scrbt020 Tobias Schneebaum papers Karen Spilman University of Minnesota Libraries June 2005

University of Minnesota Libraries Minneapolis, MN 55455

EAD encoding by Karen Spilman, June 2005 English University of Minnesota Libraries. Tretter Collection, Special Collections and Rare Books [scrbt] Schneebaum, Tobias Tobias Schneebaum papers 1942-2002 bulk (1969-2002) 42 boxes (28.4 linear feet) Collection contains the personal papers of Tobias Schneebaum, artist and noted anthropologist of native tribes. Tretter Manuscripts: Schneebaum English Administrative Information Restrictions on Access

Materials do not circulate, but may be used in the Special Collections reading room. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.

Restrictions on Use

Please check with the curator regarding copyright status of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Preferred Citation

Tobias Schneebaum papers, Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies, Special Collections and Rare Books, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis.

Acquisition Information

The collection was purchased by University Libraries from Tobias Schneebaum.

Processing Information

The collection was processed by Scott Young and Jean-Nickolaus Tretter.

Biographical Note

Tobias Schneebaum was born in 1922 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. During World War II he served in the Army as a radar mechanic, and after the war studied art under Tamayo, under whose suggestion he went to Mexico for three and a half years—painting, teaching and developing an increasing interest in archaeology and anthropology.

He graduated from the City College of New York and received a degree in cultural anthropology from Goddard College. In 1955 he was granted a Fulbright Fellowship to study painting in Peru, and it was during this time that he encountered for the first time the world of uncivilized tribes that would become his passion. After a year in the Peruvian jungle, Schneebaum returned to civilization with stories that he recounted in his first book Keep the River on Your Right. During his lifetime he has traveled widely throughout Europe, Asia and Africa, always choosing the back roads, away from civilization.

Tobias Schneebaum is the author of Keep the River on Your Right, Wild Man and Where the Spirits Dwell, which together form his autobiographical trilogy. From 1973 to 1983 he served as Assistant Curator of the Asmat Museum of Culture and Progress in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Since then he has lectured widely and curated several exhibitions on Asmat art, including teaching at the New School for Social Research. Keep the River on Your Right was adapted to a major motion picture which was released in 2001. Schneebaum currently resides in New York with his partner Joel Singer.

Scope and Content

The collection contains the personal papers of Tobias Schneebaum. Much of the collection consists of personal correspondence; other materials include articles, postcards, artwork, photographs, newspaper clippings, book reviews, pamphlets and papers regarding various exhibits of Asmat art.

Additional Finding Aid

An unpublished finding aid with detailed contents is available in the Special Collections and Rare Books Division.

Related Materials

Refer to the University of Minnesota catalog (MNCAT) for a list of published works by Tobias Schneebaum.

Index Terms

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the University of Minnesota Libraries. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Schneebaum, Tobias -- Archives Yaddo, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Anthropology -- Indonesia Anthropology -- South America Art, Asmat Asmat (Indonesian people) Gay men -- United States Box and Folder List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

