P002025 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2026-04-30 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P002025b.htm person Strehlow Theodor George Henry AACR2 6 June 1908 3 October 1978 Place of Birth Hermannsburg, Northern Territory, Australia Place of Death Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Linguist Ethnologist Theodor Strehlow, who was born at Hermannsburg in Central Australia, was a Reader in Australian Linguistics, University of Adelaide from 1954. His primary interest was in linguistics, ceremony and traditions of Australian Aborigines, particularly the Arrente people. He was expert in the Arrente language, which he spoke from a child. Strehlow was often at odds with some of his colleagues because of his disinclination to follow the expected path of physical anthropology. He spent much time in Central Australia immersing himself in Aboriginal culture. Among his landmark publications were Aranda phonetics and grammar (1942-4); Aranda traditions (1947), the publication of which was delayed until none of his informants were still alive; and Songs of Central Australia (1971) which was instrumental in establishing the Dreaming and the Aboriginal world-view as key to an emerging Australian cultural identity. Strehlow amassed a large collection of Aboriginal song verses, myths (written in indigenous dialects and languages), film of ceremonial acts, photographs, genealogies and sacred artefacts. His later years were overshadowed by the question of ownership of the collection. 1931 1931 Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA (hons)), University of Adelaide 1932 1932 Life event - Returned to Central Australia 1932 1932 Award - Australian National Research Council grant Aug 1932 Aug 1932 Career event - Member, Board of Anthropological Research expedition to Mt Liebig, Northern Territory 1935 1935 Award - Australian National Research Council grant 1936 1941 Career position - Patrol Officer, later Deputy Director of Native Affairs, Central Australia 1938 1938 Education - Master of Arts (MA), University of Adelaide 1942 1946 Military service - Second World War. Lieutenant, Australian Army 1946 1949 Career position - Research Fellow in Linguistics and Lecturer in English Literature, University of Adelaide 1947 1947 Career position - President, Anthropological Section, Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science 1949 1950 Career position - Postgraduate Fellowship, Australian National University 1950 1952 Life event - Studied anthropology at London School of Economics 1954 1970 Career position - Reader in Australian Linguistics, University of Adelaide 1964 1973 Career position - Founding Member, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies 1970 1974 Career position - Professor of Australian Linguistics (Personal Chair), University of Adelaide 1975 1975 Education - DLitt, University of Adelaide 1 Aug 1977 1 Aug 1977 Award - Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal 1978 1978 Award - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), honoris causa, University of Uppsala, Sweden Strehlow, Carl Friedrich Theodor (1871 - 1922) Board of Anthropological Research (1926 - 1974)

Strehlow participated in the Board's 1932 expedition

 Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) (1930 - )

President, Anthropology Section 1947

 The University of Adelaide (1874 - 2026)

Reader in Australian Linguistics 1954 - 1970; personal Chair 1970 - 1974

 Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies (1964 - 1990)

Foundation Member 1964 - 1973

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Strehlow, T G H (1908-1978)

Trove

 'Strehlow, Theodor George Henry', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Strehlow, Theodor George Henry Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: Return to Uluru: a killing; a hidden history: a story that goes to the heart of the nation McKenna, Mark Return to Uluru: a killing; a hidden history: a story that goes to the heart of the nation Carlton, Vic. Black Inc. 2021 Book Section: Strehlow, Theodor George Henry (1908-1978), linguist Jones, Philip Strehlow, Theodor George Henry (1908-1978), linguist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 2002 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 16: 1940 - 1980 Pik-Z John Ritchie and Diane Langmore 333-336 Edited Book: Australian Aboriginal art Berndt, Ronald M. Australian Aboriginal art Sydney Ure Smith 1964 Book: Comments on the Journals of John McDouall Stuart Strehlow, T. G. H. Comments on the Journals of John McDouall Stuart Adelaide 1967 Book: Journal to Horseshoe Bend Strehlow, T. G. H. Journal to Horseshoe Bend Artarmon, N.S.W. Giramondo Publishing 2015 Book: Broken song : T.G.H. Strehlow and Aboriginal possession Hill, Barry Broken song : T.G.H. Strehlow and Aboriginal possession Milsons Point, N.S.W. Vintage 2003 Resource: B884 Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 CA 2002, 2 Echelon, Army Headquarters; CA 46, Department of Defence [III], Central Office B884 Citizen Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch Book: Restoring the chain of memory: T. G. H. Strehlow and the repatriation of australian indigenous knowledge Cox, James L. Restoring the chain of memory: T. G. H. Strehlow and the repatriation of australian indigenous knowledge Sheffield, U.K. Equinox Publishing House 2018 Book: Ceremony men: making ethnography and the return of the Strehlow Collection Gibson, Jason M. Ceremony men: making ethnography and the return of the Strehlow Collection Albany, N.Y. SUNY Press 2020 Journal Article: T. G. H. Strehlow, 1908 - 1878 Berndt, Ronald M. T. G. H. Strehlow, 1908 - 1878 1979 Oceania 49 3 230-3 Journal Article: T. G. H. Strehlow 1908 - 1978 Berndt, Ronald M. T. G. H. Strehlow 1908 - 1978 1979 Aboriginal history 3 1 84-8 Book Section: "Only the best is good for eternity": revisiting the ethnography of T. G. H. Strehlow Gibson, Jason "Only the best is good for eternity": revisiting the ethnography of T. G. H. Strehlow Canberra Australian National University Press 2017 German ethnography in Australia Peterson, Nicolas and Kenny, Anna 243-71 Book Section: Of kinships and other things: T. G. H. Strehlow in Central Australia Austin-Broos, Diane Of kinships and other things: T. G. H. Strehlow in Central Australia Canberra Australian National University Press 2017 German ethnography in Australia Peterson, Nicolas and Kenny, Anna 223-41 Edited Book: Northern Territory dictionary of biography Carment, David et al Northern Territory dictionary of biography Rev. Darwin Charles Darwin University Press 2008 Theodor George Henry Strehlow - Records National Library of Australia Oral History Collection Theodor George Henry Strehlow - Records DeB 76 1910 - 1978 Oral history recording with Hazel de Berg 27 March 1960, c9 minutes, 3 page transcript [DeB 76]. 1 reel Audio