.

  37. 'Information obtained from George' (No.22). Information relating to sexual practices and beliefs obtained from Aboriginal informants George and Carbine during the Cockatoo Creek expedition. Includes some notes by Fry on subincision.

  38. Typescript notes, with handwritten corrections, of data collected by Dr K Fry at Cockatoo Creek, August 1931, on Ilpinja songs, information from Aboriginal informants re marriage, sexual practices etc. Also includes information relating to Bathurst and Melville Islands collected by Dr Fry in 1913.

  39. 'Information obtained from George, No 8, aged about '. Handwritten notes as above.

  40. 'Sexual life amongst the Aborigines of Australia' (No. 4, incomplete); information obtained on 19 August 1928 from Yabinya (Tommy), a Wirangu man from Koonibba (aged about 70). Discussion of menstruation, sexual intercourse, birth. Typescript notes with handwritten corrections.

  41. 'Information obtained from the Rev. J. R. B. Love of Kunmunya Mission via Broome, Western Australia' (No. 28). Typescript notes on menstruation, conception beliefs, labour and birth etc.

  42. Questionnaire with some responses by JRB Love and letter from Love to Cleland on 23 May 1931 providing some background information.

Creator: Sir John Burton Cleland
Control: AA 60/7/1
Date Range:  1928  -  1931
Quantity:  7cm,     1 archive folder
Formats: General Correspondence, Loose Notes
Series:  AA 60/07