It’s a question that almost every anthropologist has had to answer eventually, usually from a concerned parent or family member:  “So… anthropology.  What is that, and what kind of job will it get you?”

Usually we fumble out a stock response about the “study of being human” or refer them to one of the plethora of Career Planning websites for anthropologists.  But Dai Cooper, a Master’s student at the University of Toronto, went one step further: she wrote a song about it.  Among other things, she sings proudly:

“Hey Mom & Dad, I’ve got to come out and say,
I’ve got to tell you, it’s the only way
Something I’ve learned about myself since I was away (at college)
I really think that I might be a little bit—of an Anthropologist”

You can listen to the whole song here

Dai’s song has become a bit of an internet sensation:  garnering over 35,000 (!) views on youtube, being spread via facebook and twitter, warranting mentions on anthropology websites like  SavageMinds.org, an interview with Antropologi’s Lorenz and a live performance at the American Folklore Society Meetings.

As some of us gear up for this year’s Annual Meetings of the American Anthropological Association, can we hope to see Ms. Cooper there as well?  Word is, yes…