Tribute to Jean-Claude BRUNEAU, Professor Emeritus of Geography, University Bordeaux Montaigne
p. 4-5
Texte intégral
1Jean-Claude Bruneau was a sworn tropicalist and well known Africanist. He passed away while he was full of projects.
2Trained in the Bordeaux school of thoughts in Tropical Geography, he began as a researcher in Ziguinchor, in lower Casamance (under the supervision of Professor Guy Lasserre). He had a long academic career in different countries: in Niger, Cameroon and of course Congo-Zaïre, with different occupations, but always at the service of Tropical Geography. He carried out extensive researches and was a special facilitator for African students and colleagues. Most of all, he was passionate about maps and mapping. His Doctorate thesis is indeed a complete atlas of Lubumbashi and as such is of unparalleled quality. I remember that Professor Paul Pelissier, a great ruralist, had been impressed by this original work and had wanted to meet Jean-Claude in person.
3He fully loved Africa. And Africans were found of Jean-Claude. He learned and practiced the languages of the countries where he was living. He fostered lasting friendships. In Bamiléké country, he was regarded as an almost sacred man, being the father of twin boys.
4When he returned to France, he had to stay distant from his native Bordeaux, due to professional assignments in Metz and Montpellier. And I know that it was difficult for him.
5In recent years, when he managed to be integrated to Bordeaux Africanist research teams, he facilitated lots of conferences and fieldwork sessions in Central and Eastern Africa. He was fascinated, among other things, by the usage of Kiswahili. He was planning to write a book on African cuisines, as almost all topics where of interest for this field academic.
6He called me “Old Brother” as we had been living in the same countries: Niger, Cameroon, Senegal… with a time lag of 10 years. He is deeply missed by tropicalist researchers who share the same attachment to African land and people. With him, Tropical Geography was jubilant and spirited …

Jean-Claude, Bududa, Uganda, 2008

Jean-Claude, Mbeya, Tanzania, 2009
Auteur
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Guy Mainet
Emeritus Professor of Geography, University of Brest
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