Veldwerk in een zendingsgebied

Samenvatting

During anthropological fieldwork in 1963-65 in the Western district of what was called at that time the Australian territory of Papua and New Guinea, several awkward situations had to be coped with resulting from a 3-way relationship between anthropologists, missionaries, and the people studied. Research strategy was guided by the wish to disturb the cultural and social system as little as possible and by the necessity of keeping on good terms with the parties concerned. Although some tensions did exist, they did not grow into open conflicts because of mutual feelings of sympathy, interdependence, and great restraint on all sides. It was of vital importance, however, that the ultimate values of the researchers were never at stake. Modified AA.