Manuscripts & Archives

HRAF recently began organizing its collections of manuscripts and archives. The following list describes the material that has so far been identified and cataloged. We hope to continue the work and to update this list. One of the more important omissions at this point is that of translations. We have only just begun to identify and organize them and the works listed here are a small proportion of our holdings. The most significant inclusions are the Whiting Collection of the Child Development Research Unit and the Whiting Collection of the Six Cultures Project.

John W. M. and Beatrice B. Whiting Collection

Series: Child Development Research Unit (CDRU), Harvard University and University College, Nairobi

Dates: 1966-1979

Description: 15.5 linear feet (13 boxes) 10.5″ x 12.75 x 16.5

Scope note: With primary funding from the Carnegie Corporation, the Child Development Research Unit (CDRU) at Harvard University and University College, Nairobi, supported ethnographic field research in 15 different communities in Kenya from 1966-1979. The cultures studied were: Abaluhia, Ismailis, Kikuyu, Kipsigis, Kamba, Gusii, Luo, Masai, and Samburu. John W.M.Whiting and Beatrice B. Whiting were the project directors. The communities that were studied as Primary Sampling Units (PSU) contain census materials, genealogies, other information on persons in the community (including information on sibling order, birthplace, parental information, level of education, and occupation), household maps including summaries of eating and sleeping places, and community maps. Some color slides are also included. Behavior observations and parental interviews for some of the communities are also included. Contact us for more specific details of material included in the collection.

Series: Six Cultures Project

Dates: 1954-1956

Scope Note: With funding primarily from the Ford Foundation, the Six Cultures project collected comparative field data in Juxtlahuaca, Mexico, Khalapur, India, Nyansongo, Kenya, Orchard Town, New England, Taira, Okinawa, and Tarong, Philippines. Primary emphasis was on child-rearing and children’s behavior. The collection contains ethnographic notes, child observations, mother interviews, TATs, and photos. Contact us for more specific details of material included in the collection.