Preface
Restoring the Chain of Memory - T.G.H. Strehlow and the Repatriation of Australian Indigenous Knowledge - James L. Cox
James L. Cox [+ ]
University of Edinburgh and Western Sydney University
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James L. Cox is Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, University of Edinburgh,and Adjunct Professor in the Religion and Society Research Cluster, Western Sydney University. He has particular interests in the study of Indigenous Religions, with emphases on Africa, the Arctic and Australia and in methodologies in the academic study of religions.
Description
The Preface sets out the aims of the book, the outline of chapters and then discusses particularly sensitive issues raised by an outside researcher writing about Australian Indigenous peoples, their culture and the current repatriation of knowledge project being undertaken in Central Australia. A point of importance relates to how secret knowledge, traditionally available only to initiated men, is treated in the book. Reasons are provided in support of the author’s decision to introduce into contemporary studies a description and analysis of the writings of T.G.H. Strehlow on the myths, ceremonies and social structure of Arrernte religion and culture.