forest

play

responsibility

nationality

American

British

occupation / innovator as

anthropologist

innovator in the field of

ethnomusicology

Museum of Natural History

musicologist

religion

Buddhism

ethnomusicologist

cause of death

natural causes

World War II

anthropology

The Forest People

is a father and mother to us : And like a father or mother it gives us everything we need: Food, clothing, shelter, warmth.

The forest is a father and mother to us,' he said, 'and like a father or mother it gives us everything we needfood, clothing, shelter, warmth . . . and affection. Normally everything goes well, because the forest is good to its children, but when things go wrong there must be a reason (Turnbull 'forest people' : 89)

is that which, when you listen, you hear life in myriad forms all roundbirds, monkeys, bees, the rustling of a nearby stream and the never-ending voice of the forest itself.

And when you listen you hear life in myriad forms all round-birds, monkeys, bees, the rustling of a nearby stream and the never-ending voice of the forest itself. It continually whispers assurances that all is well, that the forest is looking after its children' (Turnbull 'forest people' : 128)

is a kind of training, whereby one day the young person find that the games they have been playing are not games any longer, but the real thing, for they have become adults. It happens so gradually that they hardly notice the change at first.

For children, life is one long frolic interspersed with a healthy sprinkle of spankings and slappings. Sometimes these seem unduly severe, but it is all part of their training. And one day they find that the games they have been playing are not games any longer, but the real thing, for they have become adults. Their hunting is now real hunting... their tree climbing is in earnest search of inaccessible honey... their acrobatics on the swings are repeated almost daily, in other forms, in the pursuit of elusive game, or in avoiding the malicious forest buffalo. It happens so gradually that they hardly notice the change at first, for even when they are proud and famous hunters their life is still full of fun and laughter (Turnbull 'forest people' : 130)

Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off.

Colin Turnbull

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Colin Turnbull