Audio Letter from Harold Conklin, Alan Harwood Papers

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WEBVTT

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[[laughing]] {Speaker 1} ...and probably if I wrote it to somebody else [[laughing]]

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{Speaker 2} And Dear Alan, I [laughs] hesitate to interrupt this interesting conversation here, but since we're all discussing the same problem, namely how to get a grant, uh [laughs] it seems appropriate to uh, answer some of the questions that are [laughs] most uh, foremost in your mind.

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{Speaker 1} It just so happens that a few experts [laughs] uh have dropped in to help us, and at this moment, Mario will take over.

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{SPEAKER = "Mario Bick"} I'll try and give you a full analysis of the social structure. [[laughing]] [[crosstalk]] I've been informed that I might ...[trail off], that this isn't particularly a good idea. Uh, in terms of who's still there that might be of some use to you in terms, in African Studies at least, Elliott Skinner's now pretty much taken over the advisee position, or advisor, excuse me, position. Abe Rosman is there and uh, in addition, let's see, there's Bob Murphy, who probably will have something to do with you if he likes you, which may not be the case, you never can tell [laughs]. Uh, Doctor Harris has now taken over the reign of the First Egyptian Dynasty at Columbia, and has secluded himself in one of the pyramids and in addition to that, the linguist is Hendon, the uh, as I mentioned Bob Murphy is now at Columbia and he'll be there when you get back. Uh, Lambros Comitas is still there, and that's about...[aside] is that all the ethnologists?

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{SPEAKER = "Harold Conklin"} No, Stiegler's an archaeologist, Bob Stiegler in archaeology, mining and archaeology. Solecki is still here. There's a new physical anthropologist, but I'm sure she'll interest you but she won't have much to do with you [[BG laughter]]. Uh, I should...I stand corrected. Uh, in an academic sense of course, [[Alan/Ellen?]], and I think that's about it, is that everybody? [[in BG]]: I don't know? There seem to be more people...] I've been told there seem to be more people. Dave Smith will probably be your dissertation...[[laughs]]. Uh, I think that's just about it. Doctor Wagley is still there, and Doctor Ehrensberg and Doctor Frieser are in the field.

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{Speaker unknown}: [[BGV]] I think you ought to give a geographic picture, I think that's... {SPEAKER = "Harold Conklin"} Oh, I've also been told to tell you, when you get back to the department you may have some difficulty locating people, the map hasn't exactly changed, it's just sort of the population migrations have occurred at a rapid rate, uh, in Doctor Solecki's old office you'll find Bobby Muladdin [[sp?]] which is a relief and in Doctor Greenburg's old office is Marvin Harris.

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In Doctor Strong's old office is Murphy, in Doctor Vaida... excuse me I forget about Pete Vaida, he's back from the field, also...in Doctor Fried's old office is Doctor Vaida, in Doctor Wagley's old office is Doctor Hendon and Doctor Comitas, Doctor Esmer [[sp?]]'s old office is Doctor Rosman, Dave Smith, and Shirley Gorenstein.

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In Doctor Harris' old office, I hope you're following me here, [[laughter]] is Doctor Skinner and I hope you'll drop in on him if nothing else you'll want to meet his secretary and, down in the basement, Doctor Solecki is still dealing with that which is down in the basement, and Doctor Jay is in the old room between the physical anthropology lab and the archaeology lab.

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Doctor Wagley is in an entire building by himself, very hard to find and get to and the only person who seems to have remained somewhat stable, as American anthropologists remain stable is Ruth Bunzel, she's still there. Doctor Mead is still around but of course she's always traveling.

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And I think that covers everything in the department that may be of interest to you. I return you to your moderator.

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{SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Who's coming back next year? {SPEAKER name = "Unknown BGV"} Einesburg and Frieda {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Oh, [[Einesburg?]] and [[Frieda?]] will be back, oh that's right, from London {SPEAKER name = "Unknown BGV"} Art students {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Oh, I don't know. I don't really know who will be back.

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And we are and this.. There's been a lot of discussion about who's coming back, that you may know.

