P006516 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2019-08-13 human Helen Cohn updated 2026-01-22 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P006516b.htm person Berndt Catherine Helen AM FASSA AACR2 1 May 1918 12 May 1994 Place of Birth Auckland, New Zealand Place of Death Perth, Western Australia, Australia Social anthropologist Catherine Berndt was one of Australia's most distinguished anthropologists. Her career was largely a collaborative, and highly productive, partnership with her husband Ronald Berndt. Together they made extensive studies of Aboriginal communities in northern Australia. Catherine became an internationally recognised authority on religion and the role of women, marriage, the family and socialisation in Australia, New Zealand and Melanesia. Her publications included books of which she was the sole author, including Women's changing ceremonies in northern Australia (1950) and a number of well-regarded children's books. Among those she wrote with her husband was The world of the first Australians, published in multiple editions after its first release in 1952. For over 25 years Berndt was visiting or part-time lecturer in anthropology at the University of Western Australia. The Berndt Museum of Anthropology at the University of Western Australia, founded in 1976, houses the couple's collection of indigenous art. 1939 1939 Education - Certificate of Proficiency in Anthropology, University of Otago, New Zealand 1939 1939 Education - Bachelor of Arts (BA), Victoria University College, Wellington, New Zealand 1940 1940 Life event - Settled in Australia 1949 1949 Education - Master of Arts (MA), University of Sydney 1950 1950 Award - Edgeworth David Medal for anthropology (jointly with Ronald Berndt), Royal Society of New South Wales 1950 1950 Award - Percy Smith Medal, University of Otago, New Zealand 1954 1954 Award - Winifred Cullis Award, International Federation of University Women 1955 1955 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), London School of Economics and Political Science 1956 1963 Career position - Visiting Tutor, University of Western Australia 1963 1983 Career position - Lecturer (part-time), University of Western Australia 1982 1994 Award - Fellow, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (FASSA) 1983 1983 Award - DLitt, honoris causa, University of Western Australia 26 Jan 1987 26 Jan 1987 Award - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) - in recognition of service to anthropology, particularly in relation to the Aboriginal society and culture Berndt, Ronald Murray (1916 - 1990) Edgeworth David Medal, Royal Society of New South Wales (1948 - )

Awarded the Medal 1950

 Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (1971 - )

Fellow 1982 - 1994

 'Berndt, Catherine Helen', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Berndt, Catherine Helen Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Edited Book: Terrible hard biscuits: A reader in Aboriginal history Chapman, Valerie C; Read, Peter Terrible hard biscuits: A reader in Aboriginal history St Leonards, New South Wales Allen & Unwin 1996 Resource: Academy Fellows Academy of Social Sciences in Australia Academy Fellows 2025 Book: The world of the first Australians: an introduction to the traditional life of the Australian Aborigines Berndt, Ronald M.; and Berndt, Catherine H. The world of the first Australians: an introduction to the traditional life of the Australian Aborigines Sydney Ure Smith 1964 Book: Man, land & myth in North Australia: the Gunwinggu People Berndt, Ronald M.; and Berndt, Catherine H. Man, land & myth in North Australia: the Gunwinggu People North Sydney Ure Smith 1980 Journal Article: Adolphus Peter Elkin, 1891-1979 Berndt, Ronald M.; and Berndt, Catherine H. Adolphus Peter Elkin, 1891-1979 1979 Archaeology and Physical Anthropology in Oceania 14 3 161-7 Edited Book: Aboriginal man in Australia: essays in honour of Emeritus Prof. A. P. Elkin Berndt, Ronald M.; and Berndt, Catherine H. Aboriginal man in Australia: essays in honour of Emeritus Prof. A. P. Elkin Sydney Angus & Robertson 1965 Journal Article: Aboriginal fieldwork in South Australia in the 1940s and implications for the present Berndt, Catherine Aboriginal fieldwork in South Australia in the 1940s and implications for the present 1989 Records of the South Australian Museum 23 1 59-68 Book Section: Karloan (Kaloni), Albert (1864-1943), Aboriginal doctor (putari) Berndt, Catherine Karloan (Kaloni), Albert (1864-1943), Aboriginal doctor (putari) Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1996 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 14: 1940 - 1980 Di-Kel John Ritchie 597-598 Journal Article: "He has not followed the usual sequence": Ronald M. Berndt's secrets Gray, Geoffrey "He has not followed the usual sequence": Ronald M. Berndt's secrets 2015 Journal of historical biography 16 61-92 Journal Article: "Anthropology and sociology were of no value ... in war time": Ronald and Catherine Berndt and war-time security, 1939 - 1945 Gray, Geoffrey "Anthropology and sociology were of no value ... in war time": Ronald and Catherine Berndt and war-time security, 1939 - 1945 2019 Anthropological Forum 29 2 116-33 Book Section: "I Did Not Set Out to Make a Collection": the Ronald and Catherine Berndt Collection at the Berndt Museum of Anthropology Stanton, John "I Did Not Set Out to Make a Collection": the Ronald and Catherine Berndt Collection at the Berndt Museum of Anthropology Carlton Melbourne University Press 2008 The Makers and Making of Indigenous Australian Museum Collections Peterson, Nicolas, Allen, Lindy and Hamby, Louise 511-31 Journal Article: Obituary: Dr Catherine Helen Berndt, 1918 - 1994 Tonkinson, Bob and Tonkinson, Myra Obituary: Dr Catherine Helen Berndt, 1918 - 1994 1994 Aboriginal History 18 9-11 Journal Article: "You are... my anthropological children": AP Elkin, Ronald Berndt and Catherine Berndt, 1940 - 1956 Gray, Geoffrey "You are... my anthropological children": AP Elkin, Ronald Berndt and Catherine Berndt, 1940 - 1956 2005 Aboriginal History 29 77-106 Journal Article: Ronald and Catherine Berndt: an appreciation Sutton, Peter Ronald and Catherine Berndt: an appreciation 2001 Anthropological forum 11 121-4 Journal Article: Catherine Helen Berndt White, Isobel Catherine Helen Berndt 1994 Oceania 65 1 1-3 Journal Article: Two people - one life: collecting and the marrige of Ronald M. and Catherine H. Berndt Brittlebank, Kate Two people - one life: collecting and the marrige of Ronald M. and Catherine H. Berndt 2008 Australian historical studies 39 1 3-18 Journal Article: Ronald and Catherine Berndt's fieldwork drawings: material sites of ethnographic encounter Rudhuan, Siti Sarah Ronald and Catherine Berndt's fieldwork drawings: material sites of ethnographic encounter 2022 Anthropological forum 32 2 138-57 Journal Article: The Berndts' mid-century Arnhem Land bark painting exhibition: its legacies Speck, Catherine The Berndts' mid-century Arnhem Land bark painting exhibition: its legacies 2023 Australian historical studies 54 4 625-43 Resource Section: Berndt, Catherine, Helen (1918 - 1994), anthropologist and writer Toussaint, Sandy Berndt, Catherine, Helen (1918 - 1994), anthropologist and writer Canberra National Centre of Biography, Australian National University 2021 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 19: 1991 - 1995 A-Z Journal Article: That shadowy band: the role of women in the development of Australian archaeology Bowdler, Sandra and Clune, Genevieve That shadowy band: the role of women in the development of Australian archaeology 2000 Australian Archaeology 50 276-35