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AN ABORIGINAL GENIUS
FULL-BLOODED NATIVE WHO IS PHILOSOPHER, INVENTOR AND MUSICIAN
THE HOME OF THE FIRST MAN.
Behold a contradiction in human terms,
An Australian native, who is a philoso
pher, inventor, and musician, and who
devotes any spare time he may have
to the study of evolution; a full-blooded
aboriginal who can quote Newton, Hux
ley, Darwin, and other evolutionists and
philosophers. There you have David
Unaipon, of Point McLeay. I met this
remarkable specimen of the human
family at Dr. Herbert Basedow's rooms.
It was most appropriate that the meet
ing should take place there. Than the
doctor no one in Australia or for that
matter in any part of the world, takes
a keener or more practical interest in
the welfare of the despised aboriginals.
As proof of that interest he is now formu
lating a scheme for the preservation of
the species, that is, the comparatively
few tribes, or remnants of tribes that
remain, which is gaining the support of
scientific bodies of note. Dr. Basedow
is an anthropologist of note, being chief
ly known in scientific circles for his
original research among Australian abori
ginals. In the course of investigations
carried on throughout the Northern Ter
ritory, Bathurst Island, and other re
mote portions of the continent, he has
gathered a large volume of valuable in
formation. That study of the aborigi
nal has, made him, from a humane and
scientific point of view, a champion of
the original inhabitants of the contin
ent.
The First Man.
The vexed problem - one that has puz
zled science for centuries - the location of
the home of the first man, is one easy of
solution for Dr. Basedow. "Ethnological
and scientific investigations all point to
the fact that in former times there ex
isted in the north-west of Australia a
large continent, which zoologists call
Lemuria," explained he, "and that that
continent was the home of the first man.
All lines of migration are traceable from
that portion of the earth. From
thence the Australoid - including the
Caucasian type - migrated northerly
to Europe, and south-easterly to
Australia, the Mongoloid type north
easterly to Asia, and the Negroid type
west to Africa. In the Australian, abori
ginal you have a type of the original man
- one who was, so to speak, isolated
from the rest of the world. For anthro
pologically the Australian aboriginal is
a full brother of ours, the Caucasian be
ing but a subsequent modification of the
original Australoid."
"The reason of the diversity between us
in every way, then, doctor?"
"Is due to the fact that those who
migrated northward into Europe had to
fight for their existence, which resulted
in the survival of the fittest, the present
day Europeans, who through long' ages
have, by rivalry and subsequent competi
tion in commerce and science, attained
their, present state of perfection. On
the other hand, that section of the type
which migrated southwards into Austra
lia found a happy hunting.ground. No
need was there for them to fight for ex
istence, hence no call for any special
display of ability, the result being that
they remained in their primitive condi
tion.. The aboriginal brain anatomic
ally and physiologically in its primitive
condtion is quite as capable of acquir
ing the results of centuries of gradual
study and development as is our own
brain, which, by heredity, should be ex
pected to have every advantage over
the primitive brain of the blackfellow.
Modem science and study has made the
brain of the white man larger in its
frontal lobes than that of the aboriginal,
and it has more convolutions than the
primitive brain. All the natural in
stincts are present in the aboriginal
brain, however, and you will find that a
native "will rise to the occasion every
time. You have an example before you
in Unaipon."
I agreed. Unaipon was a living ex
ample of the facts adduced by the doc
tor; a wonderful example of the degree
of perfection to which the aboriginal
brain could attain. Small wonder that
Dr. Basedow, who in addition to study
ing the aboriginal in his native haunts,
studied him physiologically in company
with the renowned Dr. Klaatsch at
Heidelberg, Breslau, and other universi
ties, for some years, has become a cham
pion for him.
'Ngunaipon - "I Go."
To return to Unaipon. The broad fore
head, surmounted by a shock of black
hair, silver streaked, the intelligent, deep
set eyes, the well-shaped head, proclaim
David Unaipon an aborigine of more
than ordinary intelligence. His 42 years
have been well spent. He is a member
of the famous Narrinyerri tribe, former
inhabitants of the lake country, now re
presented by a few natives at the Point
McLeay Mission Station.
"How did you come to be named Unai
pon? What is the meaning the word? I
enquired.
"Well, it happened this way," came
the reply in perfect English. "My grand
father was determined to do a certain
thing - to catch a kangaroo which no
body had been able to capture, and which
it was said he would never catcb. He
was promptly named Unaipon, or, as it
should be spelt, 'Ngunaipon - the mean
ing of which is 'I go-' He caught the
kangaroo," concluded the speaker, smil
ingly.
