Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Function of Violence
In Western cultures, killing another human being has dire consequences, often leading to imprisonment or a death sentence. In Yanomamo societies, the murder or death of another will often lead to blood revenge, or raids. In every society, there are rules and regulations, and violation of these rules could be punishable in various ways. But murder is a universal no-no, and punishment will always entail.
The blood revenge goes like this: Yanomamo societies are very owe, and their political system is based off of kinship. Everyone in each community is related to each other in some way and all lineage is through the males of the family. The man with the most relatives the can trace back to him is made the headman of the community. When someone dies or is killed, it is the headman's job to decide if he wants to pursue loos revenge or not.
There are many reasons why someone would be murdered within the many Yanomamo tribes. The main reason is women. Either infidelity, or jealousy, or flirtation with another mans wife... These are all considered valid reasons to be murdered. But just because it's a value reason doesn't mean it's acceptable. Kinship is extremely important to the Yanomamo people's, and killing someone's Kin is reason to be killed yourself.
When a Yanomamo kills another person, the must declare themselves as an unokai. They have to go through an elaborate process and "cleanse" themselves so as to not be haunted by the spirit of the person they just killed. It cod be very beneficial to become an unokai. It is statistically proven that unokai have larger families, more wives, more money, and more offspring. Generally, unokai have more political power. This is because the unokai are seen as tough and ferocious, not someone to mess around with. If a tribe does not pursue blood revenge, they are regarded as weak and are often the targets for more killings. If a tribe has many unokais, not many of their members will be killed for fear of blood revenge being seeked. A man might choose to become an unokai to protect his kin and obtain power. Unokais have more wives, and the man with most wives often becomes headman.
However, many men chicken out when on a raid to the village they want to seek revenge on, because they do not want to put their kin or themselves in danger. If no one is ok with murder, why do we still haveaws against it? Because, even if no one is ok with it doesn't mean they wouldn't do it. The yanomamos do it partly to maintain power, and they don't have to like doing it. We have laws to prevent eventhis from happening.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Kinship
The person being interviewed was my mother, Colleen Carpenter. Colleen was born and raised in Santa Clarita to Joan Bayley and Hans Otto. Both were imigrants to America, so my mom and her sisters were first generation American-born citizens. Joan Bayley was French-Canadian having come from Ontario right before she met my grandfather, who was a German World War 2 survivor. My father, Dean Meloni, and his brother, Eric, were also first generation American-born citizen, with my grandfather, Ed coming from Venice, Italy, and my grandmother, Jonna, coming from Denmark. Both my mom's parents were very strict and hard working. Hans often built their houses from the ground up, and worked multiple jobs to ensure his family had food, clothes, and a roof over their head. His jobs consisted of general labour, contract worker, Oscar Meyer truck driver, and so forth. Joan was always passionate about cooking and even had her own catering business at one point, however, she developed diabetes and had to quit working. They raised Colleen to be tough and independent, and to always follow her morals. And so, she raised my brother and I to do the same.
The interview took place in person at her house, both of us sitting at her kitchen table drinking lemonade. It wasn't a structured interview though. I had a few questions lined up, but my mother enjoyed talking about her family so much, it was more like her reminiscing about her childhood rather than me asking for information. Thus, it was quite comfortable to sit and talk about our family, and if it had been anyone else, I do not believe it would have been so light-hearted.
The interview took place in person at her house, both of us sitting at her kitchen table drinking lemonade. It wasn't a structured interview though. I had a few questions lined up, but my mother enjoyed talking about her family so much, it was more like her reminiscing about her childhood rather than me asking for information. Thus, it was quite comfortable to sit and talk about our family, and if it had been anyone else, I do not believe it would have been so light-hearted.
As you can see, my mothers side of the family is much larger than my father's. And everyone on my mother's side lives in Northern California while my enitre father's side lives in Southern California. Both sides are extremely close between everyone and no one is really excluded... I'm proud to say my family is extremely tight-knit.
I have been fortunate enough to get to know members from both sides before they passed or moved, and those who are still living, I frequently visit. For my mother, I'd have to say the most influential person was her father, Hans. To this day, he is the hardest working man I have ever met, and even though he is oushing 80, he refuses to give up on any project that he begins. His wisdom and his strength are incomparable and I know that everyone in our family looks up to him and aspires to be just like him. Even relatives on my father's side envy his work ethic and recognize that he is a strong man with a good heart. However, my grandmother, Joan, was the one who always had final say. Her nickname for the family is Big Nana, because her word is law.
