Rhoda Metraux, Manus, New Guinea,
1984 |
Dr. Rhoda Metraux
My mother, Rhoda Bubendey
Metraux (1914-2003), was a prominent
anthropologist in the area of cross-cultural studies,
specializing in Haitian voodoo and
the
Iatmul of New Guinea. She collaborated
with my father, Alfred
Metraux, on mutual studies
of Voodoo in Haiti. During WWII, Dr. Metraux headed
the section on German morale for the US Office of
Strategic
Services
(OSS).
My mother was also an important professional
and personal
partner
of Margaret Mead (1901-1978). Together
with Mead, they wrote several books
and many articles on major issues from
the 1950s to the late
1970s. As a contributing Editor to REDBOOK
magazine for well over a
decade,
both wrote many articles on contemporary issues
that later formed the
basis of a number of books including A WAY OF SEEING.
Margaret Mead
and
my mother were in fact a closely-knit professional
team whose work
greatly
influenced American anthropology in the late 20th
century. They
shared a house in Greenwich Village in New York
from 1955-66 and an
apartment on Central Park West from 1966-78. Living
with them was an
incredible experience.
If you would like more
information about my mother, please send me a message
via the feedback form.
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Rhoda Bubendey Metraux (1914-2003), one of the most prominent
anthropologists of the twentieth century, was a pioneer in the
cultural analysis of media and literary materials. Her work on
Haitian Voodoo and Iatmul New Guinea culture brought significant
respect from other anthropologists. She is best known for her
near four-decade partnership with anthropologist Margaret Mead
during which they collaborated on a variety of research projects
and jointly wrote several books and dozens of articles.
This obituary
by University of Vermont Professor Emeritus William E. Mitchell was published in slightly truncated form
in the American Anthropologist in 2005.
This obituary
appeared in the NEW YORK SUN newspaper in early December, 2003.
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