Franz Boas and the Discovery of Culture - Personal Web Pages ...
Franz Boas and the Discovery of Culture - Personal Web Pages ...
Franz Boas and the Discovery of Culture - Personal Web Pages ...
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<strong>Franz</strong> <strong>Boas</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Discovery</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Culture</strong> 10<br />
studying Danish, English <strong>and</strong> Eskimo languages, cartography, astronomy with Ernst<br />
Becker, photography with H. W. Vogel, <strong>and</strong> anthropometry with Rudolf Virchow.<br />
Bastian <strong>and</strong> Virchow were to become <strong>Boas</strong>’ role-models. Friedrich Ratzel’s<br />
Anthropogeographie was just published, <strong>and</strong> to <strong>Boas</strong> it became a h<strong>and</strong>book <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
problems he was investigating. 22 All <strong>the</strong>se exciting developments happened in Berlin,<br />
where <strong>Boas</strong> enjoyed cultural riches he had only dreamed <strong>of</strong> before.<br />
All this may sound like makeshift preparation, <strong>and</strong> despite <strong>Boas</strong>’ enthusiasm, it<br />
was. The itinerary for his expedition was unusual in its emphasis on a limited region, that<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> mostly unexplored Baffin Isl<strong>and</strong>, but also in its furious pace, which followed <strong>the</strong><br />
Eskimo migration route <strong>of</strong> his hypo<strong>the</strong>sis. <strong>Boas</strong> was planning on ending his expedition in<br />
<strong>the</strong> United States, where he hoped to seek fur<strong>the</strong>r career opportunities, <strong>and</strong> to see Marie.<br />
At first, he restrained himself from thinking about her, as he was about to embark on a<br />
dangerous voyage, but <strong>the</strong> doubt tortured him, <strong>and</strong> he decided to confess his love to her<br />
but a month before departure. Coincidently, just before he had posted his letter, Toni<br />
confessed that she had already taken <strong>the</strong> initiative, <strong>and</strong> that Marie had replied favorably.<br />
Within three weeks, <strong>Franz</strong> <strong>and</strong> Marie were engaged, <strong>and</strong> he left for Baffin Isl<strong>and</strong>,<br />
motivated not only for his own sake, but also for <strong>the</strong> sake <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir shared future.<br />
22 Liss 1996, p. 175