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| Ian Cunnison obituary | Ian Cunnison obituary |
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| The pioneering anthropologist Ian Cunnison, who has died aged 90, undertook field research in the last years of colonial Africa. He developed a particular affinity with Sudan after Edward Evans-Pritchard, a professor at Oxford University, persuaded him to work in the north of the country in the period before independence arrived in 1956. | The pioneering anthropologist Ian Cunnison, who has died aged 90, undertook field research in the last years of colonial Africa. He developed a particular affinity with Sudan after Edward Evans-Pritchard, a professor at Oxford University, persuaded him to work in the north of the country in the period before independence arrived in 1956. |
| The project was supported by the Sudanese government and eventually resulted in Ian's outstanding book Baggara Arabs (1966), in which he traced, in meticulous detail, the seasonal migration of cattle nomads based in South Kordofan into the lands of the Dinka people of Bahr al-Ghazal. From 1952 to 1954 Ian was with the Humr tribe, far from any expatriate comforts. He was interested in, and recorded, everything: Arabic dialects, giraffe hunting, cattle branding, drumming calls, the informal influence of women and the shifting power structures of tribe and family in the broader context of the passing of a colonial superstructure. | The project was supported by the Sudanese government and eventually resulted in Ian's outstanding book Baggara Arabs (1966), in which he traced, in meticulous detail, the seasonal migration of cattle nomads based in South Kordofan into the lands of the Dinka people of Bahr al-Ghazal. From 1952 to 1954 Ian was with the Humr tribe, far from any expatriate comforts. He was interested in, and recorded, everything: Arabic dialects, giraffe hunting, cattle branding, drumming calls, the informal influence of women and the shifting power structures of tribe and family in the broader context of the passing of a colonial superstructure. |
| From 1955 Ian taught in the department at Manchester University founded by another Evans-Pritchard protege, Max Gluckman. There he met his future wife, Sheila Smith, a sociologist. In 1959, the couple went to Sudan, where Ian became the first professor of social anthropology at the University of Khartoum. | From 1955 Ian taught in the department at Manchester University founded by another Evans-Pritchard protege, Max Gluckman. There he met his future wife, Sheila Smith, a sociologist. In 1959, the couple went to Sudan, where Ian became the first professor of social anthropology at the University of Khartoum. |
| He taught himself Portuguese in order to translate the two-volume history of the Kingdom of Kazembe by ACP Gamitto, first published in 1854 and a major source for central African studies. Ian's version appeared in 1960; six years earlier had come his translation from the French of Marcel Mauss's essay The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies. He also edited Sudan Notes and Records, which he transformed from a vehicle with random jottings by British colonial officials to a respected academic journal. | He taught himself Portuguese in order to translate the two-volume history of the Kingdom of Kazembe by ACP Gamitto, first published in 1854 and a major source for central African studies. Ian's version appeared in 1960; six years earlier had come his translation from the French of Marcel Mauss's essay The Gift: Forms and Functions of Exchange in Archaic Societies. He also edited Sudan Notes and Records, which he transformed from a vehicle with random jottings by British colonial officials to a respected academic journal. |
| Ian was born in Milngavie, north-west of Glasgow, and his father taught economics at Glasgow University. From Glasgow academy he went to Cambridge University, where his studies in French with archaeology and anthropology were interrupted by war service in North Africa and Italy. After graduating, in 1947 he joined the Institute of Social Anthropology in Oxford to do a DPhil based on fieldwork in the Luapula Valley in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), with support from the Rhodes-Livingstone Institute (1948-51). He applied wide interests to his research, integrating archaeology and history into the study of a changing society. | Ian was born in Milngavie, north-west of Glasgow, and his father taught economics at Glasgow University. From Glasgow academy he went to Cambridge University, where his studies in French with archaeology and anthropology were interrupted by war service in North Africa and Italy. After graduating, in 1947 he joined the Institute of Social Anthropology in Oxford to do a DPhil based on fieldwork in the Luapula Valley in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), with support from the Rhodes-Livingstone Institute (1948-51). He applied wide interests to his research, integrating archaeology and history into the study of a changing society. |
| Then followed his time in Sudan, which came to an end when he and Sheila returned to Britain, and he set about building up the department of sociology and social anthropology at Hull University. His work there as teacher, administrator and research supervisor emphasised his commitment to the integration of different disciplines, and he held the chair of social anthropology at Hull until his retirement in 1989. | Then followed his time in Sudan, which came to an end when he and Sheila returned to Britain, and he set about building up the department of sociology and social anthropology at Hull University. His work there as teacher, administrator and research supervisor emphasised his commitment to the integration of different disciplines, and he held the chair of social anthropology at Hull until his retirement in 1989. |
| The university developed a special link with Sudan. Many of the first generation of Sudanese anthropologists made their way to Hull to undertake research or to call on the godfather of Sudanese anthropology. They in particular enjoyed the hospitality for which Ian and Sheila were noted. | |
| Ian was modest and reserved, but generous with his scholarship. He was a keen fly-fisherman all his life and spent much time in the Scottish mountains, first as a climber and then as a hill walker. | |
| He is survived by Sheila, two daughters, Judith and Belinda, and two grandchildren. | He is survived by Sheila, two daughters, Judith and Belinda, and two grandchildren. |
| • Ian George Cunnison, anthropologist, born 13 February 1923; died 16 June 2013 | • Ian George Cunnison, anthropologist, born 13 February 1923; died 16 June 2013 |