UNIT 2 EXAM 2 ANTH205 10 15 TIWI AND AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES HISTORY It s the only continent that s also a country Populated 50 000 years ago Land bridge or on boats 500 000 individuals at European contact Maintained some contact with Papuan cultures but limited The Dingo has been in Australia for 5 000 years Prior to the Dingo the Thylacine was the major predator o More closely related to the koala bear POPULATIONS 500 languages at European contact There are numerous groups a number of isolated islands o 3 MAJOR ISLANDS Tasmania Torres Straight Culturally and genetically separate from rest of Aboriginal population Mix of Australian Papua New Guinea Population of 48 000 only 6 000 live on islands Largely relied on marine resources shellfish fish dugongs sea turtles Great seafaring skills Tiwi ONLY 10 LIVED IN DESERT CULTURAL PATTERNS All hunter gatherers except the torres straight Polygyny gerontocracy Dreamtime Religion CURRENT SITUATION The Stolen Generations describes the generations of aborigines o For much of the 20th century many children forcibly removed o o o o o and acculturated into WHITE society Upwards of 100 000 children Largely children of mixed descent An attempt to wipe out the Aborigine race forever New largely urbanized and Christian Health crime and abuse problems in remote population centers WALPIRI o Population 3 000 o Human presence in central desert for 5 000 years o Forced sedentarization began in 1940s o Semi Desert environment o Men hunted kangaroo and emu with o KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE Population divided into 8 kinship groups Membership alternate back and forth from generation to generation Preferred marriage is to someone in maternal grandmothers group cross cousins TIWI o o o o o o o Live on two main islands Melville and Bathurst Total 3 200 square miles slightly larger than Delaware Population 2 000 to 3 000 Divided into 8 large marukupupuni countries 4 major exogamous matrilineal clans Ideal marriage is to member of fathers clan cross cousin SUBSISTENCE Hunt small species of possum goannas shellfish wallabies Forage seas and estuaries in canoes for turtle dugong fish Collect tubers nuts o PUKUMANI AND DEATH is a ceremony of the TIWI PUKUMANI refers to taboo activities as well as death ceremony Upon death close relatives must refrain from numerous activities Must also perform ceremony to encourage deceased to accept place in the death world Through dance individuals able to interact with spirit children and the deceased Perhaps best known for elaborate grave poles Relate to prestige of the individual and are painstakingly prepared MARRIAGE Traditional belief that girls women must always be married As soon as they are born they need to be married as soon as their husband died they would need to be remarried Daughters often betrothed before birth Men were often betrothed mothers in law and would marry their future daughters Daughters were an asset to fathers could invest them in important relationships Many men become polygynous CURRENT SITUATION Land Rights Act of 1976 returned ownership of the islands to the TIWI Currently largely urban focusing on tourism and art Still maintain many cultural practices and ceremonies Most marriages are now monogamous Mostly Christian SEXUAL PROHIBITIONS Biblical stated in Leviticus 18 male point of view Prohibits sexual relations with daughter inlaw sister in law step relatives First cousins was ook Western RACIAL ENDOGAMY 98 of Caucasian men and women marry other Caucasians MARITAL RITUALS Engagement Attire Exchanging of vows rings Kissing the bride Presentation 10 15 2013 10 15 2013