How Aboriginal Studies Ceased to Be Part of Natural History

2007·2.3 MB·English

by  Gary Presland

Contributions
HowAboriginal studies ceased to be part ofnatural history
Gary Presland
SchoolofSocialandEnvironmentalEnquiry
TheUniversityofMelbourne,3010
Abstract
ItwasoncecommontoincludestudiesofAboriginalcultureandhistorywithinthepurviewofnatur-
al history studies. This perspective changed in Victoria from the early 1970s, with the concurrent
developmentofanumberofavenues forprofessional fieldworkandpublication relatedto studying
theAboriginalpast.Thesedevelopmentsaredetailedherealongwiththelong-termimpactstheyhad
fortheinvolvementoftheFNCVinAboriginal studies.(TheVictorianNaturalist124(3),2007, 157-162)
Introduction
Today, many ofthe interests ofthe Field include a chapter, usually near the begin-
Naturalists Club ofVictoria (FNCV) are ning,aboutlocal indigenouscultureinlocal
given effect through its Special Interest history studies, greater attention is paid to
Groups, which collectively take in the fitting this detail into the context ofthe
widestgamutofnatural history. Within the widerwork.
history of the FNCV, however, such Within the National Museum ofVictoria,
groups are relatively recent and represent the state’s primary natural history muse-
only the latest configuration ofmembers’ um, Aboriginal culture was an integral part
interests (Houghton and Presland 2005). In ofpublic exhibitions for most ofthe twen-
all areas of intellectual pursuit, from time tieth century. This aspect ofthe Museum’s
to time the constitutant parts change. So it work was perhaps largely due to the influ-
is within the field of ‘natural history’ and ence of Baldwin Spencer, Director ofthe
thispaperisaboutone suchchange. Museum from 1899 to 1927. Spencer’s
Once upon a time, it was not unusual to interest in anthropology had developed
think ofthe study ofAboriginal culture as from his involvement in the Horn expedi-
part ofthepurview ofnatural history. From ton of 1894 and he soon formed new col-
the earliest days ofnatural history study in lections on behalf of the Museum
this country, it was commonplace for natu- (Rasmussen2001).
ralists to include aspects ofAboriginal cul- The attitudes that are evident in such
ture within their range ofinterests (Finney practices would strike naturalists today as
1993). This was largely a function ofthe old-fashioned at best, and perhaps as
European view ofso-called ‘primitive’ cul- something far worse. This is so because
tures as being more closely related to the accepted view ofthe place and worth
nature than those ofthe western world. It ofAboriginal studies has changed substan-
was partly due also to the fact that, at the tially in the past 30 years. It is clearwe no
time of European settlement ofAustralia, longer think ofAboriginal culture as part
the discipline ofanthropology hadnotbeen of natural history; but when did we stop
developed. These perspectives regarding doing that, and why? What brought about
Aborigines remained influential, if not this change? This paper addresses these
widely current, however, well into the questions and looks, briefly, at the reasons
twentieth century, as is evidentin both aca- why the study ofAboriginal culture was
demic and popular writing, as well as in lifted out of the realm ofnatural history
museum practice. Forexample, works pub- andachieved itsmorerightful place among
lished in the 1970s, such as The natural other human-centred fields of study. In
history ofSydney (Various authors 1972), what follows, the activities and publishing
Natural history ofthe Adelaide region ofthe FNCV are used as primary exam-
(Twidale et al. 1976) and Sense ofplace ples, firstly ofthe previous views, and sec-
(Seddon 1972), all includedchapterson the ondly, of the changes that have taken
indigenous people ofthe respective studied place.
areas. Today, while it is not unusual to
Vol. 124 (3) 2007 157
Contributions
Anthropology and the FNCV for such trips included the Aboriginal
The inclusion ofAboriginal culture within stone quarries at Mount William and Cape
the scope ofnaturalist studies was sympto- Liptrap, and shell middens and stone tool
matic of the wider, societal view of scatters along the south Gippsland coast. A
Aborigines, through most ofthe 20“' centu- number of sites closer to Melbourne were
ry. It is not surprising, then, that itwas also visited frequently also. It is a matter of
apparent in the various interests of the some regret that the number and frequency
FNCV. Since its formation in 1880, the of visits to these Aboriginal sites (not
club has been a central force in maintain- always by members of the FNCV, of
ing both the practice and intellectual course), ironically, did them more harm
framework ofnatural history in this state. than good. Intheabsence ofany legislative
Thus, as the premier natural history body, protection, many visitors ‘collected’ exam-
in its programme ofactivities and through ples of Aboriginal stone artefacts from
the pages of its journal. The Victorian sites. This occurred in the Altona area
Naturalist, the FNCV can be said to exem- when an FNCV group visited shell mid-
plifythepracticeofnatural history. dens in April 1918 (Anon, 1918) and
In keeping with attitudes within broader November 1921 (Anon 1922). The Mount
society in Australia at the time, papers in William stone quarry was another
Aboriginal studies were regular fare for favourite site for those people interested in
members ofthe FNCV forthe first century Aboriginal artefacts; it was visited by
ofthe Club’s existence. Indeed, during the FNCV members in February 1908 (Anon
1920s and ’30s, interest amongst members 1908) and in May 1929 (Kenyon 1929).
