Encyclopedia, Difference between revisions of "Colin Turnbull" - New World
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| − | '''Dr Colin Macmillan Turnbull''' ([[November 23]], [[1924]] - [[July 28]], [[1994]]) was a famous British [[anthropology|anthropologist]] who gained prominence with his book ''The Forest People'' | + | '''Dr Colin Macmillan Turnbull''' ([[November 23]], [[1924]] - [[July 28]], [[1994]]) was a famous British [[anthropology|anthropologist]] and [[ethologist]] who gained prominence in 1962 with his idealized,lyrical book ''The Forest People'' about the [[Mbuti]] [[Pygmy|Pygmies]]. Ten years later, he wrote an antithetical book, the highly controversial ''The Mountain People'', about [[Uganda]]'s starving [[Ik]] tribe. Turnbull was highly controversial, with a passion for involvement with his subjects rather than participate in the conventional scientific objectivity. He advocated that the Ik, for their own good, should be relocated in small groups of less than ten in distances so far from each other that their culture would continue to collapse and be destroyed. He later acknowledged his own inability to see the humanity in the Ik, and advocated racial equality and studied death row inmates in Florida, becomming a champion for some of their release. He sparked incredible debate on the value of ethology as a scientific discipline. He is also known for his musical recordings of the Mbuti Pygmies, some of which influenced further ethological studies as well as such musicians as John Coltrane and continues to be commercially available. |
| − | Turnbull became a [[naturalized citizen]] of the [[United States]] in [[ | + | ==Life== |
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| + | Colin Macmillan Turnbull was born of Scottish parents in Harlow, England. His mother was often known to point out admirable qualities of variou disadvantaged people, much to the consternation of various relatives and acquantainces who would rather see the status quo continue intact. Colin had a succession of German nannies, none of whom stayed long enough for him to form any bond with. At six years old, he was sent to boarding school and remained there until college. | ||
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| + | He "had a jeweled soul" and became a renowned organist, but these qualities were not particularly rewarded. Some notes from teachers at that time rather chastized Colin's inability in sports "to take his beatings like a man" and questioned whether it might be good for him to stop allowing him his music. A pivotal point was when he wittnessed a gang rape of a friend by the other boys, and he vowed to become a champion for those who were weak or unable to defend themselves. | ||
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| + | He attended Magdelena College in Oxford, England and studies Music, Literature, and Anthropology studying under the ethologist [[EE. PRevens??]]. His studes were cut short when he volunteered in 1945 with the Roayal Air Force. His duties were to do mine-sweeping and recover bodies and name tags from fallen soldiers. He returned to College and gained his Bachelors and degree. Traveleing to India, he gained a Masters degree from Benares University in ..... | ||
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| + | From here, he made his first trip to Africa to see the Pygmies on a grant, and on a morotcycle with his friend a musician Normal BEal | ||
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| + | d gorge on whatever occasional excesses of food they might find until they became sick, rather than save or share. However, several anthropologists have since argued that a particularly serious [[famine]] suffered by the [[Ik]] during the period of Turnbull's visit may have distorted their normal behaviour and customs. | ||
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| + | Turnbull became a [[naturalized citizen]] of the [[United States]] in [[1964]]and ived in [[New York]] and [[Virginia]] with his professional collaborator and partner of 30 years, the [[African American]] Dr. Joseph Towles, as an openly [[gay]] and [[interracial couple]] in one of the smallest and most conservative towns of 1960s rural Virginia, during which time he also took up the the cause of death row inmates. After his partner's death in 1988, Turnbull retreated to a [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] monastery where he lived out his remaining years under a Buddhist name before his death in 1994. Both Drs. Towles and Turnbull died from the complications of [[AIDS]]. | ||
Some of Turnbull's recordings of BaMbuti music were commercially released, and his works inspired other [[ethnomusicology|ethnomusicological]] studies, such those of [[Simha Arom]] and [[Mauro Campagnoli]]. | Some of Turnbull's recordings of BaMbuti music were commercially released, and his works inspired other [[ethnomusicology|ethnomusicological]] studies, such those of [[Simha Arom]] and [[Mauro Campagnoli]]. | ||
Revision as of 15:36, 16 June 2006
Dr Colin Macmillan Turnbull (November 23, 1924 - July 28, 1994) was a famous British anthropologist and ethologist who gained prominence in 1962 with his idealized,lyrical book The Forest People about the Mbuti Pygmies. Ten years later, he wrote an antithetical book, the highly controversial The Mountain People, about Uganda's starving Ik tribe. Turnbull was highly controversial, with a passion for involvement with his subjects rather than participate in the conventional scientific objectivity. He advocated that the Ik, for their own good, should be relocated in small groups of less than ten in distances so far from each other that their culture would continue to collapse and be destroyed. He later acknowledged his own inability to see the humanity in the Ik, and advocated racial equality and studied death row inmates in Florida, becomming a champion for some of their release. He sparked incredible debate on the value of ethology as a scientific discipline. He is also known for his musical recordings of the Mbuti Pygmies, some of which influenced further ethological studies as well as such musicians as John Coltrane and continues to be commercially available.
Life
Colin Macmillan Turnbull was born of Scottish parents in Harlow, England. His mother was often known to point out admirable qualities of variou disadvantaged people, much to the consternation of various relatives and acquantainces who would rather see the status quo continue intact. Colin had a succession of German nannies, none of whom stayed long enough for him to form any bond with. At six years old, he was sent to boarding school and remained there until college.
He "had a jeweled soul" and became a renowned organist, but these qualities were not particularly rewarded. Some notes from teachers at that time rather chastized Colin's inability in sports "to take his beatings like a man" and questioned whether it might be good for him to stop allowing him his music. A pivotal point was when he wittnessed a gang rape of a friend by the other boys, and he vowed to become a champion for those who were weak or unable to defend themselves.
He attended Magdelena College in Oxford, England and studies Music, Literature, and Anthropology studying under the ethologist EE. PRevens??. His studes were cut short when he volunteered in 1945 with the Roayal Air Force. His duties were to do mine-sweeping and recover bodies and name tags from fallen soldiers. He returned to College and gained his Bachelors and degree. Traveleing to India, he gained a Masters degree from Benares University in .....
From here, he made his first trip to Africa to see the Pygmies on a grant, and on a morotcycle with his friend a musician Normal BEal
d gorge on whatever occasional excesses of food they might find until they became sick, rather than save or share. However, several anthropologists have since argued that a particularly serious famine suffered by the Ik during the period of Turnbull's visit may have distorted their normal behaviour and customs.
Turnbull became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1964and ived in New York and Virginia with his professional collaborator and partner of 30 years, the African American Dr. Joseph Towles, as an openly gay and interracial couple in one of the smallest and most conservative towns of 1960s rural Virginia, during which time he also took up the the cause of death row inmates. After his partner's death in 1988, Turnbull retreated to a Buddhist monastery where he lived out his remaining years under a Buddhist name before his death in 1994. Both Drs. Towles and Turnbull died from the complications of AIDS.
Some of Turnbull's recordings of BaMbuti music were commercially released, and his works inspired other ethnomusicological studies, such those of Simha Arom and Mauro Campagnoli.
Books
- The Forest People, 1961
- The Lonely African, 1962
- Wayward Servants; The Two Worlds Of The African Pygmies, 1965
- Tibet (with Thubten Jigme Norbu), 1968
- The Mountain People, 1972
- Africa and Change, 1973
- Man in Africa, 1976
- The Human Cycle, 1983
- The Mbuti Pygmies : Change And Adaptation, 1983
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