Jane Carter Goodale (1926–2008) was an American anthropologist, author, photographer, and professor who worked to bring attention to the roles of women in Oceania and Australia through her extensive research in the field of ethnography.
Able to trace her family history back to the early 1630s in the New England area, Goodale was proud of her ancestors’ adventurous spirits and attributed her own ambitious nature to them.
When Coon declined Charles Mountford's invitation to join his National Geographic Society expedition and go to Melville Island to study the Australian Aboriginal population, Goodale took his place.
The publishing of “Tiwi Wives,” allowed Goodale to develop her reputation and was one of her major works that demonstrated her research [9] Goodale discusses the lives of Tiwi Women concerning the rituals throughout their lifetime [10] Important rites of passage are discussed throughout the text and detailed material describing marriage and death traditions are mentioned [10] This text has become relevant throughout anthropology; this work is often referenced as support in a variety of academic articles regarding traditions involving Northern Australian women when researched on academic search engines.
[11] Every event, relationship, and transaction is considered to be important in the eyes of the Kaulong; Goodale researches to understand what makes an individual human.
[11] The Kaulong concerns, surrounding the identity of an individual, caused the creation of a continuum that ranges from non-human to the most respected level of humanity [11] To achieve a greater placement on the scale, an individual must obtain higher knowledge [11] Goodale researches this system through rituals such as song and dance explored in an ethnographic manner [11] “The Two Party Line, Conversations in the Field” is another publication completed by Goodale along with the co-author Ann Chowning.
[12] The text discusses the different occasions in which Goodale participated in research with other members of the anthropology society and gives details on her time spent in both Australia and New Guinea.
Richard Scaglion, in association with the American Anthropologist describes the text as unique and capable of stimulating discussion on a vast array of topics among a contemporary audience.
Continuing her research until the day she died, Goodale had been living in hospice care while maintaining her work on Tiwi genealogies with the help of her assistant.