Bound volumes of expedition and office journals, notes and compilations

This series can be broken down into three major groups. The first group (AA 338/1/1/1 to AA 338/1/28) relates to observations and data recorded by Tindale in the field whilst on expedition. The second group (AA 338/1/29 to AA 338/1/44) comprises notes and data compiled on short trips or visits and related papers. Finally, the third group (AA 338/1/45 to AA 338/1/53/14) comprises desk journals that predominantly relate to the study of anthropological collections overseas and additional notes recorded later in his life on both entomology and anthropology. Together the journals form the core series of Tindale's life's work. The other series are records created to supplement and/or support the journals, such as maps and photographs. These have been carefully cross-referenced by Tindale.

Tindale developed his record-keeping skills on instruction from Sir Baldwin Spencer. Spencer taught Tindale to enter key data of the day each night prior to retiring. Tindale learned to record data on the right hand page leaving the left hand page blank for annotations, additions, insertion of photographs, pasting of correspondence and newspaper clippings and any other related or supported documentation. Spencer also imparted the wisdom of experience to bind the journal once it had reached approximately 500 pages with an index. It was also useful to insert a title page so that the volume could be quoted as a manuscript book in the future.

Tindale's journals record the day's events on both the left-hand and right-hand pages until the expedition to the Mann and Musgrave Ranges, North West of South Australia, from May to July 1933, and to Ernabella in August of the same year (AA 338/1/9). In addition, not all journals have indexes or contents lists, but some have both.

Bound volumes often contain supplementary material, such as newspaper clippings, photographs and reports relating to the expedition inserted at the time of binding or at a later date. (See series AA 338/2 for additional supplementary papers.)

For each journal entry, the relavent 'Tindale tribe' or tribes have been listed, and they have been drawn from the catalogue of tribes published in Tindale's 1974 Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. This publication is one way to gain entry to the journals.

Supplementary papers relating to journals

This series comprises supplementary papers created and/or collected by Tindale relating to the expeditions and visits. These records are in addition to the journals (see series AA 338/1) and were usually stored by Tindale in Kodak X-Ray Film boxes. Records include rough field notes, printed and hand drawn maps and diagrams, newspaper clippings, reports, specimen drawings and descriptions, reprints and so forth. Supplementary papers do not exist for all journals and the quantities can vary. Most of the papers were given a title by Tindale. However, a number are untitled. Supplementary papers were usually cross-referenced to the journals.

Indexes to journals

This series comprises rough indexes that Tindale created for his journals, most of which were later transcribed into the journals (see series AA 338/1). Some indexes have a line ruled across the page with a note stating that the index had been transcribed and was no longer required. A number of indexes were not completed and therefore were not transcribed into the journal.

Copies of journals

Tindale arranged for some of the journals to be typed with one or two carbon copies. These were stored in either filing cabinets or Kodak X-Ray boxes. Tindale notes whether a typescript copy has been checked for errors. Some typescript copies contain annotations, drawings and typed newspaper clippings. Typescript and carbon copy or copies of the same journal can differ.

Photographs relating to journals

This series contains photographic material that is supplementary to Norman Barnett Tindale's field notes and expedition journals from 1921 to 1991. Currently there are only 46 processed volumes of photographic images acquired by Tindale from 1921 to 1957. The remaining part of the photographic collection has yet to be processed. This includes: unsorted loose photographic and contact prints; photograph albums; slides etc., relating to Tindale's expeditions from 1957 onwards; overseas travels and visits to museums; personal photographs as well as copies of photographs from various publications.

The processed photographs relate to various research expeditions across Australia in which Tindale participated in including those under the auspices of the Board for Anthropological Research (see AA 346). The photographic material supports Tindale's work in the areas of social and physical anthropology, ethnography, archaeology, botany and entomology.

A great number of photographs have been annotated by Tindale himself. The annotations provide essential data about image, location and date, and often refer to corresponding journals. For that reason the annotations are treated as a primary source of information on the inventory level (AA 338/5/1 - AA 338/5/21). Each inventory item contains a detailed list of the photographs. In the summary of each inventory item there is a key to abbreviations which Tindale used in his annotations. The photographs are organised in volumes according to expeditions, and follow the chronological order of Tindale's journals where possible. The names of Australian Aboriginal groups have been cross-referenced with Tindale's 'Tribe index' which links to the catalogue in his 1974 publication: 'Aboriginal Tribes of Australia, the terrain, environmental controls, distribution limits and proper names'.

The photographic material appears in the following formats: photographic and contact prints, 35 mm film negatives, acetate negatives and positives, nitrate negatives, mounted photographs, transparencies. While a large number of these images are original there are also multiple copies which have accumulated over time. For the purpose of archival preservation, some of the photograph albums (originally put together by Tindale) have been disassembled, cross-referenced, and collated with loose duplicates and placed in archival folders or boxes.

Users are warned that some photographs in this collection may contain images and written descriptions that might be culturally sensitive. The gender specific images are not listed but they are placed in separate volumes marked as 'Restricted'.

