Canadian Ethnology Today: Solitudes and Shifts

Abstract

is still waiting for a comprehensive work which would place the social and economic life of the Rai on record and clarify their present position in the changing scene of Nepal. Such a publication would also be of interest and value to the Government of Nepal, and thus prove that the work of anthropologists deserves support as a contribution to the planning of tribal development. At a time when some countries of the third world close their doors to Western scholars, anthropologists would be well advised to consider the usefulness of their studies to the Government authorities on whose good will they inevitably depend. Verrier Elwin's life-work was an impressive example of such usefulness, which earned him the recognition of the Government of India and qualified him for a key position in the administration of NEFA. Admittedly the prospects for the employment of anthropologists in such posts are not as good as they used to be, but for those interested in practical work there is still scope in organizations such as Oxfam, Christian Aid, UNICEF, FAO and projects sponsored by the Ford Foundation. In Nepal alone, several anthropologists recently obtained employment in foreign aid schemes, and it may well be that by utilizing anthropological skills and experience in the pursuit of practical tasks they may emulate the achievements of Verrier Elwin.