Everyone who marries into this family is welcomed with open arms and is immediately accepted. There is no difference between blood and marriage in our family, because we all have the biggest hearts. I'd like to thank our European jeans for that. We come from big colonies, and are used to having large families, so anyone who respects us and gets along with us is part of the family.
However, there is some discrepency between my mother and one of her sisters. The youngest of the three, Karla, is the trouble maker in the group and my mom has never been afraid to call her out.As much as they love each other, they just cannot get along. Besides that, everyone in my family loves each other very much and anyone who joins is very very lucky to have a group like us around. I learned a lot about my family from this nterview and it made me realize just how lucky I am to have so many wonderful people in my life.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Subsistence and Economy
Subsistence
There are different types of subsistences that human populations have practiced over the course of our existence; horticulture and agriculture just to name a few. The two most common practices are hunter/gatherer and agriculture. There are key differences between the two, and both offer benefits and disadvantages. Agriculture is fairly new to human kind, having practices hunting/gathering for thousands of years, but has a lot of potential in the future for various reasons.
Benefits
Some benefits of being a hunter/gatherer is that many cultures share whatever they are able to hunt down, which creates a sense of security. If you share your game equally with others in the community, the favor is returned if you are unable to provide after the next hunting trip. The community is very mobile and never rests permanently; they must keep moving in order to keep up with the food supply. The meat usually provides a lot of protein and vitamins needed for healthy growth, and it's easy to store if cooked.
Some benefits for agriculture might be that mass production us easily achieved, and it's an easy way to begin trading to different cultures. Many people can keep all of their produce for themselves, never obligated to share.
Disadvanatages
With hunting/gathering, the food is sometimes scarces, and the hunters will most likely be gone for days on end to be sure to capture enough game to provide.
For agriculture, many farmers never really rise above poverty, because the goverment often steps in and imposes taxes. Also, a person needs to eat a large combination of vegetables and produce in order to meet the same amount of protein that meat has to offer.
Diet
I'd say that hunting/gathering provides for a healthier diet because not only do they get vitamins from the various plants and seeds that they gather, but the meat is an awesome source of protein. Plus, their animals also provide milk, essential for good bone growth.
I think that humans made the transition into agriculture because they ficured out how to grow crops and stay in one place, which was easier than constantly moving from one area to the next. They invented irrigation systems, and new ways of planting crops, and learned when to plant which crop. It was out of convenience more than anything.
Economics
There is a direct relationship between the availability of surplus and the ability to trade; meaning, you can't trade unless you have the crops to do it and the people to do it with. It's basic supply and demand which is the key factor in modern day economics.
There are some benefits to trading with others. By trading, we get to try crops and provide essentials with our loved ones that we couldn't produce ourselves. Also, it's an enlightening experience to try something new that you would normally never ry in your own community. Another benefit is that it opens communication with other cultures, to better understand people who view the world differently than we do.
Some disadvantages are that it creates a competitive marketplace, and prices sometimes can get ridiculously high for things that shouldn't normally cost that much. It leaves the producers of the products stuck in poverty because they never see a dime of that money. The government steps in and regulates the prices so that a majority of the money goes back to the community, not the farmers. Another disadvantage is that mass production puts nutrition and animal rights on the back burner. Many animals are raised and slaughtered in the most inhumane ways, and it's all to make a quick buck.
Because agriculture allows us to mass produce, we are more available to trade and have the supplies to do so. In each region, there is a uniquie environment where unique crops are grown, and its very easy to buy and sell the products to others when there is such high demand. Trade and economics grew along with the popularity of practicing agriculture.
There are different types of subsistences that human populations have practiced over the course of our existence; horticulture and agriculture just to name a few. The two most common practices are hunter/gatherer and agriculture. There are key differences between the two, and both offer benefits and disadvantages. Agriculture is fairly new to human kind, having practices hunting/gathering for thousands of years, but has a lot of potential in the future for various reasons.
Benefits
Some benefits of being a hunter/gatherer is that many cultures share whatever they are able to hunt down, which creates a sense of security. If you share your game equally with others in the community, the favor is returned if you are unable to provide after the next hunting trip. The community is very mobile and never rests permanently; they must keep moving in order to keep up with the food supply. The meat usually provides a lot of protein and vitamins needed for healthy growth, and it's easy to store if cooked.
Some benefits for agriculture might be that mass production us easily achieved, and it's an easy way to begin trading to different cultures. Many people can keep all of their produce for themselves, never obligated to share.