1 1 Correspondence and Other Clifford Wright Related Materials, 1989-1991. 1 2 Douglas Wright - Related Materials, undated. 1 3 Material Regarding Douglas Wright and Dancing, undated. 1 4 Material Related to Douglas Wright and Dance, undated. 1 5 Material Regarding Douglas Wright, undated. 2 1 Misc. Correspondence, Asmat/Met-Related Materials, undated. 2 2 Misc. Correspondence, Asmat-Related Materials, undated. 2 3 Misc. Correspondence, and Asmat Materials, undated. 3 1 Correspondence, undated. 3 2 Correspondence, especially with Frank Kuech, undated. 3 3 Correspondence, undated. 4 1 Misc. Correspondence and Other Materials, 1995-1998. 4 2 Misc. Correspondence and Other Materials, 1992-1998. 4 3 Misc. Correspondence and Other Materials, 1995-1998. 5 1 Misc. Correspondence, especially with Don Congdon re: Asmat Books and Movies, undated. 6a 1 Correspondence, 2001-2002. 6a 2 Misc. Correspondence and Other Asmat-Related Materials, 2001-2002. 6a 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 2001-2002. 6a 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 2001-2002. 6a 5 Postcard Correspondence, 1999-2002. 6b 6 Postcard Correspondence, 1997-1998. 6b 7 Misc Materials, 1994-2002. 6b 8 Misc. Correspondence and Other Materials, 1991-1994. 6b 9 Misc. Correspondence and Other Materials, 1992-1993. 6b 10 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1989-1992. 7 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1984-1991. 7 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, (Esp. re: Richard Bauer), 1984-1988. 7 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1973-1984. 7 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1977-1993 7 5 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1985-1990. 7 6 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1985-1990. 7 7 Correspondence and Other Materials, especially with Richard Lanier, 1969-1985. 7 8 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1991-1996. 7 9 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1987-1994. 8 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, especially re: Asmat, 1995-1998. 8 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1995-1998. 8 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1995. 9 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1983-1993. 9 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1976-1993. 9 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1969-1982. 10 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1984-1992. 10 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1969-1992. 10 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, re: Keep the River on Your Right, AIDS, Yaddo. 1992-1994. 10 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1988-1992. 10 5 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1989-1992. 10 6 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1979-1985. 10 (cont.) 1 Correspondence 1991-1993, Other Materials, especially Regarding Yaddo 1953-1993. 1953-1993. 10 (cont.) 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1977-1992. 11 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1987-1998. 11 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1982-1989. 11 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1971-1989. 11 (cont.) 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1980-1987. 12 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1985-1996. 12 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1969-1991. 12 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1974-1992 (Mostly mid-1980s). 12 (cont.) 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1995-1998. 12 (cont.) 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1981-1992. 12 (cont.) 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, (with one 1956 newspaper clipping), 1975-1992. 12 (cont.) 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1987-1998. 13 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, (especially from Alan Gurganus), 1969-1982. 13 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1985-1988. 13 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1988-1990. 13 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1988-1990. 14 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1975-1992. 14 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1986-1990. 14 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1982-1989. 15 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1994-1998. 15 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1995. 15 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1994-1999. 15 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1995. 15 5 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1997-1999. 16 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1985-1998. 16 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1975-1986. 16 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1977-1987. 17 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1997-1999. 17 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, especially Yaddo, 1993-1997 17 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, especially Yaddo, 1995-1996. 17 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, especially Yaddo, 1993-1995. 18 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1996-1998. 18 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1996. 18 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1994. 18 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, especially re: Asmat, 1969-1984. 19 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1997-1998. 19 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1996-1997. 19 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1995-1996. 19 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1994-1995. 19 5 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1994. 19 6 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993. 19 7 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1992. 20 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1997-1998. 20 2 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1995-1997. 20 3 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1993-1995. 20 4 Correspondence and Other Materials, 1989-1993. 21 1 Correspondence and Other Materials, Including Periodicals, 1969-1982. 21 2 Various Scholarly Articles Regarding Homosexuality, undated. 21 3 Information Regarding Various Indonesian Cultures, undated. 21 4 Information Regarding Various Indonesian Cultures, undated. 21 5 Information Regarding Various Indonesian Cultures, undated. 21 6 Reviews and Promotional Materials for Keep the River on Your Right, undated. 22 1 Pictures and Reviews re: Schneebaum; Publications; Indonesia, undated. 22 2 Various Materials Regarding Asmat Culture and Artifacts, undated. 23 1 Sketchbooks, undated. 23 2 Sketchbooks, undated. 24 1 Periodicals: "Asmat Drums," , 1974-1975. 24 2 Periodicals: "Crocier Drums," 1988-1989. 25 1 Society Expeditions, undated. 25 2 Dance-related materials, undated. 25 3 Hospital Materials, 1996. 26 1 Photographs and Negatives, Asmat Society Pictures, undated. 26 2 Photographs, Schneebaum and others, Family and Friends, undated. 26 3 Photographic Slides, Indonesian Locales, undated. 26 4 Photographs, 8 x 10 Asmat pictures, undated. 27 1-5 Asmat-related materials, undated. 27 6 Materials regarding Asmat Exhibit at Peabody Museum (Salem, MA), 1988-1989. 28 1 Miscellaneous materials regarding Homosexuality, undated. 28 2 General Miscellaneous Materials, undated. 28 3 General and Personal Correspondence, 1977-1996. 28 4 Scripts: "To Tell the Truth," featuring Tobias Schneebaum, undated. 28 5a Draft: Plays Well with Others, by Alan Gurganus, undated.