in anthropology in general and Aboriginal This collecting activity occurred to the
subjects in particularwas sufficient towar- point where, today, the smaller sites such
rant forming a special interest group. The as coastal middens have been virtually
Ethnological Section ofthe FNCV had its denuded of any artefactual material. An
inaugural meeting on 7 June 1928, with archaeological survey ofAboriginal sites
Alfred Kenyon presiding; Charles Daley in the Melbourne area in 1983, found that
was appointed Honorary Secretary (Anon stone tool collectors had long-since
1928). Both of these men were active at stripped these sites clean of any useful
the highest levels of the parent body: scientific data(Presland 1983, 1984).
Daley had been President ofthe club from Further indications ofthe long-standing
1922 to 1924, and Kenyonwas to hold that connections between natural history and
position from 1934 to 1935 (Houghton and Aboriginal studies can be seen in the
Presland 2005). The Ethnological Section numerous articles on Aboriginal culture
had a pre-cursor in a group called the that have appeared in the Club’s journal.
Prehistoric Club, which had been formed Although articles and shorter pieces on
by Kenyon in the previous year and which Aboriginal studies were published regular-
met at his home in Heidelberg (Griffiths ly throughout this period, the subject mat-
1996). In the first year ofits life as part of terwas neveramajorfocus forthejournal.
the FNCV, the Ethnological Section met In the 100 years of its publication, from
on a monthly basis, mostly at Latham 1884 to 1983, The Victorian Naturalist
House in Swanston Street, Melbourne. carried 342 articles relating to Aboriginal
There, members heard lectures and took culture (Hall 1979). From the beginning of
part in discussions on a wide range ofsub- the twentieth century these articles aver-
jects ofanthropological and archaeological aged just over three per year, except for
interest, including the earlyhistory ofman, two peak periods - during the 1920s this
native cultures of South Africa and North average lifted to about six per annum; and
America, and Aboriginal art and artefacts during the 1960s it reached eight per
(Anon 1929). annum.
In addition to these lecture meetings, A few ofthe writers ofthese pieces were
which were open to all members ofthe specialists in Aboriginal studies or in
FNCV, field trips to Aboriginal sites with- anthropology, but the great majority were
in Victoria were organized regularly. not; they were individuals with an interest
Destinations outside ofthe Melbourne area in the natural world, and who thought of
158 The Victorian Naturalist
The
Victorian
Naturalist
Index to
Volume 123, 2006
KN
Compiled by Bell
Australian Natural History Medal HurleyV etal., 68
Medallionist2005, Pauline Reilly,47 HynesD, 117
Medallionist2006, Ian Fraser, 400 Jenkin J and Dell M,255
M
Trust Fund,406 Johnson andKirkwood R, 46
1
Authors Johnston P, etal., 68
Adams Rand MeersT, 29 Jolly H, 215
AllenGetal., 68 Joyce EB, 55 (bMookreview)
AlmondE, 345 (bookreview) KcllarC. Short and MilneJ,222
Amos N, Anderson H and Mansergh 1, 4, KKeilrlkywoLTo,d9M1 andJohnson M, 146
288
Anderson H, AmosN and Mansergh I,4, KKoloeohtleTr,S1 a1n1d(TErnidbuetres)by 362
288 1,
ABawrarloSw,G84etal., 68 MKMuccbLCieaaanknnPNJD,,,331590250, 113 (Tribute)
BBBeeelecvckehmdaePr,nen32MK1,,(4Mb0io7lonk(ebroJeovakinedrwe)Svhioerwt)M, 195 MMaanlsoenregyhKIS, AanndderHasrornisHJaMn,d1A57m,o3s76N,4,
288
Biggs L and Gibson M, 270
Bird E,49 MMaarytiTnaAnAd,SJoKmmaenrdviSlMl,e1K,15366
BBloaucmkaD,S,et34al1.,(6b8ookreview) MMeeeargsheTraDn,d4A1d,a1m66s,R2,122,9236,247
CarriganC, 279 M
