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EPrints on Cultural Heritage |
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Sentinel sites in a Cosmo-political seascape
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Greer, Shelley, McIntyre-Tamwoy, Susan and Henry, Rosita (2011) Sentinel sites in a Cosmo-political seascape. In: Refereed papers from the 7th International Small Islands Conference, Airlie Beach, Whitsundays. Small Island Cultures Research Initiative, pp. 2-10. [Book Section]
Full text not available from this repository.Abstract (in English)
We describe here a pattern of archaeological sites that suggest that ‘mainland’ Aboriginal people were viewed by their Torres Strait neighbours as being specialists in particular ritual knowledge. The region under consideration includes the northern-most tip of the Australian continent and extends northward through Torres Strait to Papua. Our study area focuses on the southern end of the region: the Australian mainland as well as Pabaju (Albany Island), Muri (Mt Adolphus Island) and associated islands and islets. Archaeological investigation over many years reveals a high density of ritual sites over this relatively small area. These include sites on prominent headlands. The density and visibility of sites could be interpreted as both marking and ‘marketing’ ritual expertise. The location of some of the sites also suggests they served as ‘sentinels’ within a cosmo-political seascape. Far from having an impoverished role in regional exchange networks, Australian mainlanders clearly held something of extraordinary value that drew people from the Torres Strait to their shores. We contend that southern reciprocity in regional trade and exchange may have been based on intangible knowledge transactions, in particular, knowledge related to increase ritual.
| Item Type: | Book Section |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Authors Email Greer, Shelley UNSPECIFIED McIntyre-Tamwoy, Susan susan.mcintyretamwoy@jcu.edu.au Henry, Rosita UNSPECIFIED |
| Languages: | English |
| Keywords: | Cape York; ritual landscape; Torres Strait; increase ritual; stone arrangement |
| Subjects: | B. ARCHAEOLOGY > 05. Archaeological research N.ANTHROPOLOGY > 02. Ethnography O.INTANGIBLE HERITAGE > 06. Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe |
| Name of monument, town, site, museum: | Albany Island, Australia; Cape York Peninsula, Australia |
| Depositing User: | Dr Susan McIntyre-Tamwoy |
| Date Deposited: | 04 Mar 2012 17:14 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Mar 2012 17:14 |
| References: | Bibliography Brady, L (2004) The Somerset Rock Art Site, Cape York: Results using Digital Photography and Computer Enhancement, unpublished report to the Injinoo Community Council, Cape York D’Arcy, P (2006) The People of the Sea: Environment, Identity, and History in Oceania, Honolulu:University of Hawai’i Press Greer, S (1996a) The Accidental Heritage. Archaeology and Identity in Northern Gape York,Unpublished PhD thesis, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, James Cook University,Townsville Greer, S (1996b) ‘Archaeology, Heritage and Identity in Northern Cape York Peninsula’, in Ulm, S,Lilley, I and Ross, A (eds) Australian Archaeology 95: Proceedings of the 1995 Australian Archaeological Association Annual Conference, Tempus 6, St Lucia: University of Queensland: 293-299 Greer, S (1999) ‘Archaeology, History and Identity in Coastal Cape York’, in McNiven, I J and Hall, J (eds) Australian Coastal Archaeology, Canberra: ANH Publications, Department of Archaeology and Natural History, RSPAS, Australian National University: 113-118. Greer, S (2009) ‘Portals in a Watery Realm: Cultural Landscapes in Northern Cape York’, Historic Environment v22 n1: 38-43 Greer, S (2010) ‘Heritage and Empowerment: Community-based Indigenous Cultural Heritage in Northern Australia’, International Journal of Heritage Studies v16 n1: 45-5. Greer, S, McIntyre-Tamwoy, S and Henry, R (in prep) ‘Mainland Magic: Interpreting Influences across Cape York-Torres Strait’ Greer, S, Mclntyre-Tamwoy, S and Harrison R (2002) ‘Community-based Archaeology in Australia’, World Archaeology v34: 265-287 Haddon, A C (ed) (1901-35) Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Hau’ofa, E (1994) ‘Our Sea of Islands’, The Contemporary Pacific v6 n1:148-61 Hau’ofa, E (1998) ‘The Ocean in Us’, The Contemporary Pacific v10 n2:391-410 Keen, I (1994) Knowledge and Secrecy in an Aboriginal Religion, Melbourne: Oxford University Press Laade, W (1967) ‘Further Material on Kuiam, Legendary Hero of Mabuiag, Torres Strait Islands’, Ethnos v32 n1-4:70-9 Landtman, G (1917) Folktales of the Kiwai Papuans, Helsingfors: Printing Office of the Finnish Society of Literature Lawrence, D (1989) The Material Culture of Customary Exchange in the Torres Strait and Fly Estuary Region, unpublished PhD thesis, Material Culture Unit, James Cook University, Townsville Lawrence, D (1994) ‘Customary Exchange across Torres Strait’, Memoirs of the Queensland Museum v34 n2:241-446 |
| URI: | https://openarchive.icomos.org/id/eprint/1034 |
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