Review of Secrets of the Tribe (2010) by Sam F — 01 May 2010

The movie discusses the anthropological study of the Yanomami Indians of the Amazon, but the "tribe" of the title is anthropologists themselves. Was Napoleon Chagnon a lone voice for the use of the scientific method in anthropological research, or was he yet another ideologue? Did the vaccination studies conducted by the Atomic Energy Commission mitigate an inevitable epidemic, or did they commit ethical violations bordering on the genocidal? Did other anthropologists turn a blind eye to Jacques Lizot's sexual abuse of boys in his care, or were they unaware of his abuse of power? Whose moral standards should an anthropologist be judged by, and what sort of critical distance does participant-observation require? Ultimately, the movie presents more questions than answers, and paints a rather bleak (if fascinating) picture of anthropology in general.