Jeremy Beckett Obituary, Deathy – Jeremy Beckett was an emeritus professor of anthropology, and on the occasion of his demise, AIATSIS would like to offer its most heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. We are keeping his family and the many communities all over the world that are hurting from the loss of him in our thoughts and prayers. In the year 1954, Jeremy Beckett went to University College in London and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology with Honors from that institution. That academic establishment was where he earned his degree.
Because of the quality of his application, he was awarded a Goldsmiths Company Travelling Scholarship, which he put toward the cost of his education at The Australian National University between the years of 1955 and 1957. In 1958, he began his studies toward a Master of Arts degree by carrying out research in the field environment of Western New South Wales. Following that, he went on to acquire a doctorate from the Australian National University (which he was presented with in 1964) by undertaking research in the Torres Strait Islands while he was still enrolled as a student at that institution. He did this when the university was still in operation.
The beginning of a relationship between Professor Beckett and the Torres Strait Islands that would last until the time of his demise was established in the 1950s when he took part in fieldwork on those islands. This connection began with his participation in the fieldwork. The results of that work, which include a large number of photographs, recordings of songs and stories, published books, and manuscripts that are held at AIATSIS and other collections, continue to be widely consulted by the communities from which they originated. Other collections also hold some of the results of that work. In addition, some of the results of that work can be found in other collections.
During the proceedings that led up to the Mabo decision, he was questioned as an expert witness and given the opportunity to testify. It was brought to our attention the difficulties that the people Professor Beckett worked with, which led to a change in our understanding of those individuals and caused us to view the people with whom he worked in a different light. As a result of this, we changed the way we viewed the people with whom he worked. Because to his contributions, our understanding of the great variety of identities, traditions, and experiences that are shared by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has been widened.