Clarke R, 184 (bookreview) MilneJ, ShortM and Beekmann K, 195
ClemannN, 59 (bookreview), 383 MilneJ, Short and KcllarC, 222
Cooke R, 54 (bookreview) Mitchell S and YugovicJ, 323
M MongerA, 403 (Tribute)
Dell andJenkinJ, 255 NewTR, 405
DolbyT, 176
Dunn KL, 319 (bookreview), 342 (book Overeem R, Wallis Rand Salzman S,
390
review)
PalmerCS, 412
Editors, The VictorianNaturalist, 2, 66, Pierson R, 182 (bookreview)
126, 190, 286,350
EEFinntddzeesrrissmbboyynsII 4aJ7An,,d5WK7iole(lhbiloaeomrksSr,Cev3ai6en2wd), 400 SPRroaeblsezlrmatansndonGS,,P,O1ve8te6ra(le.b,eom6o8kRraenvdieWwa)llis R,
390
FitzSimons P, 134
FiWtizlSliimaomnssCP,, F1i3t4zsimonsJA and SSihnocrltaiMr,S,Mi7l5neJ and Beckmann K, 195
FloyedAB andGibsonM, 229 Short M, MilneJ and KellarC,222
GaskettAC andHerberstein ME, 128 Sommerville K and MayT, 366
TaylorIR and HamiltonAJ, 38
Geering D, 58 (bookreview) TyshingC andGibsonM, 203
Gibson M, 120 (bookreview), 122
Wallis R, Salzman S and Overeem R,
(software review), 183 (bookreview),
390
192
GGiibbssoonn MM aanndd FBliogygesdL,AB2,70229 WWialilniearmsJ,C3,47Fi(tbzosoikmornesviJeAw)and
M FitzSimons P, 134
Gibson andTyshing C, 203
YugovicJ and Mitchell S, 323
GillbankL, 174(Tribute)
Grey MJ, 1 18 (book review) Birds
Hamilton AJ andTaylor IR, 38 Aythyaaustralis, diving behaviour, 38
HarleyD, 170 Eudyptula minor, sexing by bill
HarrisJM and Maloney KS, 157, 376 measurement, 390
Heard GW, etal., 68 Hardhead,divingbehaviour, 38
Herberstein MEandGaskettAC, 128 Little penguins, sexing by bill
Hewish M, 314 measurements, 390
Homan P, 181,317,335 Twitchathon, 176
HubregtseV, 339 (bookreview), 344
(book review),409 (bookreview)
8
BookReviews Botany
ANaturalist’sLife, RErickson(I Atrichum androgynum, reproduction,
Endersby), 57 270
Albatross: elusivem'arinersofthe Banksiamyces,taxonomy, ecology,366
Southern Ocean,ATerauds(R Bazzania,41
Clarke), 184 Blackwoods, bryophyte distribution on,
Australia’s Volcanoes, RFerrett(EB OtwayRa., 255
Joyce), 55 Bryophytes
BackyardInsects, PHomeandD Bazzania, 41
Crawford(JWainer), 347 BryophytedistributioninBlackwood
Birds ofSouth-eastern Australia, Gould forests, OtwayRa., 255
League Series, revised by Alan Reid, Dicksoniaantarctica, epiphyteson,
(VHubregtse),339 229
Butterflies of the Solomon Islands: Epiphytes onD. antarctica,229
systematics and biogeography, J EpiphytesonN. cunninghamiiandE.
Tennant(K Dunn),319 regnans, 222
Climate change; turning up the heat, AB Fabronia,212
Pittock(P Beech),321 GlossaryofBryophyteterms,282
FossilInvertebrates, PD TaylorandDN IntroducingBryophytes, 192
Lewis(RPierson), 182 Keyto leafyliverworts, 236
Ocean shores to desertdunes: the native Keytothallose liverwortsandhorn
vegetation ofNewSouth Walesandthe worts,247
ACT, DKeith(M Gibson), 183 Leptodon, 161
Owls-Journeysaroundthe World, D Melbourne’smarvellousmosses,215
Hollands(RCooke), 54 Occurrenceinsoilcrust. LittleDesert
Rhythmsofthe Tarkine: anatural NP, 195
historyadventure, S Lloyd(V Peristomal architecture,203
Hubregtse), 344 Sexual reproduction,Atrichumandro-
Snakes, Lizards and Frogs of the gynum,270
Victorian Mallee, M Swan and S Streambryophytes, 279
Watharow (N Clemann), 59 Cryptostylis, flowering,pollination, 128
Spiders ofAustralia, an introduction to Ecologicalreview,Koo-wee-rup Swamp,
their classification, biology and distri- 323
bution, Ti Hawkeswood (K Dunn), Eucalyptusregnans, epiphyteson,222
342 Fabronia, 212
Successfully Growing Australian Native FloraofHighburyPark, 75
Plants, and, Colour your garden with Flowers visited by Aust. Painted Lady,
Australian Natives, G and B Rigby (M 352
Belvedere),407 Leptodon, 161
Tasmanian Devil: a Unique and Nothofagus cunninghamii, epiphytes on,
