The Maclay Coast Ethnographic Team. Expedition of 1971 (Part 1.)

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2026, №1(70), 388-400

 
Annotation: Of all the island states of Oceania, of the Maclay Coast on the island of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea, PNG), its history and ethnography, has always received special attention in Russia. This is largely due to the interest in the expeditions of the great Russian scientist N.N. Miklouho-Maclay, who conducted research in New Guinea in the 1870s — 1880s. The data he collected on the Papuans of the north-east of the island provided an opportunity to record essential aspects of human life at one of the early stages of its development. Diaries, articles, and drawings by N.N. Miklouho-Maclay became a valuable source for subsequent generations of researchers in the region. The 1970s became one of the important milestones in the development of Russian ocean studies: Soviet ethnographers had the opportunity to conduct field research on the Maclay Coast. The ethnographic group carried out two expeditions, in 1971 and 1977. The results exceeded all expectations: material was obtained that allows for a chronological analysis of sociocultural processes over more than a century. Thanks to the trust of the local population, which was enjoyed by domestic researchers, and the established mutual understanding, it was possible to go beyond superficial observations and conduct an in-depth study of the traditional and new in Papuan life, including spiritual culture and lifestyle. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the field activities of Soviet scientists during these expeditions, to present their daily lives, methods and experience of organizing field research, as well as to analyze the main results, as far as the limited volume of the article allows. The experience of Soviet researchers has confirmed the importance of establishing friendly contacts for organizing effective scientific work. The individual experience of scientists in establishing interaction with the residents of the Maclay Coast and integrating them into the system of their social connections remains relevant both for modern researchers and for those who will continue the traditions of studying this region in the future.

Keywords: ethnographic team, Papuans, field work, expeditions, Bongu, Maclay Coast, Rai Coast, New Guinea, Oceania, ship Dmitry Mendeleev, Tumarkin, Miklouho-Maclay