Introductory materials and Part I.

28 5b Draft: Plays Well with Others, by Alan Gurganus, undated.

Part II.

29 "Cosmology and Colonisation: History and Culture of the Asmat of Irian Jaya," by Kerry Zubrinich, undated. 29 1 "It Had Wings;" "Garden Sermon;" "Forces Used," all by Alan Gurganus, undated. 29 2 "The Biography of my Autobiography," by Alan Gurganus; "Troubled Steps," by Craig Lucas, undated. 29 3 "Once I Was a Cannibal," by David Shapiro and Laurie Gwen Shapiro; "A Hog Loves Its Life," by Alan Gurganus, undated. 29 4 "A Journey Through Irian Jaya," by Lucia Rousseau; "Beneath the Mask of Pahkola," by Alfred Robinson; "In My Mother's House," by Rick Whitaker, undated. 30 1 Correspondence, mid 1950s-mid 1960s. 30 2 Correspondence, mid 1950s-mid 1960s. 30 3 Correspondence, mid 1950s-mid 1960s. 30 4 Correspondence and other materials, early 1990s. 30 5 Correspondence and other materials, mid 1990s. 30 6 Correspondence and other materials, late 1990s. 31 1 Correspondence and other materials, 1999. 31 2 Correspondence and other materials, 1999-2000 31 3 Correspondence and other materials, 1999-2000. 32 1 Correspondence and other materials, 1999. 32 2 Correspondence and other materials, 1999-2001. 32 3 Periodical "Crossview," 1990-2000. 33 1-4 Materials regarding Anthropology and Indonesia, undated. 34 1-3 Materials regarding Anthropology and Indonesia, undated. 35 1-4 Materials regarding Anthropology and Indonesia, undated. 36 1-5 Miscellaneous materials, undated. 36 1 Miscellaneous Asmat photographs, undated. 37 1 Schneebaum Public Papers: Doroe Spirit Costume, undated. 37 2 Schneebaum Public Papers: Metropolitan Museum of Art, undated. 37 3 Schneebaum Public Papers: Schneebaum Installation Ceremony, undated.

Unfoldered materials in box 37 also in refer to Schneebaum Installation Ceremony.

38 Schneebaum Textile Box, undated.

Original backpack and original letterbox with Asmat sticker.

[Art Folder] Two Angels on a Horse Painting, undated.

13x17." Image of two angels on a horse with another figure hanging from horse's neck.

[Art Folder] Stamp of Two People and Horse Painting, undated.

12x18." Stamp of two people and horse, with word "Noel." Handwriting reads, "Best for the New Year! Rechi" (name unclear).

[Art Folder] Men in Chariot, Led by Two Horses Painting, undated.

26x26." Image of men in chariot, led by two horses. Possibly from Asia

[Art Folder] David Vereano print, undated.

Folder poster of a David Vereano print, which is located at the Pucker Safrai Gallery (Boston, MA).

[Art Folder] Black and White Poster, undated.

2 copies. Poster in black and white that says "Keluarga: Jalan Keselamatan Bagiku?" in upper right hand corner.

[Art Folder] Jane Freilicher poster, undated.

Poster of Jane Freilicher's work from the Fischbach Gallery in New York.

[Art Folder] Artwork and personal note to Tobias from nephew, undated.

On green paper.

[Art Folder] "The Phallus and Its Functions" poster, 1992.

College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales, 18 April-16 May 1992.

[Art Folder] "The Black Party" poster, March 20, 1993.

Roseland, 239 West 52nd Street.

[Art Folder] Brown and Gray Horse on Blue Background Painting, undated. [Art Folder] Purple Horse and Attendant Painting, undated. [Art Folder] "Tobias Schneebaum: The Life and Work of a Modern Gay Hero" poster, 2003.

Autographed poster; poster for an exhibit held in the Elmer L. Andersen Library from May 12 - July 31, 2003.

[Art Folder] "American Museum of Asmat Art" poster, undated.

Museum located in St. Paul, Minnesota.