Sterling Robbins Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2022
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Sterling Robbins Papers
Creator:
Robbins, Sterling
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0767
Physical Description:
6 Linear feet
(13 archives boxes and one shoebox)
Date (inclusive): 1962-1965
Abstract: The Sterling Robbins papers contain his research and observations of the indigenous Auyana people in the eastern highlands
of Papua New Guinea between 1963 and 1965.
Languages:
English
.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Sterling Robbins papers contain his research and observations of the indigenous Auyana people in the eastern highlands
of Papua New Guinea between 1963 and 1965. His work there was part of the Micro-Evolution Project led by Professor James B.
Watson at the University of Washington, and focused on documenting social movements and social structure of highland societies.
The collection includes handwritten field note journals with observations about Auyana valley villages and their inhabitants
from approximately September 1963 to September 1965. Robbins created an extensive set of vocabulary cards with Awiyaana to
English translations, and conducted a variety of interviews and psychological and cognitive tests.
The collection also includes a sizable audio-visual component with approximately 70 reel-to-reel tapes with recordings of
songs, rituals, and autobiographies. Also included are several dozen 35mm film slides and photo prints with scenes of marriages,
funerals, surgery, religion, cultural events, landscapes and portraits.
Arranged in three series: 1) LANGUAGE, 2) RESEARCH, and 3) AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS.
Biography
Sterling G. Robbins was born in Dodge City, Kansas in 1936. Robbins attended the University of Washington for his graduate
studies, earning a Ph.D. in Anthropology in 1970. His dissertation, "Warfare, marriage, and the distribution of goods in Auyana"
met mixed reviews in the anthropology community and was later revised, expanded and published as Auyana: Those who Held onto
Home (1982). After he earned his Ph.D. Robbins was associated with the University of California, Los Angeles in the early
1970s and after some time became associated with the University of Hawaii.
Preferred Citation
Sterling Robbins Papers. MSS 767. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 2014
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Restrictions
Original audiovisual formats are restricted. Listening copies may be available for researchers.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Anthropologists -- United States -- Archives
Anthropology -- Melanesia
Anthropology -- Papua New Guinea
Auyana (Papua New Guinea people)
Robbins, Sterling -- Archives
Box 1, Folder 2-4
Awiyaana vocabulary cards
Box 1, Folder 5-8
Translation book - Myths; tales about going to coast; some on initiation and curing
Box 2, Folder 1-3
AsG (Asuwair gardens) - Notebooks 1-3
General note
Notes are predominately about crops, gardens, and livestock, possibly in Asuwair.
Box 2, Folder 4-7
AG (Auyana gardens) - Notebooks 1-4
Box 2, Folder 8-9
AQ (Auyana questions) - Notebooks 1-2
Box 2, Folder 10-15
AT (Auyana themes) - Key, and books 1-5
General note
Notes documenting a series of question and answer interviews; mostly in Awiyaana.
Box 3, Folder 1-8
Field notes (by month) - Notebooks 1-8
1963 February-December
General note
Notes labeled "B1" through "B8."
Box 4, Folder 1-11
Field notes (daily) - Notebooks 1-11
1963 September-December
Box 5, Folder 1-9
Field notes (daily) - Notebooks 12-20
1963 December-1964 March
Box 6, Folder 1-10
Field notes (daily) - Notebooks 21-30
1964 March-June
Box 7, Folder 1-12
Field notes (daily) - Notebooks 31-42
1964 May-August
Box 8, Folder 1-5
Field notes (daily) - Notebooks 43-47
1964 August-September
Box 8, Folder 8
"TB" notes
General note
TB abbreviation unidentified
Box 8, Folder 9
"Te" notes
General note
Te abbreviation unidentified.
Surveys, Interviews and Tests
Box 11, Folder 4
Origin myth of the Auyana - English transcription from recording with Anu
1969 December 9
Box 11, Folder 5
Autobiography of Anu - Awiyaana transcription
1965
Box 11, Folder 6
Tests - Tracking document
Box 8, Folder 11
Animal ownership inventory cards
Box 8, Folder 12
Survey responses regarding presence of white people ("white questionnaire")
Box 8, Folder 13
Drawing practice: house, self, tree
Box 11, Folder 8
Drawings of self and family
Box 9, Folder 1-2
"Conscience test" interviews
Box 9, Folder 3
"TAT tape" interviews in Awiyaana
1965
Box 9, Folder 4-6
Goldstein-Scheerer Cube test
Box 10, Folder 2
Dog/cat identification test
Box 10, Folder 3
CEFT (embedded figures test)
Box 10, Folder 6-7
Blacky Pictures test
1965 November-December
Box 10, Folder 8
Ethnocentrism questionnaire
Box 11, Folder 1
Photographic prints - Portraits/events/Lutherans at Waipina, includes valley and landscape
Box 11, Folder 2
Photographic prints - Daily life/scenery/inter-group interactions/men's initiation
Box 11, Folder 3
Slides
1963; 1965
General note
Includes scenes of marriage, death, burials, surgery, religion, cultural events, landscapes, and people. Named places include
Anokampa (Anokafa), Poznampa, Hagan Valley, Okapa, Okasa, Markam Valley, Tairora, Garoka Airstrip, etc.
Box 12, Folder 1-3
Sound recording - Anu's story
1965
Box 12, Folder 4
Sound recording - Songs and singing
undated
Box 12, Folder 5-6
Super8 films - no label or identification
undated
Box 13
Assorted small reel-to-reel recordings, in rough number sequence, with notes
1962, 1965
General note
Topics inscribed in brief notes on some containers. Includes songs and singing, myth telling, Kawaina funeral, initiations,
and more.
Box 13
Sound recording - Tanmwe's autobiography tapes 1-8
1965
Box 13
Sound recording - "Offenses" tapes 1-3
1965
Box 14
Unidentified reel-to-reel recordings
undated
