The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead, Volume 1 (of 3) The Belief Among the Aborigines of Australia, the Torres Straits Islands, New Guinea and Melanesia

"The Belief in Immortality and the Worship of the Dead, Volume 1" by J.G. Frazer is an exploration into the religious practices and ideas of aboriginal communities in Australia, the Torres Straits Islands, New Guinea, and Melanesia, specifically focusing on their understanding of death, immortality, and ancestor worship. Frazer’s writing examines the impact of beliefs related to death on societies, their origins, and their relevance within their cultures. The book starts by explaining Frazer’s historical study of religious beliefs, steering clear of personal opinions or philosophical leanings. The initial analysis sets the stage to discover the reasons and ideas of immortality by understanding early religious ideas. He studies cultures and their views on death, the after-life, and those that have passed, claiming that the spirits of the dead are universally worshiped. Given the gradual vanishing of these traditional beliefs, Frazer hopes to preserve knowledge of humanity’s shared history.