K. Langloh Parker

K. Langloh Parker, born Catherine Eliza Somerville Field in 1856 in New South Wales, Australia, was a prominent folklorist and author known for her extensive collections of Aboriginal Australian stories and legends. Raised in the Australian bush, Parker developed a deep appreciation for the culture and stories of the Indigenous communities. She married Langloh Parker, a station manager, and lived on the Bangate Station in New South Wales, where she began documenting the stories of the local Aboriginal people, primarily the Ualarai tribe. Her most notable works were published in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including 'Australian Legendary Tales' (1896) and 'More Australian Legendary Tales' (1898), which were among the first to introduce Aboriginal folklore to a wider audience. Parker's work is significant for its role in preserving Indigenous stories at a time when such cultures were under significant threat from colonization.