The Dreamtime: Australian Aboriginal Myths

by Charles P. Mountford, Ainslie Roberts (Painter)

Book by Ainslie Roberts and Charles P. Mountford

Genres: Australia, Mythology, Art, Anthropology, Religion

79 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Charles Pearcy "Monty" Mountford OBE was an Australian anthropologist and photographer. He is known for his pioneering work on Indigenous Australians and his depictions and descriptions of their art. He also led the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land.

Mountford's written works, along with those by contemporaries, foreshadowed subsequent scholarly investigations like T.G.H. Strehlow's Journey to Horseshoe Bend (1969) and iconic late-20th-century works such as Stephen Muecke, Krim Benterrak, and Paddy Roe's Reading the Country: Introduction to Nomadology (1984).

Reviews

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just re-read this book after finding it among my mothers’ books. This was one of my first introductions to the myths of the Dreamtime and it was really enjoyable to read them again enhanced as they are by the wonderful art of Ainslie Roberts.

As an adult I know they are oversimplifications of stories, I know that the actual myths were heavily cleaned up by Western ‘collectors’ of Aboriginal mythology. I know that different tribes had very different interpretations of myths...

And yet this book is still gives me the comfort read of sitting down with a favourite bedtime story of childhood. And I still love the artwork and I still love myths.

[Velvetink · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series by Mountford and Roberts are beautifully illustrated with gorgeous haunting paintings. I have the original editions and the Dreamtime stories come from all over Australia.

[Velvetink · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series by Mountford and Roberts are beautifully illustrated with gorgeous haunting paintings. I have the original editions and the Dreamtime stories come from all over Australia.

[Justin Labelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sumptuously illustrated, beautifully collected series of stories.
Short, no longer than a page long 'summaries' of a belief.
Surely the myths themselves wold have been longer, but sometimes, this is what's needed to prompt that larger dive into a set of beliefs. A joy to read., my favourites were:
sun woman and the moon man, Yirbaik and her dogs, Mangowa and the round lakes, purupriki and the flying foxes and the men of the milky way.

[Moira Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, lovely stories accompanied by stunning pictures.

[Lars Winky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great compilation of Australian aboriginal myths. I read the second edition titled "The first sunrise"

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fascinating and some of them very chilling to think about! I enjoyed quite a few of these stories, and wish I'd been read more Dreamtime myths when I was a young child.

[Katharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book and very interesting to read about the different myths of Australia. It also has some good lessons to teach.