Great anthropologist

Press, 21 February 1978, Page 11

Great anthropologist

PA Dunedin. The “father” of anthropology in New Zealand and a former director of the Otago Museum, Dr Henry Devenish Skinner, has died in Dunedin. He was 91. Dr Skinner was recognised I as one of the greatest figures in Pacific i anthropology. He was born at New ■ Plymouth, attended Neslon I College, then went to I Victoria College and the University of Otago. He then took the B.A. Research degree (equivalent to a Ph. D.) at Cambridge. In 1918, Dr Skinner was ■ appointed assistant curator i at the Otago Museum, and I later became a lecturer in anthropology at the i University of Otago. Recognising the : importance of developing | collections, particularly in | the ethnology and material culture of New Zealand in i the Pacific, Dr Skinner ibegan building up what is

.’(recognised as one of the (finest collections of its fi scope in any regional , imuseum. I Dr Skinner eventually " became reader in j anthropology in the ! University of Otago but retired from this post in ’ 1951. He retired as museum director in 1953, but j continued for a time as ' director emeritus. L He was foundation ' chairman of the New Zealand Archaeological Association. Most of his archaeological 1 field work was done in 3 (Otago and the Chatham 3 Islands, but he also worked 3 in Ohio and other parts of 1 the United States, Tahiti, • and contributed to Royal Society and Pacific Science s congresses. r In 1962, he received an j honorary doctorate of t» literature from Otago e University in recognition of his work in anthropology. e In 1966, a trust fund to ’ support grants in aid of the r history, art, culture, and 1 physical and social n anthropology of the Maori r and Polynesian peoples was s named after Dr Skinner.