WEBSITE OF THE APE TESTIMONY PROJECT

Written and cinematographic fictions on the encounter between humans and other great apes abound. While the source of inspiration for such works is often found in traditional mythologies, in research led in labs, or in observations in “the wild,” first-person narratives about what it means for chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangutans and humans to live and work together are largely lacking. A banal reason for this absence is that relatively few people have been operating in an interspecies environment of this kind. But there is also—and mainly—a question of mediation: how could one describe the emotional and existential content of such an experience, and all the more so if language is exchanged between “animals” and “humans?” Scientific communication does not provide the right forum for descriptions of the sort. Memoirs, while interesting, are often muted by collaborations between the experiencer and the co-author or editor. Journalism is too often dominated by sensationalism.

This archival project consists in collecting testimonies through film recordings. These videos are not legal documents; and they are not replacing scientific publications. But they represent aspects of the life of humans with nonhuman apes, as received and perceived by the participants. The views expressed by the interviewees are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Ape Testimony Project and of the individuals or organizations associated with this initiative. You may be interested in reading our “ethical statement.”

This research project is co-led by Cornell University Faculty Cathy Caruth, the Class of 1916 Professor of English, and Laurent Dubreuil, Professor of Comparative Literature, Romance Studies and Cognitive Science. We acknowledge the financial support of the Berkowitz Research Fund for Romance Studies, the Rhodes Chair, and the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University.