Andrew Lang to Howitt 1 December
Transcription - Page 5
[left column]
of persons of various
totems by descent.
They may neither marry
in their local totem
group, nor in their
totem by descent. If
then they arrange
connubism with a
similar local totem group,
you have the local
totems become new
phratries, and you
[right column]
have the totems by
descent automatically
ranged, some in one,
some in the
other phratry.
This is found to bar
“too near flesh", and
the idea is carried out.
[??] in the various
[?reforms?]
This Dr Durkheim's
theory. But he did not
observe that each
local totem group must
by exogamy and female
Document Details
Date
1903 - 1902
Letter From
Lang, Andrew
Letter To
Howitt, Mr Alfred William
Author
—
Country
Scotland
Colony/State
—
Holding Institution
Museums Victoria
Collection Name
Alfred W. Howitt Collection
Registration Number
XM 225
Medium
Letter
Region
—
Locality
—
Summary
Content relates to a discussion of the theory of totemic development and social organisation of Aboriginal groups of Australia. Note that the year the letter was written is probably 1902: on A.W. Howitt's transcription of the letter (XM 432), he makes a note that he acknowledged the letter on '2/3/03'.
Physical Description
Letter, handwritten in ink. Two sheets, eight pages. Dated 1 Dec only. On letterhead: Alleyne House, St Andrews, Scotland. Condition: good.