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The Forest People
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Colin M. Turnbull's The Forest People, published by Simon and Schuster in 1961, is a widely read ethnographic account of Mbuti life in the Ituri forest of the Belgian Congo based on Turnbull's own 1950s fieldwork, describing the forest itself, personified as Tore, as an active and benevolent presence, and describing the molimo ceremony central to Mbuti religious life. Its authority rests on Turnbull's own direct, sustained fieldwork among the Mbuti and the book's status as the most widely read introduction to their way of life for general readers. Its limit is real and specific: later fieldworkers have argued the book's harmonious portrait understates real variation between different Mbuti bands and understates tension with neighboring farming communities, so it should be read as the standard general account with that qualification in mind, and it should not be cited as evidence for a stated creation narrative, which the book itself does not offer.
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Colin M. Turnbull's The Forest People, published by Simon and Schuster in 1961, the top tier reflecting Turnbull's own direct, sustained fieldwork among the Mbuti and the book's status as the most widely read introduction to their way of life, notwithstanding that later fieldworkers have argued its harmonious portrait understates real variation between bands and tension with neighboring farming communities. NotesTurnbull's widely read account of Mbuti life in the Ituri forest (Belgian Congo, 1950s fieldwork), setting out the forest itself, Tore, as an active, benevolent presence and describing the molimo ceremony. Later fieldworkers have argued the portrait understates inter-band variation and tension with neighbouring farmers; use as the standard account with that qualification, and not as evidence of a stated creation narrative, which the book does not offer.
Citation
AuthorColin M. Turnbull
PublisherSimon & Schuster
Publication Year1961
URLhttps://archive.org/details/forestpeople00turn
Source TypeEthnography
Claims Backed By This Source (14 claims)
This source backs 14 claims across the atlas. As facts: 12 well-attested. Plus 2 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 8 well-attested.
- Articles, 4 claims: 4 well-attested.
- Pantheons, 1 claims: 1 general references.
- Subtle Energies, 1 claims: 1 general references.
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