The Innocent Anthropologist: Notes from a Mud Hut

It is rumoures that the eminent anthropologist Evans-Pritchard would simply tell his proteges, 'Get yourself a decent hamper from Fortnum and Mason's and keep away from the native women' Another West Africanist would reveal that the secret of successful fielwork lay in the possession of a good string vest. In my own case I was told to complete my will (which I did), to take nail varnish for the local dandies (which I didn't) and to buy myself a good penknife (which broke). A lady anthropologist revealed to me the address of a London shop where I could buy shorts with locust-proof pocket-flaps. I felt these to be unnecessary luxury.