The subject of Aboriginal religion was a primary concern for Spencer and Gillen. They, and other classical Australian anthropologists, described Aboriginal spirituality as totemic. Totemism, in Australian is often characterised by reference to mythological ancestral beings that emerged from the earth at the beginning of time. These ancestors moved across the earth and brought shape to the continent and animated the landscape.

Every individual […] is born into some totem—that is, he or she belongs to a group of persons each one of whom bears the name of, and is especially associated with, some natural object. The latter is usually an animal or plant; but in addition to those of living things, there are also such totem names as wind, sun, water, or cloud—in fact there is scarcely an object, animate or inanimate, to be found in the country occupied by the natives which does not gives its name to some totemic group of individuals. (Native Tribes of Central Australia 1899: 7)

Many of the totems referred to by Spencer and Gillen, particularly in their descriptions of photographs, objects, films and sound recordings are listed below.