John Plant (Ethnologist)
Encyclopedia
John Plant is an American ethnologist, biologist
and expert on the culture of the Plains Indians
.
in Putney (Vermont, USA), graduating with the B.A. degree (1976), and Biology at the Southern Connecticut State University
, New Haven (Connecticut, USA), with the B.S. degree (1978). He continued the study of biology at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität im Breisgau (Germany), acquiring the Diplom degree (1985). Afterwards Plant began an investigation on the Contraries and Clowns of the Plains Indians
. With his doctoral thesis on this topic he earned the Dr. phil. (1994) under supervision of Prof. Ulrich Köhler and Dr. Lothar Käser at the Institut für Völkerkunde of the Universität Freiburg (Germany).
Since 1998, Plant has been a science associate of the Department of Evolutionary Biology (Faculty of Life Sciences, Center of Zoology) at the University of Vienna
(Austria) with research interests in bees and their evolution
.
. John Plant examined both of these ethnological phenomena among the Plains Indians, in particular the following tribes:
The Contraries of the Plains Indians were individuals devoted to an extraordinary life-style in which they consistently and continually did the opposite of what others normally do. They thus turned all conventions to their opposites (Heyoka, p. 10). While the Clowns represented ceremonial figures and their performances were restricted to rituals, dances and ceremonies, the Contraries practiced day and night a contrary lifestyle: thus on a certain level the Contrary acted as an antagonist to his own people.
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and expert on the culture of the Plains Indians
Plains Indians
The Plains Indians are the Indigenous peoples who live on the plains and rolling hills of the Great Plains of North America. Their colorful equestrian culture and resistance to White domination have made the Plains Indians an archetype in literature and art for American Indians everywhere.Plains...
.
Academic career
John Plant studied Anthropology at Windham CollegeWindham College
Windham College was a liberal arts college located in Putney, Vermont on the campus of what is now Landmark College.-History:Windham was founded in 1951 by Walter F. Hendricks as the Vermont Institute of Special Studies. The school's initial aim was to help foreign students improve their English...
in Putney (Vermont, USA), graduating with the B.A. degree (1976), and Biology at the Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University is one of four state universities in Connecticut, and is located in the West Rock neighborhood of New Haven, Connecticut...
, New Haven (Connecticut, USA), with the B.S. degree (1978). He continued the study of biology at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität im Breisgau (Germany), acquiring the Diplom degree (1985). Afterwards Plant began an investigation on the Contraries and Clowns of the Plains Indians
Plains Indians
The Plains Indians are the Indigenous peoples who live on the plains and rolling hills of the Great Plains of North America. Their colorful equestrian culture and resistance to White domination have made the Plains Indians an archetype in literature and art for American Indians everywhere.Plains...
. With his doctoral thesis on this topic he earned the Dr. phil. (1994) under supervision of Prof. Ulrich Köhler and Dr. Lothar Käser at the Institut für Völkerkunde of the Universität Freiburg (Germany).
Since 1998, Plant has been a science associate of the Department of Evolutionary Biology (Faculty of Life Sciences, Center of Zoology) at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
(Austria) with research interests in bees and their evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
.
Heyoka
The Sioux equally applied the name and concept Heyoka to their Clowns as well as their ContrariesContrary (social role)
A Contrary was a member of a Native North American tribal group who adopted behavior that was deliberately the opposite of other tribal members. The Contraries were found among the historical Amerindian tribes of the Great Plains...
. John Plant examined both of these ethnological phenomena among the Plains Indians, in particular the following tribes:
- SiouxSiouxThe Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
- CheyenneCheyenneCheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
- ComancheComancheThe Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
- Pawnee
- Arikaree
- HidatsaHidatsaThe Hidatsa are a Siouan people, a part of the Three Affiliated Tribes. The Hidatsa's autonym is Hiraacá. According to the tribal tradition, the word hiraacá derives from the word "willow"; however, the etymology is not transparent and the similarity to mirahací ‘willows’ inconclusive...
- Absarokee
- PoncaPoncaThe Ponca are a Native American people of the Dhegihan branch of the Siouan-language group. There are two federally recognized Ponca tribes: the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma...
.
The Contraries of the Plains Indians were individuals devoted to an extraordinary life-style in which they consistently and continually did the opposite of what others normally do. They thus turned all conventions to their opposites (Heyoka, p. 10). While the Clowns represented ceremonial figures and their performances were restricted to rituals, dances and ceremonies, the Contraries practiced day and night a contrary lifestyle: thus on a certain level the Contrary acted as an antagonist to his own people.
Publication
- Heyoka. Die Contraries und Clowns der Plainsindianer. Verlag für Amerikanistik, Wyk auf Föhr (Germany) 1994.
- Crazy Dogs and Foolish Men: Sidelights on Plains Indian Culture. In: Eveline Dürr; Stefan Seitz (Editors): Religionsethnologische Beiträge zur Amerikanistik. Ethnologische Studien Bd. 31. Lit Verlag, Münster (Germany) 1997.