Slides

This series comprises slides from expeditions, as well as travels later in Tindale's life. The slides have been divided by subject: Americas, Asia, Australian Anthropology, Australian Archaeology, Australian Geographical (by State), Australian Implements - axes and chopping tools, Botanical and mammalian, Europe and Africa, General Archaeology Anthropology, Pacific, Stone implements, professional and personal, Milerum [Clarence Long] and Botany, Mammals, Birds and Entomology. Tindale also included slides in his lecture papers.

The slides listed in the inventory for this series are housed in a photo album labelled 'Australian Archaeology' (volume 23).

Index cards relating to language research

This series comprises two sets of index cards. The first, stored in shoeboxes, was brought to the museum from California after Tindale's death in 1993. The second, housed in green metal drawers, remained at the museum after Tindale's retirement in the 1960s.

338/7/1/1 to 338/7/1/49 - Shoeboxes

These cards relate to a number of research concerns, including:

• general vocabulary collection (roughly 25% of items);
• South East of South Australia place name research for the Geographical Names Board (roughly 25% of items); and
• the use of vocabulary to map distributional patterns of cultural and natural phenomena across Australia (roughly 50% of items).

Tindale compiled the index cards from data he gathered in the field as well as from published literature and maps. These data were transcribed onto 7.6 x 12.6 cm index cards, and filed under tribe or subject headings. The information contained varies from card to card, depending on the particular research concern. A typical card contains a headword, a gloss, a tribe, a location and a reference. In many cases, cards contain further information about the functions of an item of material culture, mythological associations of a place name or information concerning tribal distribution, for example. If a word is drawn from the literature, it usually appears as a headword transcribed in Tindale's favoured orthographic system (IPA). It is important to appreciate, however, that this does not necessarily mean that Tindale heard the word pronounced and is thus providing a more accurate transcription.

The cards only rarely follow alphabetical order, and in which case they usually follow a particular system. For example, 'b's are filed with 'p's, 'd's with 't's and 'g's with 'k's. Tindale also used a colour coding system for many of his South East of South Australia (SE of SA) cards. Coding enabled him to move cards from one section (language) to another for comparative purposes and to assist retrieval.

Place name work led to a further peculiarity: within a single shoebox there may be two sections for a particular language: one consisting of place names and the other of general vocabulary items. This arrangement assisted Tindale in his attempts to establish English glosses and Aboriginal etymologies for place names found in the literature, on maps and in his manuscript materials. Many of the SE of SA place names are traceable to the pages of his 'Journal of Researches in the South East of S Australia' and 'Murray River Notes', and often indicate the identity of the informant (see Journals AA 338/1/33/1-3 and AA 338/1/31/1-2). The Atlas of South Australia, 1986 is an important published source for Tindale's place names.

Many of the cards contain references to information recorded on a map. See also map series AA 338/24 South East of South Australia - Hundreds and Counties.

The major portion of the shoebox files are devoted to Tindale's interest in using vocabulary to map the distributional patterns of cultural and natural phenomena across the continent (with the apparent exception of Tasmania). His research activities included tracing the distribution pattern of words for an animal (e.g., 'dingo'), a resource (e.g., 'water'), and an item of material culture (e.g., 'boomerang') (see Maps AA 338/22).

A number of cards may be classified as 'odd/working notes', and include notes on orthographic systems, informants, bibliographic references, for example. Also note that cards, such as those relating to material culture, occasionally include illustrations.

AA 338/7/2/1 to AA 338/7/2/60 - Green metal drawers

The green metal filing drawers remained at the museum after Tindale left for America in the 1960s.They contain vocabularies gathered from published literature sources and Tindale's fieldwork in many locations across Australia, and include vocabularies for particular languages as well as parallel and regional vocabularies.

Compiled vocabularies and grammatical sketches

The linguistic materials contained in this series were produced between the 1920s and 1980s. They reflect a range of activities conducted by Tindale, including: the collection of vocabularies in the field; the translation of manuscript vocabularies collected by other people; the adaption of vocabularies drawn from published historical sources; and the writing of sketch grammars. The materials relate to many and diverse regions within Australia, particularly Central and South Australia, but including also Queensland and Western Australia.

The various wordlists, paper slips, and notebooks contain information also found in Tindale's expedition journals (series AA 338/1) and index cards relating to language research (series AA 338/7).

Annotated source materials, linguistic papers and research notes

This series contains a variety of linguistic materials utilised by Tindale for research purposes.

The first part of the series, AA 338/9/1, contains source materials, including those previously published by other people and those remaining in manuscript form but gathered by others, to whichTindale added his own observations. Much of the material dates from the nineteenth century, and thus reflects Tindale's interest in Australia's early contact period. The vocabularies relate to a variety of regions in South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.

The second part of the series, AA 338/9/2, contains linguistic source materials, both published and manuscript, which do not contain Tindale's annotated observations. Finally, the third part of the series, AA 338/9/3, contains a variety of linguistic papers and research notes, including orthographic notes, correspondence, and working notes.