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Uh,
Unknown BGV: The New Guinea people will be back {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Oh Yeah. The, uh, {SPEAKER name = "Unknown BGV"} Owen will be back {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} who? {SPEAKER name = "Unknown BGV"} Owen {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Owen Lynch'll be back, and you've probably heard from him recently.

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Uhh, the New Guinea Corps, the Rappaports, and Sherry Reida [[sp?]], uh, will be back, Walden should be back,

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and that seems to be about it. By the way, I've been meaning to write to you for quite a while. [[Laughter]]

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This is not in lieu of, this is not in lieu of a letter, I still intend to write a, particularly uhh, not only but, one reason being, I hope to get in an area somewhat near where you're working and I'd like to talk to you about it but I return you to your moderator.

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{SPEAKER name = "Unknown BGV"} [[unintelligible]] {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Hmm? Oh yes, one other question. Oh, I don't know if you know I'm married, uh this is [[Laughter]]

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{SPEAKER name = "Unknown BGV"} Yes, he does. {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Does he know that? I've been told that you do. Anyway, Georgeda asks about the primate situation there. {SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} Not the two-legged ones. {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Well, yes, two-legged ones, I mean they all have two legs

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{SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} Primates outside of informants. {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Primates outside of informants, uh, if you would be able to give some information on what species, Georgeda? {SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} Species, yes {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} species or genus — genus, species and distribution you might have in the southern Tanganyika area because Georgeda may be doing some primate studies.

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If we ever get there and I return you to Mister Conklin. {SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} I'd like to speak to {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} You wanna get it back? You're running out of tape, huh?. {SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} I'm mic-shy. {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} Say hello [[laughter]]

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Georgeda Buchbinder Bick: Hello, Alan.

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{SPEAKER name = "Michiko Takaki "} Georgeda speaking.

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{SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} [Laughter] I'm very mic shy. Anyhow, if you happen to see some monkeys you might tag them or something for me [[giggle]], 'cause I have a feeling I'm going to be out there chasing Langurs, which run - not Langurs. {SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} No {SPEAKER name = "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} What are they?

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Patas Monkeys which apparently are built like and have the speed of greyhounds and people [[giggle]] have great doubts as to how I'm going to be able to keep up with them, without scaring them off by using a lot

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{SPEAKER name = "Mario Bick"} is it in the linguistic information? {SPEAKER name = "Harold Conklin "} What linguistic information? you have it all written down

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{SPEAKER name= "Georgeda Buchbinder Bick"} Oh

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Georgeda Buchbinder Bick: We have some linguistic information

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Mario Bick: Answers to your questions from Miss Takaki who's sitting here grinning. [[laughs]]

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Michiko Takaki : Alan, we've listened to those vowels together. But please let me write to you about them, with such a great audience around me, I could hardly articulate myself.

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Jean, Would you say a few words to Alan? Would you say a few words to Alan?
Georgeda Buchbinder Bick: Oh Alan, I've just listened to your tape and I, my opinion is that it sounds exactly like the people about everything sounds the same to me [[laughing]], there is absolutely no difference in those vowels.

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[[inaudible crosstalk]]

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Mario Bick: Alan, I have one question, Michiko said that you've visited the Leakeys and I, I've been very curious as to what has happened to Leakeys control over the work in Alderay [[?]]

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with Tanganyikan independence, and what, in what way he is regarded there. Maybe it's not a good question to put on tape, but uh, how the government regards him at the moment,

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I have a sneaking suspicion that he may have trouble in Kenya, and I was just wondering what's going to happen him in Tanganyika, you might have heard something about it because, ah, it might influence some things I've heard about going on here. Anyway, uh, if you do have some information I would enjoy hearing it, if at no other time than when you get back here in February

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uh, when you do, you have an open invitation to come up, and even for pay, to talk at the University of Massachusetts. Uh we probably can work out some kind of deal and I would like to see you. Uhm, and I return you again to your sponsors.

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[[crosstalk]]

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Michiko Takaki: Alan, this is the end of the recording at the conference place. Mario and his wife, Georgeda, came into New Haven last night, and I had just received your tape.

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Something was wrong on the second side. On my tape, on my machine, I was able to hear you, only behind, somebody else, a native person speaking. So I decided I would take the tape with me and have [[Howe?]]

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identify those vowels and