Restoring the Chain of Memory

This book describes and analyses the writings and records compiled by the notable linguist, T.G.H. Strehlow (1908-1978), on Australian Aboriginal religions, particularly as practiced by the Arrernte of the central desert region. During numerous research trips between 1932 and 1966, the local Indigenous Arrernte Elders entrusted him with sacred objects, allowed him to film their secret rituals and record their songs, partly because he was regarded as one of them, an ‘insider’, who they believed would help preserve their ancient traditions in the face of threats posed by outside forces. The volume documents how Strehlow’s works are contributing to the current repatriation by Australian Aboriginal leaders of rituals, ancient songs, meanings associated with sacred objects and genealogies, much of which by the 1950s had been lost through the processes of colonization, missionary influences and Australian governmental interference in the lives of Indigenous societies.

This book describes and analyses the writings and records compiled by the notable linguist, T.G.H. Strehlow (1908-1978), on Australian Aboriginal religions, particularly as practised by the Arrernte of the central desert region. During numerous research trips between 1932 and 1966, the local Indigenous Arrernte Elders entrusted him with sacred objects, allowed him to film their secret rituals and record their songs, partly because he was regarded as one of them, an ‘insider’, who they believed would help preserve their ancient traditions in the face of threats posed by outside forces. Strehlow characterised Arrernte society as ‘personal monototemism in a polytotemic community’. This concept provides an important insight into understanding how Arrernte society was traditionally organised and how the societal structure was re-enforced by carefully organised rituals. Strehlow’s research into this complex societal system is here examined both in terms of its meaning and current application and with reference to how the societal structure traditionally was interwoven into religious understandings of the world. It exemplifies precisely how the ‘insider-outsider’ problem is embodied in one individual: he was accepted by the Arrernte people as an insider who used this knowledge to interpret Arrernte culture for non-Indigenous audiences (outsiders). The volume documents how Strehlow’s works are contributing to the current repatriation by Australian Aboriginal leaders of rituals, ancient songs, meanings associated with sacred objects and genealogies, much of which by the 1950s had been lost through the processes of colonisation, missionary influences and Australian governmental interference in the lives of Indigenous societies.

Chapter 1 The Context: Central Australia, T.G.H. Strehlow and His Detractors Chapter 2 Restoring the Chain of Memory: A Theory of Religion and Indigenous Religions Chapter 3 Eternity: Arrernte Myths of Creation Chapter 4 Personal Monototemism in a Polytotemic Community Chapter 5 Songs of Central Australia Chapter 6 'One Hour Before Sunset': The Loss of Indigenous Religious Knowledge Chapter 7 Strehlow the 'Insider' as a Phenomenologist of Religion Chapter 8 T.G.H. Strehlow and the Repatriation of Knowledge in Central Australia Chapter 9 Knowledge, Tradition and Authority

• By (author) James L. Cox

"Restoring the Chain of Memory, presents a detailed assessment of Theodor Strehlow's work as well a critical discussion of those who challenged it. . . . His excellent insight into the impact of the Strehlow archive on today's indigenous Australians and its contribution to understanding makes this book a "must read" for anyone working on Australian indigenous cultures." --Bettina E. Schmidt, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
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