Herbert Basedow | |
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Herbert Basedow
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Born |
Kent Town, South Australia |
27 October 1881
Died | 4 June 1933 Kent Town, South Australia |
(aged 51)
Nationality | Australian |
Occupation | Anthropologist, geologist, explorer, medical practitioner and politician |
Herbert Basedow (27 October 1881 – 4 June 1933) was an Australian anthropologist, geologist, politician, explorer and medical practitioner.
Basedow was born in Kent Town, South Australia. His early education was in Adelaide, South Australia and Hanover, Germany. After finishing his schooling, Basedow studied science at the University of Adelaide where he majored in geology. Basedow later completed postgraduate studies at several European universities and undertook some medical work in Europe.
During his working life, Basedow took part in many major geological, exploratory and medical relief expeditions to central and northern Australia. On these expeditions, he took photographs and collected geological and natural history specimens and Aboriginal artefacts.
Basedow was one of the few people of his time involved in recording the traditional life of Australian Aborigines. He also actively lobbied government for better treatment of Aboriginal people and campaigned for an improvement in Aboriginal health.
Elected at the 1927 election as an independent to the three-member seat of Barossa, Basedow served as a member of the South Australian House of Assembly for a three-year term. He was defeated at the 1930 election but was again elected at the 1933 election, shortly before his death in June that year.