John W. Ogilvie papers

Details of John W. Ogilvie's biography are scant, what we know of him begins in 1913 at the time of his meeting with the University of Pennsylvania anthropologist William Curtis Farabee, near the Rupununi river in (then) British Guiana, today (the Co-operative Republic of) Guyana. Born in Scotland, Ogilvie may have traveled widely before heading toward South America to establish his fortune in gold prospecting and rubber tapping. Unlike many other colonial period prospectors however he seems to have developed a strong working relationship with native people of the region, especially the Wapishana [Wapisiana], and was said to be fluent in their language as well as several others, including Macusi, Waiwai, Parikutu, Chikena, and Diau, of the Arawak and Carib language groups. When Farabee, on the Amazon Expedition of 1913-1916, met Ogilvie at home at the Dadanawa ranch, (at that time belonging to Mr. H.P.C. Melville, ("magistrate and protector of Indians"), Farabee persuaded Ogilvie to take him deep in to the forests in a much more ambitious plan than the expedition originally entailed. This they did together with a large party of Wapishana people connected with Ogilvie. This portion of the expedition which had begun in Manaus, Brazil ended finally at Georgetown, capital city on the coast of then British Guiana. The purpose of this expedition was chiefly an ethnological survey, that is, determining the identities of the tribes that still lived in the region, ("salvage ethnography"), and collection of artifacts. Farabee was impressed with Ogilvie's grasp of local traditions and languages, it is speculated that these formed the basis of Farabee's two books subsequently published, "The Arawaks of Northern Brazil and Southern British Guiana" and "The Central Caribs".

Ogilvie was said to have grown comfortable after many years living among the Wapishana, perhaps marrying there as well. He was fully immersed in the traditional fishing and hunting practices of the area, and describes these food gathering and hunting ways in an unpublished manuscript, contained within this collection, complete with hand-drawn illustrations. In addition there is a complete manuscript of Wapishana mythology.

Ogilvie demonstrates a clear respect for the cultures that he was exposed to in over 20 years of living and travels in the area, much of which is captured in the six manuscripts in the collection, including three works of fiction loosely based on his observations of life in the Amazon. In his business dealings, Ogilvie was one of the earliest Europeans to develop the industry of balata tapping in this savannah region, providing rubber like substances. There is an entire manuscript devoted to balata in the collection. Eventually Ogilvie retired from his work and returned to Scotland, settling in Edinburgh in a home that they named Rupununi. In 1975 his widow transferred his papers to the University Museum

The John W. Ogilvie papers consist of one archival box (.04 linear feet) containing 16 folders, chiefly of manuscripts pertaining to Ogilvie's life work in British Guiana. These collections came to the Penn Museum in 1974 from Mrs. L. Ogilvie, the widow of John Ogilvie, then living in Edinburgh Scotland. The collection is arranged in series beginning with Mythology and continuing with non-fiction manuscripts about Amazonian Indians who worked with Ogilvie, and later fiction manuscripts derived from his experiences there.

Publication Information: University of Pennsylvania: Penn Museum Archives,

Finding Aid Author:

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Form(s)/Genre(s)

• Manuscripts for publication

Personal Name(s)

• Farabee, William Curtis
• Ogilvie, John W.

Subject(s)

• Ethnology -- Indigenous peoples
• Wapisiana Indians

The standard size records (all documents, photographic prints, and drawings up to 11x17 inches) in this collection have been digitized and may be accessed via this finding aid. Each folder has been scanned as a multi-page PDF; the contents presented in the original order. The PDFs have been labeled with the collection number (PU-Mu. 1121), the box number, and the folder number (i.e. PUMu1121_01_01-001). Oversize plans and drawings, as well as photographic negatives, have not been scanned.

If you wish to publish an image, please contact archives@pennmuseum.org to obtain a publication-quality scan produced by the Penn Museum Photo Studio.

As a historical resource, some items within this collection may include language and imagery which is offensive, oppressive and may cause upset. The use of this language and imagery is not condoned by the Penn Museum, but we are committed to providing equal and open access to this material as well as preservation of the original context of the material. We recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so that we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact archives@pennmuseum.org with any questions or concerns.