Item #144289 The complete series of five booklets on the cultural practices of Indigenous Australians of the Darling River Valley and Central NSW, published between 1941 and 1950. Lindsay BLACK.

BLACK, Lindsay

The complete series of five booklets on the cultural practices of Indigenous Australians of the Darling River Valley and Central NSW, published between 1941 and 1950

Octavo, five volumes; pictorial wrappers (the first and last items) or card covers; uneven discolouration to two card covers; overall, in excellent condition.

(1) Burial Trees. Being the First of a Series on the Aboriginal Customs of the Darling Valley and Central New South Wales. Melbourne, Robertson & Mullens Ltd., 1941. 40 pages with a map and 24 illustrations.

(2) Cyclons. The Mystery Stones of the Darling River Valley. [Leeton, The Author], 1942. 104 pages with 2 maps and 53 pages of illustrations.

(3) Aboriginal Art Galleries of Western New South Wales. [Leeton, The Author], 1943. 80 pages with 2 maps and 62 illustrations.

(4) The Bora Ground. [Leeton, The Author], 1944. 64 pages with 5 diagrams and 33 illustrations.

(5) Stone Arrangements. Perth, Paterson Brokensha Pty. Ltd., 1950. 64 pages with 7 diagrams and 24 pages of illustrations.

Reginald Lindsay Black (1886-1959) 'spent much of his childhood in Melbourne. After becoming the manager of Canally Station, he became a farmer on the irrigation settlement in Leeton, New South Wales. Soon after, Black became a stock and station agent in this area which was eventually carried on by his youngest son, Langdon....

He significantly contributed to the Anthropological understanding of Australian Aboriginal culture. He documented various Aboriginal customs in Darling River and Central New South Wales, areas he was very familiar with. Through photography taken by his eldest son Russell and associations with the South Australian Museum and the National Museum of Victoria, Black helped capture practices such as the carved burial trees of New South Wales, various forms of art work and Aboriginal stone arranging practices. Black held a deep appreciation for Aboriginal culture and was instrumental in working with the local Aboriginal community to have a better understanding to help preserve and learn from this rich, cultural knowledge' (SA Museum website). The extent of his interest may be gauged from his preface to the book on cyclons: 'During the last 40 years I have examined all possible evidence in the hope of getting some definite information about the significance or use of the cyclons. It appears that none of the later generation of aborigines either used cyclons or even knew anything of their purpose'.

The preface to the fifth part concludes with 'At an early date I hope to describe widows' caps, grave markers and the small implements used in the Darling River territory'; this volume did not eventuate. [5 items].