Laura Bohannan facts for kids

Laura Bohannan (born Laura Marie Altman Smith) was an American anthropologist. She was born in 1922 and passed away on March 19, 2002. She was also known by her pen name, Elenore Smith Bowen.

Bohannan is famous for her 1966 article, "Shakespeare in the Bush." She also wrote two books in the 1960s: Tiv Economy (with her husband) and Return to Laughter, a novel. These books and articles were based on her travels and studies in Africa between 1949 and 1953.

Early Life and Education

Laura Bohannan studied at the University of Arizona. There, she met her future husband, Paul J. Bohannan. They got married on May 15, 1943. In 1951, Bohannan earned her doctorate degree from Oxford University in England.

Studying the Tiv People

From 1949 to 1953, Laura Bohannan and her husband lived among the Tiv tribe. The Tiv are a group of people living in central Nigeria. Their time with the Tiv became the main subject of her important writings.

Shakespeare in the Bush

One of Bohannan's most famous works is her article "Shakespeare in the Bush." This article is often studied because of its unique ideas. While living in a small village in Nigeria, Bohannan tried to tell the story of Hamlet to a group of Tiv villagers.

However, there were big differences in culture and language. This led to a very different telling of the famous English play. The Tiv audience was confused by how Westerners seemed to misunderstand their own stories. This essay helps students learn how different viewpoints change what people understand and expect.

Return to Laughter

Bohannan also wrote the novel Return to Laughter. She used the pen name Elenore Smith Bowen for this book. The story is based on her real experiences doing fieldwork in Nigeria.

She likely used a different name because she felt the book's personal style was not typical for her professional work. Her pen name came from her mother's first name, Elenore, and her own maiden name, Smith. Later editions of the book were published under her real name.

Tiv Economy

Another important book was Tiv Economy. She wrote this book with her husband. In 1969, they received the Herskovitz Prize for this work. This award recognized their important contributions to understanding the Tiv economy.

Later Life and Legacy

Laura Bohannan was part of a group of women anthropologists. Their early studies were sometimes not accepted because they used a very personal approach. Another famous woman in this group was Zora Neale Hurston.

From 1970 to 1973, Bohannan was the editor of American Anthropologist. This is a major journal in the field of anthropology. She and her husband divorced in 1975. They had one son named Denis. Laura Bohannan retired in 1990. She passed away at home from a heart attack on March 19, 2002.

See also

In Spanish: Laura Bohannan para niños