John Beattie interviewed by Alan Macfarlane 5^th July 1983

[Film quality poor]

0:00:05 Introduction; born 1915, educated Dublin where he read philosophy, then went to Tanzania working as an administrator in the Colonial Government for eight years; during year’s leave decided to read anthropology, had met W.E.H. Stanner in Dar es Salaam who suggested Oxford; decided to leave Colonial service and make career in anthropology

0:03:16 Had intended to work in Tanzania but Audrey Richards, then at Makerere, said that the area was already being studied by a Dutch anthropologist and suggested Bunyoro

0:04:50 At Oxford taught by Evans-Pritchard and Meyer Fortes and supervisor was John Perestiany, a lawyer by background, French, but Greek in origin; prior to becoming a civil servant had attended lectures by Radcliffe-Brown in 1939; much influenced by him; also influenced by Evans-Pritchard, first as pupil, then as colleague and friend

0:07:40 Memories of Evans-Pritchard; gave personal support to him becoming an anthropologist

0:10:54 Fieldwork among the Bunyoro

0:15:42 Theoretical work on witchcraft and spirit mediumship considered most significant although much done on the subject since the early 1950’s when this was done

0:19:31 Considers that given life again would still be an anthropologist