Du Toit (Brian M.) Papua New Guinea Research Materials, 1961-1966
Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Brian M. du Toit Papua New Guinea Research Materials
- Dates:
- 1961-1966
- Abstract:
- Research documentation from Brian du Toit's anthropological fieldwork from 1961-1962 in Papua New Guinea. Du Toit worked with the Gadsup people in Akuna, a village located in the Arona River Valley of Eastern Highlands Province. Research materials include 16mm films, reel-to-reel tapes, and color slides.
- Extent:
- 1.6 Linear feet (2 archives boxes and 2 shoeboxes)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
-
Brian M. du Toit Papua New Guinea Research Materials, MSS 747. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The papers of anthropologist Brian M. du Toit document his fieldwork in Papua New Guinea from 1961-1962. Du Toit worked in Akuna, a Gadsup-language speaking village in the Arona Valley of the Eastern Highlands Province of what is now Papua New Guinea. The collection is arranged, by format, in three series: 1) SLIDES, 2) FILMS, and 3) AUDIO RECORDINGS.
SERIES 1: SLIDES
The SLIDES series is comprised of 387 color slides from 1961-1962, taken by du Toit during his time in Papua New Guinea. A detailed slide list created by du Toit gives a brief description of each slide.
Slides in the collection include images of court cases, ceremonial traditions, and food preparation; portraits; landscapes; and architecture. Also included are images of du Toit and his family in Akuna. Several slides, housed in glass slide mounts, have been filed separately for preservation reasons.
SERIES 2: FILMS
The FILMS series contains fifteen reels of 16mm Kodachrome film, which are unedited and have little description. Films depict village life and work, surrounding landscape, and missionary work. Also of interest are depictions of material culture (manufacture of netbags, grass skirts, and houses), as well as musicians and dancers. These films are restricted and researchers must request, through the Director of the Mandeville Special Collections Library, that user copies be produced.
SERIES 3: AUDIO RECORDINGS
The AUDIO RECORDINGS series includes five reel-to-reel tapes, recorded in Akuna, of music and singing. Also included are letters and some transcriptions of this music, written by ethnomusicologist Percival Kirby. These recordings are restricted and researchers must request that user copies be produced.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Brian Murray du Toit was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in 1935. He received his B.A. in anthropology and sociology in 1957 and his M.A. in anthropology in 1961 - both from the University of Pretoria. In 1963 he obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon. As a doctoral student, du Toit had the opportunity to do fieldwork in Papua New Guinea. He worked with the Gadsup people in Akuna, a village located in the Arona River Valley of Eastern Highlands Province.
Du Toit taught for two years at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. In 1966 he began teaching anthropology at the University of Florida where he remained until his retirement in 2001. Throughout his career, du Toit conducted field investigations in Africa, North & South America, and Papua New Guinea.
- Acquisition information:
- Acquired 2012.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2019-04-02 14:20:04 -0700 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Films and audio recordings in boxes 3 & 4 are restricted. Researchers must request, through the Director of the Mandeville Special Collections Library, that user copies be produced.
- Terms of access:
-
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
- Preferred citation:
-
Brian M. du Toit Papua New Guinea Research Materials, MSS 747. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
- Location of this collection:
-
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept. 0175La Jolla, CA 92093-0175, US
- Contact:
- (858) 534-2533