The secret or Unaipon's success was
out. Perseverance was bred in his
bones. More than that, the whole history
of the Narrinyerri tribe proves that they
were a strong, persevering, self-reliant
people.
"Tradition says that thousands of years
ago there was a migration of natives
from the north-west to the south-east of
Australia," observed Unaipon. "One by
one the tribes, weakened by the long
march, fell out, but the Narrinyerri tribe
persevered, until at last, confronted by
the Southern Ocean at Lakes Albert and
Alexandrina, they could proceed no far
ther, and settled down."
"And tradition is correct in this in
stance," put in Dr. Basedow
The Three R's.
Don't imagine for a moment, dear rea
der, that Unaipon had a good education.
"It was confined to the three R's," re
plied he, in answer to an interrogation.
"I was taught by Mr. Walter Hutley at
the Point McLeay Misson Station." It
speaks well for his teacher that Unaipon;
has succeeded so signally in building up
on a well-laid foundation.
An Aboriginal Philosopher
For Unaipon the ordinary problems of
everyday life had no attraction; those
that had baffled scientific men for cen
turies attracted him.
"What fired your youthful ambition,"
I queried.
"My teacher talked about the wonder
ful progress made during the 19th cen
tury - progress in science, art, and com
merce," came the reply, "and mentioned
also the three problems which had puz
zled science - the philosopher's stone, the
elixir of life, and perpetual motion. The
latter problem attracted me. About 15
years ago I took np the study of mecha
nics and read all the books of philosophy
I could get. I studied the laws of gravity
and motion on an inclined plane, and
directed my attention principally to the
centre of gravity of moving bodies. I
now claim that I have discovered a means
by which spherical motion might be re
duced to lateral motion, or, in other
words, reduced a mathematical curve
to a straight line. By direct pressure to
the centre I get motion."
A Widely Applicable Theory.
Unaipon has patented an invention, in
this connection, and applied "his theory
to the sheep-shearing machine, of which
he has a working model, with eminently
satisfactory results. There is not the
slightest doubt about the success of the
contrivance. The same principle can be
applied to engines and machines, of every
description. The idea has been taken up
by several firms, and there is every pros
pect of it being widely applied. Mr.
Unaipon showed me excellent testi
monials from several well-known engi
neers.
Polarisation of Light.
Yet another complex problem that has
claimed the attention of Mr. Unaipon is
the polarisation of light and the con
centration of light at a given point.
"These would be the greatest weapons
in future warfare," prophesied Unaipon.
"What power will be used - sunlight or
electricity?"
"Both. We are gradually coming to the
age when, we might expect to be able to
hurl electricity, like Nature does, for in
stance, in the shape of lightning."
I was incredulous. "It's a fact," he
assured me.
The Future Aeroplane.
Naturally the science of flying has
claimed the attention of the inventive
Unaipon. He claims to have restored
"the lost art," that is the art of making
the boomerang hover over his head like
a bird and return to the point of dis
patch. The principle of the boomerang
can be applied to the aeroplane, he as
serts.
"An aeroplane can be manufactured
that will rise straight into the air from
the ground by the application of the
boomerang principle," he contended.
"The boomerang is shaped to rise in the
air according to the velocity with which
it is propelled, and so can an aeroplane.
This class of flying machine can be car
ried on board ship, the immense advan
tages of which are obvious."
Organ Music Appeals.
Which class of music do you prefer,
the music played by white people or the
monotonous chant of the blackfellows'
corroboree? Unaipon was asked.
"Just this simple class of music," came
the quick response, and Unaipon smil
ingly held up a piece of music for the
organ. "I love organ music," he con
tinued, with a look that told how true
were his words. "I never miss an organ
recital when I am in Adelaide."
But you would relish a corroboree
chant?
"No, I would not. None of my tribe
was ever interested in music."
Unaipon's Ambition - To Give His Boy
a Good Education.
"Yes, I have a little boy. He is nine
years old," Unaipon replied, in answer to
a query, and straightway, plunged into
the recital of the ability of his offspring.
"I want to see that boy well educated,
and that is why I am so keen on my
invention proving successful," he con
tinued. "I don't want him to be a para
site, and have to rely upon the Govern
ment or mission, but to become an honor
able citizen of South Australia."
"And possibly a politician?" smilingly
queried Dr. Basedow.
"Yes, possibly." came the reply, and
there was a world of meaning in the last
word.
I had the opportunity of listening to
Unaipon playing the organ, and his
touch and expression were perfect. The
piece chosen was "Lead, Kindly Light"
and the difficult variations by Ord Hume
were rendered with precision and correct
ness.
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