Glasnik Etnografskog Instituta SANU (Jan 2008)
Tristes Tropiques: A possibility of different anthropologies
Abstract
This paper discusses an application of new readings of classical anthropological texts, using as an example the Levi-Strauss' book Tristes Tropiques and the book's impact, reception and application in the local (Serbian) anthropological practice. The messages of the classical works even they are published half a century ago, could still be considered significant especially so for the local anthropological practice. Tristes Tropiques were published in 1960 in Serbo-Croatian language (published by Zora, Zagreb) only 5 years after the first edition in French and more than a decade before the book was translated completely into English. At the time, the book was not classified as ethnography/anthropology - it was published in the edition of 'foreign writers', hence, it was considered to be a literary work/fiction. It is possible that the categorization of the book was due to the fact that Tristes Tropiques was very different than the contemporary works at the time in the local (than Yugoslavian) ethnological/ethnographical production. The difference appears too profound so no parallel could be drawn or discover any common ground. Susan Sontag argues that Tristes Tropiques is one of the great books of the 20th century, and Gertz claim that in the whole body of anthropology, there is not a text so self-referential and liberating as Tristes Tropiques. However, the book was not so widely read in Serbia especially not so as an anthropological literature, therefore, many educational points remained until this day outside of the framework of the local ethnographic production. Even though the book was published in XX century, it deserves to be read today for many reasons. We should read the book not because it represents a great ethnographic account, or because the author is a creator of a new paradigm in anthropology, but because the book even today, shed a light on the same thing: it is possible, even necessary to get out from the closed circle of the known way of thinking and because the book inspires many dilemmas and questions that could provide new unexpected answers, to be told in totally novel ways.
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