Notes and drafts for a proposed gazetteer of Aboriginal place names in the South East of South Australia

The materials contained in this series reflect Tindale's long held interest in Aboriginal place names, and relate in particular to a research project that remained incomplete at the time of his death in 1993. During the 1980s, Tindale devoted much of his time to preparing contributions to the official gazetteer of South Australia, then in the process of computerization. In consultation with the Geographical Names Board of the South Australian Government, Tindale gathered together from his voluminous writings, but also from other sources, Aboriginal place names in the South East of South Australia. In correspondence relating to the project, Tindale was informed that 'the basic aim of the gazetteer is to assemble in one file, all the names used or in use within South Australia, including such information as derivation/meaning, variant spellings etc and it is hoped that eventually all the Aboriginal place names recorded by you in South Australia will be included in the gazetteer, and where appropriate on the maps' (letter from the Secretary of the Geographical Names Board, M Medwell, to Tindale, 20 November 1986). As Tindale trawled through his writings, he amassed place name data on index cards filed under tribal headings (see Index cards relating to language research, series AA 338/7/1). Place names were also entered onto Hundred maps (see Maps - Hundreds and counties, South East of South Australia, AA 338/24).

As well as his contribution to the general gazetteer of the state, it was also proposed that Tindale would prepare a separate special gazetteer of Aboriginal place names in the South East of South Australia (note that for Tindale, the South East of South Australia included land from the lower Flinders Ranges south and east to the Victorian and New South Wales borders). Tindale's draft title for this volume was 'Aboriginal names of places in southern South Australia'. Besides the materials contained in this series, correspondence and Tindale's notes on matters relating to this project are also found in the volumes of his Canberra and California Journal for the 1980s (see especially AA 338/1/53/10 - AA 338/1/53/14).

Note that the materials in this series were originally contained in ring folders, and that, in moving them to archival folders, the South Australian Museum archive has preserved Tindale's original order.

Speech and sound recordings

Quantity: 147 wax cylinders, 22 acetate discs, 204 magnetic tapes, 34 cassettes

The materials contained in this series were gathered by Norman B Tindale between the years 1930 and c1990 and form a major part of the Speech and Sound collection of the South Australian Museum (SAM). Included are recordings of:

• Australian Aboriginal songs, stories, and vocabulary
• field interviews
• discussions between Tindale and colleagues
• audio correspondence
• radio interviews and television programmes
• music, social events and lectures delivered by Tindale and others

The recordings were made in various media, including: wax cylinders, acetate discs (78s), and magnetic tapes (reel-to-reel and cassette). Subject to cultural restrictions, copies of the recordings in digital form are available for public access. It should be noted that many of the Aboriginal songs and stories collected by Tindale were only recorded in written form. The written-only recordings can be found in Tindale's field journals (series AA 338/1) and Documentation for speech and sound recordings (series AA 338/12).

The wax cylinder recordings were made between the years 1930-c1954. Most relate to expeditions of the University of Adelaide's Board for Anthropological Research (BAR, see AA 346), of which Tindale was a regular member. In the early 1930s in particular, Tindale often collaborated with EH Davies (AA 71), TD Campbell (AA 52), and HK Fry (AA 105) in producing wax cylinder recordings. Note that not all of the wax cylinders recorded during BAR expeditions have survived.

The acetate disc recordings were made between the years 1932-1949 and are relatively few in number.

The magnetic tape recordings were made between the years 1956-c1990, and they include reel-to-reel magnetic tapes and cassettes. Although Tindale retired from the SAM in October 1965, he continued to pursue his research interests in Australia and in the United States until his death in 1993. The bulk of the magnetic tape recordings, however, relate to research in Australia in the 1960s.

Supporting documentation for the speech and sound recordings is located in a number of places. The most useful sources include Tindale's field journals (series AA 338/1) and song notebooks and related papers (series AA 338/12). Tindale often made transcriptions of songs at the time of recording, or soon after, and also noted contextual information such as the location of recording, biographical details of participants, and aspects of the performance, for example. Summaries of contents in Tindale's hand are found on many of the tape boxes, and these annotations have informed the item descriptions provided below. As mentioned, many songs recorded by Tindale exist in the SAM archive in written form only. Further details may also be found in Tindale's published articles, Alice M Moyle's (1966) A Handlist of Field Collections of Recorded Music in Australia and Torres Strait, and the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register (compiled in 1964, see AA 338/12/4 for a PDF download).

For archival purposes, it is useful to consider this series as comprising three main sections:

1. AA 338/11/1-26
   Recordings made between the years 1930 and 1964 and listed in the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register
2. AA 338/11/27-30
   Recordings made between 1964 and 1966 that are not listed in the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register
3. AA 338/11/31-39
   Recordings considered by Tindale to be his 'personal and study series' of tapes that arrived at the SAM after his death in 1993

Most of the materials contained in AA 338/11/1-26 are listed in the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register, a document compiled by Tindale for research purposes in 1964. The register concentrates on recordings made by Tindale and recordings received by him from correspondents in remote locations, such as Jack Doolan and PM Rice (see AA 632 and AA 267 respectively). Note that it does not list the entire SAM Speech and Sound Collection. The register lists song texts that exist in a variety of formats: some are audio records and some exist merely as transcriptions in the papes of Tindale's journals and notebooks. The registers provides the listed texts with an 'AS' identification number. In many cases, these numbers are included in the item descriptions given below. It is possible to consult the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register and find a link to relevant pages in Tindale's journals where fuller descriptions are often found (see AA 338/12/4). It is also important to note that while the item level descriptions given below draw upon Moyle (1966) and the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register, there are discrepancies between these sources and some revisions have been made for the sake of clarity and accuracy.