Threatened Animal, D Owen and D 222
Pemberton(S Bouma), 341 Peristomal architecture of bryophytes,
The Big Twitch, S Dooley (D Geering), 203
58 Tongue orchids, flowering, pollination,
The Gilded Canopy, Botanical Ceiling 128
PanelsoftheNaturalHistoryMuseum, Vegetation changes in powerline ease-
SKnappandB Press(EAlmond), 345 ments,29
The Nature ofPlants: habitats, chal- Victoria’s living natural capital, 4, 288
lenges andadaptations, J Dawson and (errata311)
RLucas(MGibson), 120
Errata
Wedge-tailed Eagle, P Olsen (V
Hubregtse),409 Victoria’slivingnatural capital.Part 1,
Wildlife ofthe Box-Ironbark Country, C 311
Tzaros(MGrey), 11 Geomorphology
Yarra: A diverting history of Highersealevels effects, PortPhillip
Melbourne’s murky river, K Otto Bay,49
(GPresland), 186
7 1
History Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, Yellingbo
Brittlebank, CharlesandThomas, 314 NCR, 170
FNCV Geology Group 1880-2005, 100 Koala, sex, agebias inroadkills, 395
Victoria’s livingnatural capital,4, 288 Leadbeaters Possum at Yellingbo NCR
(errata311) 170
Insects Petauroides volvans records, 376
,
Acripeza reticulata visitortoWilsons Phascolarctos cinereus, sex, age bias in
Promontory?, 405, roadkills, 395
Australian Painted Lady, flowers visited, Sminthopsis murina using artificial habi-
352 tat, 317
Golden Sun Moth, newMelbournepopu- Terrestrial mammals, Phillip and French
lations, 362 Islands, 146
Mountain Katydid, 405 Trichosurus cunginghami, blind sur-
Synemonplana new Melbournepopu- vival, 115
lations, 362 , Trichosurus cunninghami, at the
Vanessakershawi, flowersvisited, 352 Gurdies, 117
Yellow-footed Antechinus, distribution,
Invertebrates
habitat, 9
Faunaofsoil crusts. Little DesertNP,
195 Miscellaneous
FloraandFaunaGuaranteeAct,
Localities
additionsto, 187,318
Barwonestuary management, 84 Authorguidelines, 61,410
Central Highlands, epiphytic bryophytes, Ecological attributesofstrategic land
229
acquisitions, 134
French Island, terrestrial mammals, 146 Haiku(C Palmer),412
Highbury Park, Burwood East, flora, 75 74yearsago, 165 (Pygmy Flying
Koo-wee-rup Swamp,ecologyof, 323 Possum)
Little Desert NP, bryophytes, inverte- 100 years ago, 90 (Black Spur), 112
brates in soil, 195 (Black Spur), 173 (Wallaby at sea),
Melbourne, Golden Sun Moth popula- 346 (Wildflower exhib.), 365, 375,
tions, 362 399,402(all Wilsons Prom)
Otway Ranges, bryophytes in 114years ago, 283 (Mosses)
Blackwoodforest, 255 1 19years ago,254 (Victorian mosses)
Phillip Island, terrestrial mammals, 146
Port Phillip Bay, effects of higher sea Reptiles
levels,49 Egerniacoventryi,newrecords, 335
Sydney bushland, Australian Painted Eulamprustympanum,birthing, 181
Ladyfood, 352 InlandCarpetPython, canidpredation
TYahreraGuRrdainegse,sBNobPu,ckepsi,ph1y1t7es on N. cum- Moorne,l6i8a spilota metcalfei, canid
minghamii, E. regnans,222 predationon, 68
Yellingbo NCR, Leadbeaters Possum, Snakecatchers, practices, experiences,
383
170
Wilsons Promontory, Mountain Katydid Southern WaterSkink, birthing, 181
occurrence,405 Reptiles, new localityrecords, 335
Mammals Software
Acrobatespygmaeus records, 157 Forgotten Flora Resource Kit, J Milne,
, T Lebel, A Veenstra-Quah and G
Antechinusflavipes distribution, habitat,
, Shadford(M Gibson), 122
91
Bobuck, blind survival, 115 Tributes
BobuckatTheGurdies, 1 1 Neil WilfredArchbold(D McCann), 1 13
Canid predation on Inland Carpet David HungerfordAshton (LGillbank),
Python, 68 174
Common Dunnart using artificial habitat, Ellen MargeryMcCulloch (T Kloot),
317 111
Feathertail glider, records, 157 BrianJohn Smith(A Monger),403
GreaterGlider, records, 376
Note: Volume 123 part 4 comprises the
Bryophyte special issue.