PREFACE

In the following pages, we have attempted to provide an account of the customs and social organization of some of the tribes living in Central Australia.

One of us has spent most of the past twenty years in the center of the continent. In his role as Sub-Protector of Aborigines original: "sub-protector of the Aborigines" — a government official responsible for Indigenous affairs; Francis James Gillen held this post at Alice Springs, which allowed him to build long-term relationships with the local people., he has had exceptional opportunities to interact with and gain the trust of the members of the large and important Arunta The tribe is now more commonly known and spelled as the Arrernte people. tribe. He has lived among them, and it is worth noting that both of us are considered fully initiated members of this tribe.

In July 1894, we met at Alice Springs during the scientific expedition organized by Mr. W. A. Horn of Adelaide. During that visit, one of us provided notes to Dr. E. C. Stirling, the expedition's anthropologist, which have since been published in the anthropological section of the official report. That report included all the information gathered up to that point regarding the Central tribes. To make our current account as complete as possible, we have had to revisit some of those same topics. However, it was very clear that regarding the customs and organization of the tribe, we were only at the beginning of our research. Because of this, we later decided to continue the work.