The recordings contained in AA 338/11/27-30 do not appear in the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register. They apparently entered the Speech and Sound Collection at the SAM in the 1960s and were not taken by Tindale to the United States. Note that additional material relating to the Yalata (1964-1965) and Musgrave Range (1966) fieldtrips are located in AA 338/11/31-39.

Items contained in AA 338/11/31-39 were considered by Tindale to be his personal and study collection of tapes. The tapes arrived at the SAM in labelled shoeboxes after Tindale's death in 1993. Most were made after Tindale's retirement from the SAM, but the shoeboxes also contained copies of recordings made prior to 1965 for study purposes in the United States. Most of the duplicate tapes have been removed by the archive.

The recordings contained in AA 338/11/1-26 and AA 338/11/27-30 are grouped chronologically and according to expedition, field trip, or recording session. Those contained in AA 338/11/31-39 are generally grouped according to topic (usually provided by Tindale on the shoeboxes).

Items AA 338/11/1-26 (wax cylinders, acetate discs and magnetic tapes) relate to the following expeditions, field trips or recording sessions:

AA 338/11/

1. MacDonald Downs (NT) 1930
2. Magpie series c1930
3. Cockatoo Creek (NT) 1931
4. Mt Liebig (NT) 1932
5. Clarence Long series (SA) 1932
6. Mann & Musgrave Ranges (SA) 1933
7. Crow Story, Tangane Tribe, Coorong (SA) 1934
8. Story of Waijungari, Jaralde Tribe (SA) 1934
9. Ooldea (SA) 1934
10. Diamantina (SA) 1934
11. Warburton Range (WA) 1935
12. Clarence Long series (SA) 1937-38
13. Harvard-Adelaide Universities Expedition 1938-39
14. Albert Karloan series 1940
15. Fanny Cochrane Smith series 1949
16. Haast Bluff (NT) 1957
17. Mornington Islands series (Qld) 1960
18. Bentinck Island series (Qld) 1960
19. John Reese Interview 1960
20. Excavation of rock shelter at Noola (NSW) 1961
21. Palm Island (Qld) 1963
22. Gulf of Carpentaria Expedition 1963
23. Rawlinson Range Expedition (WA) 1963
24. Myths of Kungkarungkara 1964
25. Papunya (NT) 1964
26. Interview with John Irrgang 1964

Items contained in AA 338/11/27-30, those materials recorded on magnetic tape between 1964 and 1966 that are not listed in the SAM Speech and Sound Collections register, are listed in this guide under the following headings:

AA 338/11/

27. Gerard (SA) 1964
28. Yalata (SA) 1964
29. Yalata (SA) 1965
30. Musgrave Range (SA) 1966

Items contained in AA 338/11/31-39, Tindale's 'personal and study series', are listed under the following headings:

AA 338/11/

31. Harold Davies series; Simpson Desert 1962; Crabtree pressure flaking; F Bordes Extracts; Songs from Arnhem Land
32. 'John Greenway series'
33. Yalata (SA) 1964-65; Western Musgrave Ranges (SA) 1966
34. 'J Mason series [1964]; Milerum; Jarildekald; Tanganekald'
35. 'Tapes: W. Australia 1966, 1968, 1972'
36. 'Australian Anthropology'
37. 'N B Tindale: Cassette Tape Collection'
38. 'Cinefilm descriptions, lectures'
39. Additions to Tindale's personal and study series

Note that much of the material contained in this series is of a culturally sensitive nature and public access is subject to restrictions.

Documentation for speech and sound recordings

This series contains a broad range of documents relating to NB Tindale's speech and sound recordings (series AA 338/11). Tindale's speech and sound recordings were made over a sixty year period (c1930-c1990) in a range of media, including Edison wax cylinders, acetate discs, and magnetic tapes (reel-to-reel and cassette). Their contents include: Aboriginal songs, narratives, and oral histories; field interviews and conversations; recordings of lectures, personal events, and media interviews.

Much of the documentation in this series consists of Tindale's own written records. Tindale was a fastidious record keeper, amassing volumes of field journals, field notebooks, office journals, and also compiling a detailed speech and sound register. Many of the field journals and notebooks contain details of recording sessions, often including transcriptions and English translations and such details as singer and place of recording. Some of the documentation included in this series relates to the management of the speech and sound collection by the South Australian Museum (SAM) and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). These documents are often concerned with issues such as copying and access conditions. An important reference document is the S. A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections register. Tindale began compiling this document in 1963, and it contains contextual information about his sound recordings up to 1964. Some of this information appears in summary form in Alice Moyle's (1966) A Handlist of Field Collections of Recorded Music in Australia and Torres Strait. In 1980, the SAM Speech and Sound Collection was transferred to magnetic tape preservation reels, with a preservation copy being sent to AIATSIS. At AIATSIS further documentation was produced: Grace Koch produced a transcription (or preservation) tape catalogue and transcriptions for the Western Australia 1966-1968 series of Tindale's fieldtapes.

