H. Otley Beyer
Encyclopedia
Henry Otley Beyer was an American
anthropologist, who spent most of his adult life in the Philippines
teaching Filipinos
and other scholars about Philippine indigenous culture. He is known as the Father of Philippine Anthropology.
to a pioneer family of Bavaria
n origin and developed an interest in the Philippines when he visited the Philippine exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exhibition in St Louis, Missouri in 1904.
After graduating with a master's degree in chemistry
from the University of Denver
in the following year, he volunteered to teach in the Philippines. His first years in the Philippines were spent as a teacher in the Cordillera Mountains
on Luzon island, home of the Ifugao
people. He would later marry, Lingayu Gambuk, the 16 year old daughter of an Ifugao village chief of Anganad. They had a son named William born in 1918. While in a Catholic country, H. Otley Beyer remained a Protestant throughout his life.
He pursued postgraduate anthropological studies at Harvard and was appointed ethnologist in the Philippine Bureau of Science and part-time head of the Philippine Museum. He became instructor in anthropology at the University of the Philippines
in 1914. In 1925, he became the head of the university's department of anthropology and its first professor.
During the Second World War, Beyer was initially allowed to continue his studies but he was later interned along with other Americans in the Philippines.
Before his death, the University of the Philippines
, Silliman University
and Ateneo de Manila
awarded him with honorary doctorates. He also received a number of awards for his 60 years of scholarship in the Philippines. In 1965, the University of the Philippine held an H. Otley Beyer Symposium in his honor. The proceedings of the symposium was published two years later.
The National Library of Australia acquired his papers and extensive library in 1972.
Beyer described his work as trying to serve the University [of the Philippines] and to procure and conserve for the People of the Philippines the evidence of their abundant ancient culture. -- In a letter to Carlos P. Romulo
, then president of the University of the Philippines.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
anthropologist, who spent most of his adult life in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
teaching Filipinos
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
and other scholars about Philippine indigenous culture. He is known as the Father of Philippine Anthropology.
Biography
Beyer was born in Edgewood, IowaEdgewood, Iowa
Edgewood is a city in Clayton and Delaware counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 923 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Edgewood is located at ....
to a pioneer family of Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n origin and developed an interest in the Philippines when he visited the Philippine exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Centennial Exhibition in St Louis, Missouri in 1904.
After graduating with a master's degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
in the following year, he volunteered to teach in the Philippines. His first years in the Philippines were spent as a teacher in the Cordillera Mountains
Cordillera Mountains
*Andes in South-America *Cordillera Central in the Philippines...
on Luzon island, home of the Ifugao
Ifugao
Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Covering a total land area of 262,820 hectares, the province of Ifugao is located in a mountainous region characterized by rugged terrain, river valleys, and massive forests...
people. He would later marry, Lingayu Gambuk, the 16 year old daughter of an Ifugao village chief of Anganad. They had a son named William born in 1918. While in a Catholic country, H. Otley Beyer remained a Protestant throughout his life.
He pursued postgraduate anthropological studies at Harvard and was appointed ethnologist in the Philippine Bureau of Science and part-time head of the Philippine Museum. He became instructor in anthropology at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
in 1914. In 1925, he became the head of the university's department of anthropology and its first professor.
During the Second World War, Beyer was initially allowed to continue his studies but he was later interned along with other Americans in the Philippines.
Before his death, the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
, Silliman University
Silliman University
Silliman University is a private research university located in Dumaguete, Philippines. Established in 1901 as Silliman Institute by the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, it was the first American private school to be founded in the country. The University is named after Dr...
and Ateneo de Manila
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
awarded him with honorary doctorates. He also received a number of awards for his 60 years of scholarship in the Philippines. In 1965, the University of the Philippine held an H. Otley Beyer Symposium in his honor. The proceedings of the symposium was published two years later.
The National Library of Australia acquired his papers and extensive library in 1972.
Quotes
Archaeological work is like a fascinating mystery story, with the specimens and site data serving as vital clues - and everything is of most importance while both the specimens and your memory of how and where they were found is still quite fresh, and unconfused by later activities elsewhere. -- In a letter to a colleague in March 1955.Beyer described his work as trying to serve the University [of the Philippines] and to procure and conserve for the People of the Philippines the evidence of their abundant ancient culture. -- In a letter to Carlos P. Romulo
Carlos P. Rómulo
Carlos Peña Rómulo was a Filipino diplomat, politician, soldier, journalist and author. He was a reporter at 16, a newspaper editor by the age of 20, and a publisher at 32...
, then president of the University of the Philippines.