Disadvanatages
With hunting/gathering, the food is sometimes scarces, and the hunters will most likely be gone for days on end to be sure to capture enough game to provide.
For agriculture, many farmers never really rise above poverty, because the goverment often steps in and imposes taxes. Also, a person needs to eat a large combination of vegetables and produce in order to meet the same amount of protein that meat has to offer.
Diet
I'd say that hunting/gathering provides for a healthier diet because not only do they get vitamins from the various plants and seeds that they gather, but the meat is an awesome source of protein. Plus, their animals also provide milk, essential for good bone growth.
I think that humans made the transition into agriculture because they ficured out how to grow crops and stay in one place, which was easier than constantly moving from one area to the next. They invented irrigation systems, and new ways of planting crops, and learned when to plant which crop. It was out of convenience more than anything.
Economics
There is a direct relationship between the availability of surplus and the ability to trade; meaning, you can't trade unless you have the crops to do it and the people to do it with. It's basic supply and demand which is the key factor in modern day economics.
There are some benefits to trading with others. By trading, we get to try crops and provide essentials with our loved ones that we couldn't produce ourselves. Also, it's an enlightening experience to try something new that you would normally never ry in your own community. Another benefit is that it opens communication with other cultures, to better understand people who view the world differently than we do.
Some disadvantages are that it creates a competitive marketplace, and prices sometimes can get ridiculously high for things that shouldn't normally cost that much. It leaves the producers of the products stuck in poverty because they never see a dime of that money. The government steps in and regulates the prices so that a majority of the money goes back to the community, not the farmers. Another disadvantage is that mass production puts nutrition and animal rights on the back burner. Many animals are raised and slaughtered in the most inhumane ways, and it's all to make a quick buck.
Because agriculture allows us to mass produce, we are more available to trade and have the supplies to do so. In each region, there is a uniquie environment where unique crops are grown, and its very easy to buy and sell the products to others when there is such high demand. Trade and economics grew along with the popularity of practicing agriculture.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Zulu vs Andean Peoples
Environment
The Zulu people of South Africa live in a providence known as KwaZulu-Natal, which is bordered by the Indian Ocean on the east, Mozambique and Swaziland in the north, Drakensberg on the west, and the Umzimkhulu River on the south. This area has fertile land, with a warm and rainy summer between October and April and a dry and cold winter between June and August (Sithole). The average temperature in KwaZulu-Natal is 21 degress Celcius, and there is an average of 320 days of sunshine throughout the year (KwaZulu). As you could imagine, the Zulu people get a lot of sun exposure. The ihabitants of KwaZulu-Natal eat a lot of vegetables, including spinach, pumpkins, beans, and potatoes. They like to eat meat, but many cannot afford it (Sithole).
The Andean Indians are a different story. These indigenous peoples live in Central and South America, which is basically all tropical land. The seasons are not differentiated by temperature, but by rainfall. Rainforests grow where rainfall is plenty, and then there are dry regions which do not support much more than grass (Central). Those who love in the Andes Mountain range are used to colder conditions. The crops grown in these areas include manioc, maize, sweet potato, bean, and tropical fruits (Central).
Physical Adaptations
The Zulu people are constantly exposed to sunlight and UVB rays, which can be very harmful. So, as time progressed, the Zulu people physically adapted so that their skin would produce more baseline melanin, causing their skin to be darker and less susceptible to the harmful UV rays. Their skin is dark enough so that just enough rays are absorbed to produce ample amounts of Vitamin D, and still stay healthy and cancer-free. The population maintains homeostasis through this method of natural selection. Below, you can see that the Zulu people are much darker than people from either Europe, Asia, or America.
Cultural Adaptation
Because the temperatures are all around comfortable for the Zulu people, they do not feel the need to wear much clothing. Males wear IsiNene, which is the front apron and is made of circular skin patches, stitched close together. The back is called iBeshu, and is made from calf skin. For women, it depends if they are married or not. If a lady is single, she will usually wear only a short grass skirt, and a girl who is engaged will cover her breasts and let her hair grown. A woman who is married will wear a thick cowhide, treated with charcoal and animal fat, and will cover her breasts with necklaces and beads (Zulu Culture). Below is a picture of how these people dress.
The Andean Indians are used to a much colder climate, and as so, they dress appropriately. They usually wear thick wool ponchos and pants, and have many fires going around their many huts. Below is a picture.