The main items in this series are:

1. Song records (notebooks)
2. Tape records (journals)
3. Tape records (papers)
4. 'S.A. Museum Speech and Sound Collections' register
5. Documents for wax cylinder transfer
6. 'Re-recording of wax cylinders'
7. Notes relating to the Fanny Cochrane Smith recordings
8. Transcript of Albert Karloan's 'Story of Peindjali and Perolge'
9. Transcription catalogues of discs and magnetic tapes
10. Notes and correspondence relating to the speech and sound collection
11. Documents relating to copying Norman B Tindale's magnetic tape recordings
12. Correspondence with AIATSIS regarding cataloguing and access conditions
13. Audition catalogue of Western Australia 1966-1968 fieldtapes
14. Draft catalogues for wax cylinder and acetate disc transfer
15. Transcription tape catalogue

Other relevant documentation not contained in this series include Tindale's field journals (series AA 338/1) and published articles. Note that song texts are scattered through the Tindale journals. Published articles include Tindale, 1937, 'Native songs of the South East of South Australia', Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, Vol. 61, pp. 107-120; and Tindale, 1941, 'Native songs of the South East of South Australia, Part 2', Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, Vol. 65(2), 1941, pp. 233-243.

While consulting items in this series it is important to bear in mind that while Tindale often appeared to ascribe songs to tribal groups on the basis of the singer's associations, the actual language or cultural ownership of the song in question is not necessarily attested in the web catalogue descriptions below. In many cases this awaits further work upon the collection.

Note that some of the documentation in this series also relates to the broader South Australian Museum Speech and Sound Collection. References can be found to collections such as EH Davies (AA 70), Jack Doolan (AA 632), and PM Rice (AA 247).

Drafts and manuscripts related to published papers

This series has not yet been processed.

'Private Research Notes - Anthropology' [Filing cabinets]

This series consists of Tindale's research notes filed in manilla folders and stored in two filing cabinets. A note on the top drawer reads, 'Norman B. Tindale, Hon Associate, Private Research Notes, Anthropology'. The folders are arranged alphabetically by subject, with some folders unlabelled. The series includes draft manuscripts and working notes on topics relating to physical anthropology and archaeology, copies of published material, personal correspondence, photographs, Australian and overseas travel plans, receipts and additional material relating to expedition journals, professional societies and Tindale's study of the Lepidoptera moth.

Maps - Expeditions, field work and personal research (not including South East of South Australia)

This series comprises maps annotated by Tindale during expeditions and field trips throughout Australia from the 1920s to the 1970s. The series also contains those maps compiled at his desk to further research on 'tribal' boundaries. Except for a small number of maps containing data from Tindale's early field work in South Australia including the south east, this series does not include his maps of southeastern South Australia. For a description of maps relating primarily to Tindale's research in the south east of South Australia, see series AA 338/16 and AA 338/24. See also a copy of JG Reuther's map (AA 266) of Aboriginal place names in the eastern Lake Eyre region of South Australia (drawn by HG Hillier, 1904). This annotated map contains 'Tribal distribution data as worked out by N. B. Tindale 1930-35.'

The function of the maps was to support or supplement Tindale's journals. For example, the series includes maps relating to journals kept by Tindale on the University of Adelaide's Board for Anthropological Reseach expeditions. (See series AA 338/1 for a description and list of journals.) Included in this series are annotated topographical, aerial survey, pastoral and road maps, as well as hand drawn maps and others he obtained from colleagues. Tindale recorded original data from informants, including Aboriginal place names, clan names and 'tribal' boundaries. He also recorded expedition routes and scientific data (e.g. archaeological, botanical, entomological, geographical and geological). Many maps contain references to published and unpublished sources, thereby providing links to related research. Some 'field maps' are clearly linked to a particular expedition or journal entry, whereas others contain data compiled over years onto a single map. Annotations on many maps are neither dated nor clearly associated with a particular trip.

Tindale occasionally made copies of the annotated maps, to which he added corrections or conclusions in another ink colour. In some instances, a copy was later made of the annotated copy and further notes added. As a result, ink colour may provide a clue to date of annotation. The maps are arranged in chronological order by date of annotation or printing. If dates of annotation and printing are unknown, an approximate date or 'date unknown' has been recorded in the description. Within this chronological arrangement, maps are grouped by expedition and/or geographical region.

Where relevant, 'Tindale tribes' are listed and linked to the Catalogue published in Tindale's 1974 publication Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Descriptions of maps can be accessed via the Catalogue.

A small number of maps relating to Tindale's personal research outside of Australia, including Japan, Malaya and North America, have been included in this series. They are listed at the end of the inventory.

