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Register of the Brian M. du Toit Papua New Guinea Research Materials
MSS 747
MSS 747
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Title: Brian M. du Toit Papua New Guinea Research Materials
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 747
Contributing Institution:
Mandeville Special Collections Library
La Jolla, California 92093-0175
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.6 Linear feet
2 archives boxes and 2 shoe boxes
Date (bulk): Bulk, 1961-1962
Date (inclusive): 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.
Creator:
Du Toit, Brian M., 1935-
Brian M. du Toit Papua New Guinea Research Materials, MSS 747. Mandeville Special Collections Library, UCSD.
Not Available
Scope and Contents of Collection
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.
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.
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.
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Du Toit, Brian M., 1935- -- Archives
Anthropology--Research--Papua New Guinea--Arona River Valley
Arona River Valley (Papua New Guinea)
Gadsup (Papua New Guinea)