Description
Papers of Roy A. Rappaport, an ethnographic anthropologist. The collection includes research papers and materials generated
from his fieldwork with the Tsembaga Maring of the Simbai Valley in Papua New Guinea during two field trips (1962-1963 and
1981-1982). Rappaport's first field trip was in conjunction with Columbia University for his dissertation, and the second
trip served as a follow-up study. Rappaport's research was concerned with the means by which religious ritual mediates the
relationships of a congregation, or population, to external entities. The papers include correspondence with colleagues, students,
friends, and local Papua New Guinea officials; manuscripts of published and unpublished works; ethnographic data collected
in field notebooks; typescript summaries; field notes and maps; diaries; photographs and sound recordings.
Background
Roy A. "Skip" Rappaport (1926-1997) was born in New York City. He earned his B.S. in hotel administration from Cornell University
(1949) and his Ph.D. in anthropology from Columbia University (1966).
Extent
19.2 Linear feet
(41 archives boxes, 5 card file boxes, 3 oversize folders, 4 map case folders)
Restrictions
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Availability
Original sound recordings in Series 7 and 12 are restricted. Researchers may request a listening copy be produced in advance.
Original negatives in Series 6C are restricted, but have been fully digitized.