Objetos, imagens e sons: a etnografia de Theodor Koch-Grünberg (1872-1924)¹

Objects, pictures and sounds: the ethnography of Theodor Koch-Grünberg (1872-1924)

Erwin Frank

Universidade Federal de Roraima. Boa Vista, Roraima, Brasil (in memoriam)

RESUMO

O texto caracteriza teórica e metodologicamente a etnografia de Theodor Koch-Grünberg (1872-1924), antropólogo alemão que fez quatro visitas ao Brasil entre 1896 e 1924 e que se notabilizou pelos trabalhos escritos sobre os índios dos rios Negro e Branco, pelas coleções etnográficas e pelos registros sonoros, fotográficos e cinematográficos realizados em suas expedições. O autor relaciona esses registros documentais com o projeto etnográfico do antropólogo, vinculado à Völkerkunde alemã.

Palavras-chave: Theodor Koch-Grünberg. Etnografia. Völkerkundler. Amazônia. Roraima. Rio Negro.

ABSTRACT

The article characterizes the ethnological theory and method of Theodor Koch-Grünberg (1872-1924), a German anthropologist who made four visits to Brazil between 1896 and 1924, and who was especially noted for his writings about the Indians of the Rio Negro and Rio Branco, and the ethnographic collections, sound recordings, photography and films made during these journeys. The author relates this documentary material with Koch-Grünberg's ethnographic project within the tradition of German Völkerkunde.

Keywords: Theodor Koch-Grünberg. Ethnography. Völkerkundler. Amazon. Roraima. Rio Negro.