This manuscript contains the original works of David Unaipon's Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines.
'Perhaps some day Australian writers will use aboriginal myths and weave literature from the, the same as other writers have done with the Roman, Greek, Norse, and Arthurians legends...' (David Unaipon)
David outlines the traditions, customs and laws of the aboriginal people.
This loose leaf section is numbered 2:1-5.
Shows hand written corrections.
A story from the Berrwerina people of the Darling River, New South Wales.
Benjamin Miller describes this story in the following way: 'a creation story about a Water Spirit who desires to enter the material world. A Lyre Bird, who is adept at singing the songs of other animals, is asked by a spirit to sing into a stream. After much beautiful singing a Being emerges from the water. The Lyre Bird names the Being "Gool lun naga, a son of the clear running stream of water"'.
Source: Benjamin Miller, 'David Unaipon's Style of Subversion: Performativity and Becoming in "Gool Lun Naga (Green Frog)"', JASAL Special Issue (2008):84.
The author talks about the hunting practices of the Australian Aboriginals.
A story about the tortoise and his conflict with the Eaglehawk.
This loose leaf section is numbered 10: 2-7.
Also included hand written corrections.
The story of two sisters who fall in love with the same boy.
Author's Note: Incomplete.
This loose leaf section is numbered 12:1-3.
The story of a man called The Mar Kar Ree and his trail of looking for a wife.
The author talks about the customs,rituals, and laws of marriage between men and women in Australian Aboriginal societies.
Titled as: Marriage Customs of the Australia Aborigines
This loose leaf sections is numbered 14:1-8.
Hand written corrections.
In a comparison to the biblical stories of the forces of good and evil, the author presents this story of crow from the Narrinyur people, an Aboriginal representation of good and evil which has played an important part in their traditions and legends.
'Narroondarie is the name of one of the many good men that were sent among the various tribes of the Australian Aborigines...' (David Unaipon, 1924-25)
The author talks about the concept of human nature and its similarities between all nationalities, languages, and religions. Further, he talks of the institution of the custom Nhung E umpie, a custom that practices the removal of a portion of the navel cord from mother and child at birth.
The author talks of the traditional custom of Panp Parl Lowa which translates as "Do unto others as you world that they should do unto you". (David Unaipon, 1924-25)
this loose leaf section is numbered 18:1-5.
Includes hand written corrections.
The author talks of the universal spirit of sport, even among the Australian Aboriginals.
Mungingee is the Aboriginal legend of the creation of constellation Pleiades, and a story of endurance and control.
This loose leaf section is numbered 20:1-3.
Includes an introduction.
Legendary Tales of the Australian Aborigines
1924-1925
(Manuscript version)x401148
Z900600
1924
selected work
prose
dreaming story
(taught in 1 units)
Originally written in the 1920s by David Unaipon. The original work was edited by W. Ramsay Smith and published in 1930 credited to W. Ramsay Smith as Myths & Legends of the Australian Aboriginals, without acknowledgement of Unaipon's authorship. Shoemaker and Muecke republished it in 2001 under Unaipon's name and original title.
AustLit uses the original Unaipon title as the main title showing Ramsay Smith's title as an alternative title on those editions published prior to the restitution edition.
Myths and Legends of the Australian Aborigines
Myths & Legends of the Australian Aboriginals
Alice Bolingbroke Woodward
(illustrator),
W. Ramsay Smith
,
London
:
Harrap
,
1930
6080162
1930
selected work
prose
dreaming story
This 1930s publication describes the legends of the Australian Aborigines located in the southeast corner of Australia near the Murray River. It covers a range of narratives from the creation stories to those of witchcraft, and explanations of landmarks. (Source: Preface).