Maps - South East of South Australia

This series comprises maps annotated by Tindale during field trips to southeastern South Australia from the 1920s to the 1970s. The maps contain data collected on the trips as well as from his short visits and ongoing research, including intensive site recording in the Lower Murray and Lakes regions. The whole of the Lower Murray region is generally considered today to be the country of the Ngarrindjeri people. Other areas represented include the Fleurieu Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. A number of maps contain a summary of data recorded on the 'hundred' and county maps found in series AA 338/24. For a description of maps relating to Tindale's research in other areas of South Australia and regions throughout Australia, see series AA 338/15.

The function of these maps was to support or supplement Tindale's journals. (See series AA 338/1 for a description and list of journals.) Included in this series are annotated topographical, pastoral and road maps, as well as those he obtained from colleagues. Tindale recorded original data from informants, including Aboriginal place names, clan names, 'tribal' boundaries and the tracks of Dreaming Ancestors. He also recorded archaeological, botanical, entomological, geographical and geological data. Many maps contain references to published and unpublished sources, thereby providing links to related research.

Some maps are clearly linked to a particular trip or journal entry, whereas others contain data compiled over years onto a single sheet. Tindale occasionally made copies of his maps, to which he added corrections or conclusions in another ink colour. In some instances, a copy was later made of the annotated copy and further notes added. As a result, ink colour may provide a clue to date of annotation. The maps are arranged roughly in chronological order by date of annotation or printing. If dates of annotation and printing are unknown, an approximate date or 'date unknown' has been recorded in the description. Within this chronological arrangement, maps are grouped by related journal and/or geographical region.

Where relevant, 'Tindale tribes' are listed and linked to the Catalogue published in Tindale's 1974 publication Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Descriptions of maps can be accessed via the Catalogue.

In 1978, Tindale contributed Aboriginal place name data compiled from a number of his annotated maps for a map published for the UNESCO Regional Seminar on the 'Role of Museums in the Preservation of Indigenous Cultures', held in Adelaide (see maps AA 338/16/57-67). The new map, titled: 'Aboriginal Landscape of the Lower Murray Valley South Australia', accompanied an 'Excursion Guide' for visitors written by Tindale and Graeme Pretty of the South Australian Museum (see maps AA 338/16/68-70). The guide may be found in Robert Edwards and Jenny Stewart, eds, Preserving Indigenous Cultures: A new role for museums. Papers from a regional seminar, Adelaide Festival Centre, 10-15 September 1978, Canberra: AGPS, 1980.

Maps - 'Map Showing the Distribution of the Aboriginal Tribes of Australia', published 1940

This series comprises annotated copies of Tindale's 'Map Showing the Distribution of the Aboriginal Tribes of Australia', published in 'Results of the Harvard-Adelaide Universities Anthropological Expedition, 1938-1939, Distribution of Australian Aboriginal Tribes: A Field Survey' (in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 64(1), 1940). (See also series AA 338/1/15 'Harvard and Adelaide Universities Anthropological Expedition, Australia, 1938-1939. Journal and notes by Norman B. Tindale.')

Beginning in the 1920s, Tindale set out to prove that Aboriginal groups did relate to territorially distinct regions that could be successfully mapped. Based upon expedition data, field work among Aboriginal people and published and unpublished data obtained by other researchers, the map is a precursor to Tindale's 1974 Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia (see series AA 338/19).

'Tribal' names, geographical features, major cities, states and references to archaeological sites are printed in black. 'Defined' and 'approximate Tribal Boundaries' and 'limits of distribution of rite of circumcision' and 'sub-incision' are printed in green. An inset at bottom right includes the state of Tasmania. Other information includes 'Notes regarding phonetic symbols employed: these Tribal Names are written in the Alphabet of the International Phonetic Association as adapted to Australian Languages by a Committee at the University of Adelaide 1930-31.' Scale: 1 inch = 100 miles or 16 mm = 100 km (approximate).

Tindale's annotations include additions and corrections to boundaries and Aboriginal place names. Only one map includes the date of annotation (1952).

Maps - 'World Aeronautical Chart series'

Tindale's map of Aboriginal 'tribes' (1974) was originally compiled on a set of 'World Aeronautical Charts' published by the Division of National Mapping, Department of National Development, Commonwealth of Australia (1953-1969). Scale ICAO 1:1,000,000 or 1 inch = 16 miles. The data were later transferred to a four-sheet map, 'Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia', published in 1974 with his book, Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. An earlier version was published in 1940 as 'Map Showing the Distribution of the Aboriginal Tribes of Australia' (see series AA 338/17).

The 44 aeronautical charts contain Tindale's hand-written 'tribal' names in the International Phonetic System. 'Defined' and 'approximate' boundary lines are drawn in black and red felt-tipped pen, with changes made in white correction fluid. In addition to the boundaries, maps may contain 'original data', 'personal research' or data copied from other sources. Most annotations are undated. Included in this series are two location keys to Tindale's charts. The first is a hand-drawn grid map superimposed on a published base map of Australia. The map divides the continent into numbered geographical areas which correspond to the charts (see item AA 338/18/1). The second is a topographic map series index published by Division of National Mapping (Canberra, Australia, 1972). This brochure also serves as a location key to the numbered aeronautical charts (see item AA 338/18/2).

