The Central Eskimo / Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-1885, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 399-670

Name: The Central Eskimo / Sixth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1884-1885, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1888, pages 399-670
Author: Franz Boas

By Franz Boas

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Archaeology & Anthropology

About This Book

An extensive ethnographic account documents the peoples of the central Arctic, mapping their geographic distribution and local groups and describing subsistence practices such as seal, walrus, whale and land-mammal hunting, plus fishing. It details material culture and technology — boats, sledges, clothing, houses, leatherworking and other manufactures — and examines social organization, customs, kinship, visiting practices, laws and religious beliefs including shamans and spirit lore. The volume collects oral traditions, myths, songs with musical notation, and treats navigation, poetry and artistic expression alongside methodological notes on orthography and sources.

About the Author

Franz Boas

Franz Boas was a pioneering anthropologist often referred to as the 'father of American anthropology.' He played a crucial role in establishing anthropology as a distinct academic discipline in the United States. Boas is known for his emphasis on cultural relativism and his critique of racial determinism, advocating for the understanding of cultures on their own terms. His influential works include "Anthropology," which laid the groundwork for modern anthropological thought, and "The Mind of Primitive Man," where he explored the psychological aspects of culture. His extensive research among Indigenous peoples, particularly in the Arctic, contributed significantly to the field's development and understanding of cultural diversity.