A. P. Elkin facts for kids
Adolphus Peter Elkin (born March 27, 1891, died July 9, 1979) was an important Australian. He was a church leader (an Anglican clergyman). He was also a very influential anthropologist. This means he studied human societies and cultures. Elkin believed in the idea of assimilation for Indigenous Australians. This meant he thought Indigenous people should adopt European ways of life.
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Early Life of A.P. Elkin
Adolphus Peter Elkin was born in West Maitland, New South Wales. His father, Reuben Elkin, was a salesman from England. His mother, Ellen Wilhelmina Bower, was a seamstress with German family roots. His parents divorced in 1901. His mother passed away the next year. He was then raised by his grandparents. They raised him in the Anglican faith.
He went to school in Singleton. He also attended Maitland East Boys' High School. After school, he worked in banks in New South Wales. Later, he won a scholarship to study theology. He went to St Paul's College at the University of Sydney. He earned his first degree there in 1915.
Elkin's Church and Study Career
Elkin became a deacon in the church in 1915. He became a priest in 1916. From 1916 to 1919, he worked in the Anglican diocese of Newcastle. After that, he taught at St John's Theological College in Armidale.
Elkin became very interested in Australian Aboriginal culture. At that time, anthropology was not taught much in Australia. But his master's degree paper, finished in 1922, was on this topic. He also gave lectures about it at St John's. In 1922, he married Sara (Sally) Thompson. She was an Irish nurse he met during a flu outbreak. From 1922 to 1925, he was the Rector of St John the Evangelist Church, Wollombi. During this time, he also lectured for the University of Sydney. He taught about Aboriginal culture in the Hunter Region.
In 1925, Elkin left his church job in Wollombi. He began studying anthropology in London. He went to University College, London. He earned his PhD degree there in 1927. In 1927, another anthropologist, Alfred Radcliffe-Brown, helped Elkin. He got money from the Rockefeller Foundation. This money was for him to study Australian culture. He worked in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
In 1928, he became Rector of St James' Anglican Church, Morpeth. He was allowed to continue his anthropology studies. St John's College had moved to Morpeth by then. He also became an editor for the college's Morpeth Review. He also became editor of Oceania in 1931. He stayed editor until he passed away. In 1930, he visited many missions in Western Australia. This included the Mount Margaret Mission. He did this for the Australian National Research Council.
Elkin became an activist for Aboriginal Australians. He wanted to improve their lives. He believed they would be best helped by becoming part of European society. In 1934, he helped Dhakiyarr (Tuckiar) Wirrpanda. Dhakiyarr was a Yolngu man sentenced to death. Elkin successfully argued for his sentence to be changed.
Professor of Anthropology at Sydney University
After another professor left, Elkin became the head of the anthropology department. This was at Sydney University in late 1932. He was promoted to a full professor in December 1933. He stayed in this role until he retired in 1956. During this time, he was very important in Australian anthropology. He gave advice to governments. He also trained people who worked in Papua New Guinea. He continued his own research too.
He was president of a group called the Association for the Protection of Native Races. He held this role from 1933 to 1962. He was also vice-president of the Aborigines Protection Board of New South Wales. This board was renamed the Aborigines Welfare Board in 1940.
Retirement and Special Awards
After he retired in 1966, Elkin received a special honor. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). This was part of the 1966 Birthday Honours. In 1970, the University of Sydney gave him an honorary doctorate degree.
Death
Adolphus Elkin passed away at a meeting at the University. His wife and two sons survived him.
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