A number of Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia maps in this series contain cross-references to titles of earlier 'Australian Aeronautical Maps' used by Tindale to record data from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) - University of Adelaide Anthropological Expedition to North West Australia in 1953. These maps may be found in series AA 338/15 (see descriptions of maps related to the UCLA Expedition beginning with map AA 338/15/71).

Also included in the series is a 'National Mapping Office Map Catalogue' (Commonwealth of Australia, first edition, 1955). The catalogue lists title, scale and price of maps available for purchase from the Mapping Office, including the 'Australian Aeronautical Maps' mentioned above (see item AA 338/18/47).

Where relevant, 'Tindale tribes' are listed and linked to the Catalogue published in Tindale's 1974 publication Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Descriptions of maps can be accessed via the Catalogue.

Maps - 'Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia', published 1974

This series comprises drafts, printer's proofs and annotated sheets of Tindale's 'Tribal Boundaries in Aboriginal Australia' map published in 1974. Tindale's annotations include additions and corrections to published boundaries and Aboriginal 'tribes' and place names, and references to published and unpublished sources (see also series AA 338/18). The map was originally published in the United States as part of Tindale's book, Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names, by the University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London and in Australia by Australian National University Press. The set is printed on four sheets labelled Southwest, Northwest, Northeast and Southeast, with map title printed on the Southwest sheet. A subtitle reads: 'Geographic II Spelling as used by Dr. N. B. Tindale in his book Aboriginal Tribes of Australia published by University of California Press, 1974.'

'Tribal' names and boundaries are printed in dark blue. States, place names, major cities and geographical features are printed in brown or blue. Other information includes boundaries of subincision and circumcision rites. Map boundaries 'were drawn by Winifred Mumford on a base map produced by the Division of National Mapping, Department of National Development, Canberra, Australia.' Scale: 96 mm = 150 statute miles or 60 mm = 200 km. The 1974 map is a revision of Tindale's 1940 'Map Showing the Distribution of the Aboriginal Tribes of Australia' published in 'Results of the Harvard-Adelaide Universities Anthropological Expedition, 1938-1939, Distribution of Australian Aboriginal Tribes: A Field Survey' (Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 64(1), 1940) (see series AA 338/17).

Included in this series is a set of four annotated sheets with 'tribal' names and boundaries compiled in green ink on a different base map. One sheet includes a note by Tindale dated 1970. (See maps AA 338/19/1-4) Also included are printer's proofs and colour reproductions of the published maps.

Where relevant, 'Tindale tribes' are listed and linked to the Catalogue published in Tindale's 1974 publication Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Descriptions of maps can be accessed via the Catalogue.

Maps - Aerial survey photographs of islands in Gulf of Carpentaria, Queensland, 1951

Supplementary to: 'Visit to Bentinck and Mornington Islands, Queensland by Norman B. Tindale. 1960.' (AA 338/1/23)

Also supplementary to: 'Journal of Visit to the Gulf of Carpentaria by Norman B Tindale. 1963.' (AA 338/1/25)

This series comprises one photo album holding 38 black and white photographic prints from aerial surveys entitled 'Mornington' and 'Westmoreland'. The surveys include islands in the region of Mornington and Bentinck Islands, Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Queensland, Australia. 'Mornington' and 'Westmoreland' refer to the names of the survey flight paths. There are a total of 19 images, with one mat and glossy print per image. Tindale recorded Aboriginal place names in pencil or pen on 14 of the mat prints. The survey photographs function as maps.

Maps - 'Air photographs of Lake Menindee area', New South Wales, 1960-1961

Supplementary to: 'Lake Menindee' journals of visits to fossil sites by Norman B. Tindale, Volumes 1-3, 1939-1962 (AA 338/1/39).

Also supplementary to: 'Journal on Campsites and Stone Implements of the Australian aborigines; and others; notes etc., by Norman B. Tindale. Vol 4 with index. Adelaide S. Aust. 1961-1965' (AA 338/1/40/2).

This series comprises one photo album holding 31 black and white photographic prints of aerial surveys of Lake Menindee and Lake Tandou in New South Wales, Australia. The aerial photographs, which were taken during survey 'runs' dated 1960-1961, relate to Tindale's research at Lake Menindee fossil site (see journal AA 338/1/39/3). Also included are handwritten notes and a photocopy of the cover of the cardboard box in which they were stored.

Maps - Continental distribution of material culture traits, etc.

[Previous title: Maps - 'Australia' subject maps]

This series contains 102 small annotated base maps of continental Australia and the world. Each map contains data compiled by Tindale on a particular subject relating to the distribution of material culture, mainly in Australia. Areas of research represented include physical anthropology, archaeology, geography and botany. Also included in the series is a map entitled 'Field Stations of N. B. Tindale 1921 - 1965' (AA 338/22/66) and a map of 'N. B. Tindale's Journey into Western Desert', 1957 - 1964 (AA 338/22/67).

The exact date range of the annotations is unknown. However, dates recorded in Tindale's annotations, c1890 to c1979, refer to his journals, manuscripts and other unpublished and published sources. A number of maps contain extensive notes recorded over time in various ink, pencil and crayon colours. Subjects covered in this series include the distribution of customs and traditions associated with burial, circumcision and subincision, Aboriginal terminology for plants and animals, vegetation distribution and use, 'tribal' distribution and systems of social organisation, population 'types', smallpox, stone implements, trade routes and markets, 'culture sequences' and climate.

