Gordon Macgregor

Gordon Macgregor (1902–1984) was an American anthropologist based in Hawaii who spent much of his career working on staff at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. Notably, Macgregor's early life and background are less well-known than his contributions that he made to anthropology as a scholar. However, it is known that in Hawaii, Macgregor's study was highly influential. He contributed to not only the study of anthropology, but the study of Hawaiian-based culture as well. In addition to working in Hawaii, he spent a portion of his career in Rotunda. There, Macgregor continued to study anthropology and made significant contributions to the field, especially in terms of ethnography.

Early life and background

Macgregor was born in 1902. His work was deeply influenced by his early experiences in Hawaii, which may have contributed to his passion for Hawaiian culture. Macgregor was interested in learning about the culture and structure of indigenous groups. Some aspects of anthropological study that particularly excited Macgregor are colonialism and the development of more modern times.

Macgregor began his study in anthropology with a degree from Yale University in 1925, and his work expanded from there. He became involved in research and left behind field notes about various topics, including Hawaiian traditions and history.

Anthropological education

Macgregor was a very highly educated anthropologist, having earned degrees at both Harvard University (PhD) and Yale University in 1925 (B.A.). While he was in school, most of Macgregor's work revolved around both old world archaeology and Oceanic ethnology. This training set him up for success when he worked for the government in the applied anthropology sector.

Career

Macgregor had a highly successful career in Hawaii, or more specifically at the Bishop Museum. The Bishop Museum played a large role in the development of Macgregor's career, as he did much of his work there. Macgregor's work focused on Hawaiian culture. More specifically, Macgregor's studies had to do with the anthropology of Hawaiian society, and native Hawaiian tribes. Notably, Macgregor's impressive work led to a broader understanding of Hawaiian culture for many anthropologists.

In addition to working with the Bishop Museum, Macgregor worked for the government. First, Macgregor was an anthropologist with the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1936 to 1945. After that, he transitioned to working with the BIA Missouri River Basin Unit as a social economist. He did this work from 1947-1949. In this role, Macgregor dealt with the tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation. Soon after, he spent two years as a Pacific specialist with the Department of Interior Office of Territories in 1949 to 1951.

Post that position, Macgregor began his role as an anthropologist with the Technical Cooperation Administration of the Department of State. In 1953-1956, Macgregor became a research associate of the Committee on International Exchange of Persons of the Conference Board of Associated Research Council. In 1957-1966, Macgregor served as a senior anthropologist with the United States Public Health Service. There, he studied the local public health practice. His goal was to improve the means of providing public health service.

Working at The Bishop Museum

The Bishop Museum was established in 1889. Importantly, it is currently one of the leading museums in terms of cultural preservation of Hawaiian cultures and Pacific cultures in general. This museum is an important one, as it holds various collections in the forms of artifacts and documents. These collections relate to the indigenous cultures of Hawaii and the Pacific.

Arguably, Macgregor's most influential work took place here. While Macgregor left behind an incredible legacy in all of his positions, including those with the government, here, his work extended beyond anthropology and into other fields. Scholars today still benefit from Gordon Macgregor's work at the Bishop Museum, as his notes about ethnology, archaeology and history of local communities made deep headway into understanding the indigenous culture of Hawaii.

For a very long time, the Bishop Museum has been an important site for ethnology, archaeology and history. Furthermore, throughout the 20th century, the Bishop Museum played a central role in understanding Hawaiian culture. Macgregor worked closely with the museum's research and collections, which aided greatly in his work. Due in part to the museum, Macgregor was able to contribute greatly to the history of Hawaiian cultures.

Anthropological legacy

At the time of his death, in 1984, Macgregor undoubtedly left behind a legacy of anthropological study. His legacy extends well beyond the walls of the Bishop Museum and his government work. It encompasses into other areas of anthropology, such as cultural preservation, public education, interdisciplinary work, and ethnography. The following section explores these in depth, with a primary focus given to Macgregor's position at the Bishop Museum because that is where he spent much of his career.

Cultural preservation

First, Macgregor did a lot of work in cultural preservation. Through this work, Macgregor set a precedent for how cultural preservation in terms of the study of Hawaiian culture should be preformed. His detailed notes about various aspects of the culture set high standards for this kind of study.

Furthermore, Macgregor advanced the intersection of these two fields and made a deep headway into the collection of both oral histories and cultural practices. Notably, Macgregor relied heavily upon oral histories in his work, and his sections of his notes about those oral histories reside in the Bishop Museum today. For example, Macgregor left behind field notes that expanded upon the current knowledge base regarding indigenous Hawaiian cultures.

Public education

Another area that Macgregor impacted was the field of public education within anthropology. By designing exhibits and creating educational programs, Macgregor helped to further public awareness of the field of anthropology. As such, Macgregor increased the field's visibility, allowing his work to reach a larger audience.

Interdisciplinary work

The work that Macgregor preformed was largely interdisciplinary. As discussed above, Macgregor emphasized the importance of the intersections of other fields with anthropology. For example, Macgregor drew upon sociology, history, and linguistics in his work. By working this way, Macgregor made anthropology relevant to a larger group of professional scholars.

Ethnography

One final legacy Macgregor left upon the field of anthropology has to do with ethnography. Interestingly, Macgregor left behind a whole section of notes about ethnography in the Hawaiian region. This series of field notes that Macgregor created helped to increase the topics professionals could study when it comes to Hawaiian culture.

Conclusion

In comparison to his professional life, Macgregor's early development remains relatively unknown. However, it is clear that he was a passionate anthropologist who made significant contributions to the field from the start, especially in terms of Hawaiian culture. Macgregor's ethnographic work in the Hawaiian Islands at the Bishop Museum continues to be relevant today, as it educates anthropologists about important topics such as the development of indigenous societies and cultural identity in Hawaii. Furthermore, Macgregor's government work showcases the interdisciplinary nature of the field of anthropology and contributes to the field as a whole.

References

Secondary Sources

[1] Smithsonian Institution. “Gordon MacGregor Bibliography.” Accessed November 1, 2024. https://collections.si.edu/search/detail/ead_collection:sova-naa-xxxx-0302.

[2] MacGregor, Gordon. “Rotuma Notes.” Archived at Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, HI. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://www.rotuma.net/os/Macgregor/Macgregor.html.

[3] MacGregor, Gordon. Ethnology of Tokelau Islands. Internet Archive. Accessed November 1, 2024. https://archive.org/details/ethnologyoftokel0000gord/page/n5/mode/2up.

Primary Sources

[4] MacGregor, Gordon. Notes on the Ethnology of Pakapuka. Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, 1935

[5] MacGregor, Gordon. The Experience of American Scholars in Countries of the Near East and South Asia. New York: Society for Applied Anthropology, 1962.

[6] MacGregor, Gordon. Ethnography of Tokelau Islands. Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, 1971.