The publication in 2000 of Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney created a firestorm of controversy in the International Anthropological community. In this book, Tierney discusses a variety of ethical and scientific issues surrounding anthropological studies during the 1960s and 19702 of the Yanomamo people of Brazil. The main protagonist (antihero?) of this tale of alleged ethical and scientific misconduct is University of Michigan cultural anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, whose book Yanomamo: The Fierce People was one of the best selling ethnographies of all time. Tierney criticizes Chagnon's behavior as unethical, and questions some of Chagnon's major conclusions concerning Yanomamo society, especially the notion that violence among Yanomamo males was an evolutionary strategy rewarded by greater fitness. I've made available a sample of reviews of Tierney's book and journalistic pieces about the Anthropological reaction to Tierney's charges for you to read on Mediafire. I'm looking forward to your reactions to this very controversial issue.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Chagnon, the Yanomamo, and Darkness at El Dorado
The publication in 2000 of Darkness in El Dorado by Patrick Tierney created a firestorm of controversy in the International Anthropological community. In this book, Tierney discusses a variety of ethical and scientific issues surrounding anthropological studies during the 1960s and 19702 of the Yanomamo people of Brazil. The main protagonist (antihero?) of this tale of alleged ethical and scientific misconduct is University of Michigan cultural anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon, whose book Yanomamo: The Fierce People was one of the best selling ethnographies of all time. Tierney criticizes Chagnon's behavior as unethical, and questions some of Chagnon's major conclusions concerning Yanomamo society, especially the notion that violence among Yanomamo males was an evolutionary strategy rewarded by greater fitness. I've made available a sample of reviews of Tierney's book and journalistic pieces about the Anthropological reaction to Tierney's charges for you to read on Mediafire. I'm looking forward to your reactions to this very controversial issue.
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I think this whole controversy proves the significance of knowing proper research methods. Somewhere in those articles, someone mentioned that "you wouldn't do what they did, today". Well obviously you wouldn't, but we shouldn't use the past as an excuse. Any anthropologist in Chagnon's position should have identified the potential consequences of dealing with the Yanomamo. Regardless of how the Yanomamo actually behaved, in calling them "the fierce people" Chagnon opened the door for the justification of their domination. This has been seen throughout history, in that Europeans have depicted natives as "savages" that need to be conquered and tamed(Manifest Destiny). Today this is being played out with mining on Yanomamo land. An important part of any ethnographic work should be the ways in which the studied group benefits from the research. With the Yanomamo being described today as "a dieing culture", I think that Chagnon, as an anthropologist, dropped the ball on this one.
ReplyDeleteAnthropologists should use their work and research for the benefit of those that they study. It seems as though Chagnon, according to Tierney, was doing his research for his own benefit. To make it sound like these were blood-thirsty people is more appealing to the public than if they were gentle, peace-loving individuals. He made it sound more sexy to sell it, and the matter in which he conducted his research was seen as unethical. "The Fierce People" sounds more appealing than "the sometimes fierce, but sometimes modest people" or simply "the gentle people". In doing so, he was looking out for himself rather than the Yanomamo.
ReplyDeleteBut Tierney was also viewing Chagnon's research in the contemporary. Chagnon did his studies in the '60s and '70s; research methods and what is "ethical" could have changed since. Archaeological methods have changed over time, and archaeologists once did things for their benefit, and other anthropologists, as well. The '60s and '70s were decades of transition, especially in social aspects of this country and the world. Chagnon could have just been doing things the way they were in his time.
Justin and Jason are both correct in this context. The case of the Yanomamo as illustrated by the use of an out of date meseale vaccine known to have an adverse effect in Native American populations, shows a lack of ethical responsiblity and a lack of good research methods. However, many of Tierney's critques of Chagnon's work are retrospective, its easy point out what was done wrong in the research. Hindsight is 20/20 and often ethnographic work should be critqued within the context of the time period.
ReplyDeleteThe most distressing aspect of the whole situation with the Yanomamo is the concept of putting them on an "ecological preserve". Personally it sounds a lot like a reservation to me. Even though it may not be a tradtional reservation, it still puts a limit on the resources avaiable to the Yanomamo, and it also has the abality to put the groups into conflict much more often then before since they are confined to a certain amount of space.
This issue to me is almost tantamount to a witch-hunt. For the sake of the argument and to stimulate much debate I'll take the side of Chagnon whom although perhaps was a bit devious certain times in his fieldwork I feel is by in large no different from countless other cultural anthropologists. Countless anthropologists, such as William Irons that "there's nothing substantial proving that Chagnon did anything wrong.” Even if most of the violence Chagnon experienced was contact-induced, one he would not be the first anthropologist to alter the people he or she is studying; arguably its inevitable not to change them to a degree and second embellishing one’s data although wrong and unethical, especially if one is profiting off those lies, Chagnon’s intentions I feel were mostly good and he was honestly attempting to document, learn and discover the nature of the Yanomamo, violent or not. Tierney is also critical of the many films documenting the Yanomao but even he is forced to admit that the majority of those did not involve Chagnon or Neel at all.