In addition to Tindale's data, notes refer to artifacts or objects held in the South Australian Museum collections, 'basic data published' in Records of the South Australian Museum and earlier published and unpublished sources. Many maps contain references to the 'Journal on Campsites and Stone Implements of the Australian aborigines; and others; Notes, etc., by Norman B. Tindale.' 1940-1989 (AA 338/1/40). There are several versions of the black and white base maps, which vary in size. The 23 small maps comprising AA 338/22/70 are housed in an album. The six maps comprising AA 338/22/75 were sketched by Tindale on tracing paper.

Maps - Sketch maps showing Aboriginal 'tribes'

This series comprises small maps drawn by Tindale in coloured and lead pencils on drawing paper. The undated maps, c1940 to 1974, show 'tribal' names and boundaries, and latitude and longitude. The maps are untitled except for one, 'Patrilineal Hordes of the Tribes Near the Murray Mouth' (South Australia). Several include Aboriginal place names in india ink and other annotations by Tindale.

These sketch maps contain the data used in black and white figures (same scale) drawn later by Harold E Burrrows of the South Australian Museum. The figures were printed in various publications, including Tindale's 1974 book, Aboriginal Tribes of Australia, by the University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London and in Australia by Australian National University Press.

'Tindale tribes' are listed and linked to the Catalogue published in Tindale's 1974 publication Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Descriptions of maps can be accessed via the Catalogue.

Maps - Hundreds and counties, South East of South Australia

This series comprises hundred maps* and a small number of county maps used by Tindale to record data gathered on trips to southeastern South Australia. In general, Tindale used a method of area subdivision, whereby he recorded 'original data' on hundred maps, later compiling and transcribing data onto a corresponding county or other large area map.

Tindale recorded original data from informants, including Aboriginal place names, clan names, 'tribal' boundaries and the tracks of Dreaming Ancestors. He also recorded expedition routes and scientific data (e.g. archaeological, botanical, entomological and geological). Areas represented include the Lower Murray and Lakes regions, the Coorong, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo Island. The whole of the Lower Murray region is generally considered today to be the country of the Ngarrindjeri people. See series AA 338/16 for additional maps relating to Tindale's research in South Australia's South East.

Tindale occasionally made copies of maps, to which he added corrections or conclusions in another ink colour. In some instances, a copy was made of this annotated copy and further notes added. As a result, ink colour may provide a clue to the date of annotation. Maps are arranged alphabetically by name of hundred and name of county. Hundred maps are numbered 1-106, with 'Forster' and 'Ridley' numbered 105-106. County maps are numbered 107-130. When date of printing differs on maps with the same title, the date has been included in the title line.

A number of maps in this series contain a note by Tindale referring to his transcription of 'tribal', clan or place name data onto 'place name cards'. See series AA 338/7 for index cards relating to Tindale's language research.

Where relevant, 'Tindale tribes' are listed and linked to the Catalogue published in Tindale's 1974 publication Aboriginal tribes of Australia, their terrain, environmental controls, distribution, limits, and proper names. Descriptions of maps can be accessed via the Catalogue.

* What is a hundred map? Land administrators in early South Australia divided the province into counties, then into smaller units called hundreds, each consisting of an area of roughly 100 square miles. The hundred maps were compiled by the Surveyor-General and printed by the Government Photolithographer. (Reference and further reading: State Records of South Australia, Ancestors in Archives, Adelaide, 2000, pp. 27-28, 36.)

Expedition Films, 1934-1937

from South Australian Museum Expeditions

This series contains two expedition film made by Norman B Tindale. The first film (AA 338/25/1) was shot at Ooldea, South Australia in 1934. The second film (AA 338/25/2) was shot at The Coorong, South Australia in 1937.

Tindale was a collaborating cinematographer with Herbert M Hale (AA 124) during the South Australian Museum expedition to North Queensland where they filmed 'Natives of Princess Charlotte Bay, Queensland,' 1926-1927 (AA 124/1), as well as the cinematographer for numerous Board for Anthropological Research (BAR) expedition films from 1929 to 1966 (AA 346/9).

In addition there is a film NB Tindale shot whilst on his on his trip to the United States of America and Europe during 1936-1937. This film consists of scenes from Stockholm, Copenhagen, Boston, New York, San Francisco and Honolulu. This film has not been digitally transferred or summarised. See NB Tindale Journal (AA 338/1/46/1-3).

'Manuscript Documents on Tribes'

This series comprises mansucript material that contained data relating to distribution and culture of Australian Aboriginal people which was subsequently published in Tindale's 'Aboriginal Tribes of Australia', 1974. The manuscripts are listed in the Reference section for each 'tribe' in the 'Catalog of Australian Aboriginal Tribes'.

In the Inventory descriptions, Tindale's preferred spelling of Tindale Tribes are denoted in square brackets.

Bibliography of Norman B Tindale's journal publications, 1922-1965

The list of journal publications was compiled by Norman B Tindale.