Cynthia was trained in anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, did post-graduate studies at Bennington College, and essentially lived in Africa from 1958 until she died in Lamu, Kenya, in 2011. She published six books, co-authored another three with Fedders, edited, co-authored or translated works with numerous authors, received grants to document tribal ceremonies (Gabra, Boran, etc.), and wrote hundreds of articles as well.