Neil L. Whitehead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Neil L. Whitehead
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| Born | 19 March 1956 U.K.
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| Died | 22 March 2012 (aged 56) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
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| Known for | Anthropology of violence, dark shamanism, kanaimá, post-human anthropology, historical anthropology and archaeology of South America and the Caribbean |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Anthropology (Guyana, South America, Caribbean) |
| Institutions | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| Thesis | The conquest of the Caribs of the Orinoco basin (1984) |
Neil L. Whitehead (born March 19, 1956 – died March 22, 2012) was an English anthropologist. An anthropologist is a scientist who studies human societies and cultures.
Neil Whitehead was well-known for his research on how different cultures understand and deal with violence. He also studied shamanism, which involves spiritual practices, especially in Guyana. His work often focused on the history and cultures of South America and the Caribbean. From 1997 to 2007, he was the editor of a journal called Ethnohistory.
Contents
Who Was Neil Whitehead?
Neil L. Whitehead was a respected researcher who spent his life studying people and their histories. He was born in the United Kingdom. He later worked at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States.
His Studies
Whitehead's main area of study was anthropology. This field explores human societies, their customs, beliefs, and how they have changed over time. He was especially interested in the history of people in South America and the Caribbean.
Understanding Cultures
One of his key interests was historical anthropology. This means he looked at how past events shaped cultures today. He also studied archaeology, which is the study of human history through digging up old sites and artifacts.
Focus on Shamanism
A significant part of his work involved shamanism. Shamans are people in certain cultures who act as a link between the human world and the spirit world. Whitehead specifically researched a type of shamanism known as kanaimá in Guyana. He explored how these spiritual practices were understood within their cultures.
Awards and Recognition
Neil Whitehead received several important awards for his research and writings. These awards show how much his work was valued by other experts in his field.
Prize for Cartography
He won the James Henry Breasted Prize from the American Historical Association. This award was for his work on "Indigenous Cartography in Lowland South America and the Caribbean." Cartography is the art of making maps. His research looked at how native peoples in South America and the Caribbean created their own maps. This was part of a larger book series called The History of Cartography.
Award for Dark Shamans
Whitehead also received The Rasputin Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This was for his book titled Dark Shamans. Kanaimá and the Poetics of Violent Death. This book explored the complex topic of kanaimá practices and their cultural meanings.
