Abstract
This article examines the sources and purpose of authority in relation to sorcery in the Madayin Aboriginal legal system of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. In the Madayin system, sorcery may be considered legally authorised or not legally authorised. While Australian (and English) law has sometimes outlawed sorcery and sometimes allowed it, Madayin has always allowed the authorised forms of sorcery. Acts of sorcery may even be approved as legal punishments in the Madayin system. The article draws upon recognised authors, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, to introduce the reader to this topic.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 261-266 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Australian Law Journal |
| Volume | 94 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2020 |