Dr Audrey Butt Colson 1926 - 2026

The School is saddened to hear of the death of Dr Audrey Butt Colson. Audrey was a remarkable woman, who began her career at Oxford University in the 1950s. She played an important role in shaping the field of Amazonian anthropology in the UK and beyond. Her pioneering work in the Guianas with Akawaio and Arena peoples remains a shining example of academic rigour and personal commitment to the plight of Indigenous people in the region. 

Aside from being a formidable researcher, Audrey was also an exceptionally generous scholar, regularly receiving visits from young researchers interested in working in the Guianas. She always received them with grace and willingly shared her insights.

More information on Audrey’s impact on Lowland South Americanist anthropology can be found in the Histories of Oxford Anthropology Project: Oxford in the 'New World'. Notes for a genealogy of the anthropology of South America.

In 1969 Audrey helped to found Survival International, a global movement for Indigenous peoples’ rights. You can read more about her life and her work in their obituary.