ReplyDeleteI feel like we should spend our time promoting good ethical standards in conducting fieldwork for the current crop of anthropologist rather than casting condemnations on past anthropologists and their fieldwork. It does little good to peer in the past (although if Changon did knowingly spread measles he should be held accountable for that heinous action) and no team of anthropologists against or for Chagnon's work will ever proof that he did sound, ethical fieldwork or not.
As one article previously stated-Tierney "has opened up a rather large can of worms." As evidenced by Tierney's book, there are many things that you could attack about Chagnon's work.
ReplyDeleteThe researcher should always be asking himself or herself "How am I affecting the situation?" Are we accurately representing the thoughts/actions of ALL the people involved? Am I being biased in anyway, and if so then how?
In the case of Chagnon, is it really ethical to give the population being studied technology for answers? Is it ethical to stage fake fights to sell more books/movies?
Every indigenous population is important. Some, like Davis, believe that "the Indians of the Amazon are the only ones who know how to develop the region. Their destruction may mean the loss of the ability to develop the Amazon without destroying it."
Should they be confined to a reserve? It is horrible that this should happen, but if a preserve means their survival, then I think it should be done. I don't mean put them on display like animals at a zoo, but give them space to do their own thing.
ReplyDeleteI see the center of this controversy to be around the simple maxim of cultural anthropology. According to the AAA code of ethics, the anthropologists number one responsibility is to the people they are studying. "Responsibility to people and animals with whom anthropological researchers work and whose lives and cultures they study." Tierney's work suggests that Chagnon and his contemporaries did not act in the best interests of the Yanamamo people. Critics of Tierney, such as the "response from Venezuela", Science 9 February 2001 accuse Tierney of half truths and defend Chagnon and his work. Another scholar, Borofsky at the University of Hawaii has written a book explaining the controversy to Professional Anthropologists and students alike, "Yanomami: The Fierce Controversy and what We Can Learn from it". This was assigned in an undergrad into lecture that I TAed at UVM. Two things about this text are especially interesting. One, it treats the situation as a lab we can learn from, to better employ anthropological methods in the future. Two it moves the center of the debate away from Chagnon and onto the Yanomami people. The best part of this text is that it is accompanied by a webpage. This website is designed to engage readers in exploration of ethical issues in anthropology and provides an interactive venue for intellectual exchange and activism.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.publicanthropology.net/
There is a 10 dollar registration fee of which at least 25% is donated to the Yanamamo, so that they may benefit from the discussion that happens at their expense. The money is sent to Hutukara Associação Yanomami, a non-government organization (or NGO) in Brazil run by the Yanomami that seeks to improve health care among the Yanomami. Check it out.
It seems to me that the Yanamamo are on display already. They have worldwide attention and every aspect of their lives and survival has been politicized. Their lives have been permanently and immensely altered since the arrival of the first missionaries in the 50's and further altered by the introduction of western tools by the anthropologists who try to study the unaltered tribe.
ReplyDeleteTierny has raised some valid points about the methods used in studying the tribe but instead of being professional and investigative he turned to personal attack. This attack bred further attack from the other side of the fence and it has exploded into worldwide breaks in the anthropological community.
The truth as to what actually happened may have been buried in heresay and posturing, eliminating an opportunity to help and study the tribe.
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteI have been looking at this Yanomamö controversy for a number of years, primarily through my contact with one of the Yanomamö communities Tierney references and that Chagnon interacted with over his years of study. Tierney's book certainly did light a fire in Venezuela. Unfortunately, according to people who are much closer than I, he did get many things wrong in the midst of some much-needed exposés.
In my experience, in Venezuela, one of the biggest complaints from the Yanomamö is that they don't have a voice. They are geographically and politically isolated, which both protects and controls them. Many others purport to speak for them.
A few years ago, a community of Yanomamö in Amazonas province initiated a film project where they try to tell their perspective on some of the issues. It is called, “Yai Wanonabälewä: The Enemy God”. More information can be found at: http://www.TheEnemyGod.com
In the interest of disclosure, I will say that I was one of the filmmakers they approached about the story. While the film can only tell one community's perspective, I feel it adds an important voice to the conversation.
Wow. I think it is awesome that a person with direct knowledge has commented on our blog. I guess this blog is going global!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, regarding the Yanomami controversies I think the issue boils down to ethics. It is my belief that the AAA needs to set up sanctions that can have consequences. This way anthropologists can he held accountable for their actions.
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