Race
For the Zulu people, I chose African/black as their race, mainly because they are from Africa and because of the color of their skin.
For the Andean Indians, I chose either Latin or Indian, because they originate in Latin America, but they are and Indian society.
Summary
The adaptations do have more explanatory power over race because race does not give reasons. Adaptations allows researchers to see why they are what they are. This is definitely the more useful approach for anthropologists.
The Zulu people of South Africa live in a providence known as KwaZulu-Natal, which is bordered by the Indian Ocean on the east, Mozambique and Swaziland in the north, Drakensberg on the west, and the Umzimkhulu River on the south. This area has fertile land, with a warm and rainy summer between October and April and a dry and cold winter between June and August (Sithole). The average temperature in KwaZulu-Natal is 21 degress Celcius, and there is an average of 320 days of sunshine throughout the year (KwaZulu). As you could imagine, the Zulu people get a lot of sun exposure. The ihabitants of KwaZulu-Natal eat a lot of vegetables, including spinach, pumpkins, beans, and potatoes. They like to eat meat, but many cannot afford it (Sithole).
The Andean Indians are a different story. These indigenous peoples live in Central and South America, which is basically all tropical land. The seasons are not differentiated by temperature, but by rainfall. Rainforests grow where rainfall is plenty, and then there are dry regions which do not support much more than grass (Central). Those who love in the Andes Mountain range are used to colder conditions. The crops grown in these areas include manioc, maize, sweet potato, bean, and tropical fruits (Central).
Physical Adaptations
The Zulu people are constantly exposed to sunlight and UVB rays, which can be very harmful. So, as time progressed, the Zulu people physically adapted so that their skin would produce more baseline melanin, causing their skin to be darker and less susceptible to the harmful UV rays. Their skin is dark enough so that just enough rays are absorbed to produce ample amounts of Vitamin D, and still stay healthy and cancer-free. The population maintains homeostasis through this method of natural selection. Below, you can see that the Zulu people are much darker than people from either Europe, Asia, or America.
The Andean Indians also physically adapted overtime to endure the high altitude they were living in. These people live in above-sea level altitudes, and the air is much thinner in these areas, making oxygen intake much harder than it is at sea level. Accorsding to the graph below, native high-altitude indians can naturally put out more power with less energy than an acclimatized lowlander can.
Cultural Adaptation
Because the temperatures are all around comfortable for the Zulu people, they do not feel the need to wear much clothing. Males wear IsiNene, which is the front apron and is made of circular skin patches, stitched close together. The back is called iBeshu, and is made from calf skin. For women, it depends if they are married or not. If a lady is single, she will usually wear only a short grass skirt, and a girl who is engaged will cover her breasts and let her hair grown. A woman who is married will wear a thick cowhide, treated with charcoal and animal fat, and will cover her breasts with necklaces and beads (Zulu Culture). Below is a picture of how these people dress.
The Andean Indians are used to a much colder climate, and as so, they dress appropriately. They usually wear thick wool ponchos and pants, and have many fires going around their many huts. Below is a picture.
Race
For the Zulu people, I chose African/black as their race, mainly because they are from Africa and because of the color of their skin.
For the Andean Indians, I chose either Latin or Indian, because they originate in Latin America, but they are and Indian society.
Summary
The adaptations do have more explanatory power over race because race does not give reasons. Adaptations allows researchers to see why they are what they are. This is definitely the more useful approach for anthropologists.
Works Cited
"Zulu Culture." Zulu Culture, Traditions, Food, Religion and Combat. Durban Website Designers, 2010. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. http://www.zulu-culture.co.za/zulu_clothing.php.
"Central American and northern Andean Indian." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/102247/Central-American-Indian>.
Sithole, Mpilo. "Zulu." Encyclopedia of World Cultures Supplement. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 18 Apr. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.
"KwaZulu Natal Weather and Climate." KwaZulu Natal Climate and Weather, South Africa. Net-Focus Interactive, 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. http://www.sa-venues.com/weather/kwazulunatal.htm.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Nacerima=American
While reading the essay "Body Ritual of the Nacerima", I became increasingly aware that the "Nacerima" were actually Americans. There were many context clues that led me to believe this, including the location (in between Mexico and Canada) and the many "rituals" that took place daily. Also, the name of the "place where people go to die", latipso, which is a backwards spelling of hospital without the h. If I were to choose five words to describe this essay they would be: magical, insecure, ridiculous, monetary, and American.
Magical: This word comes to mind often throughout the text because there is a theme of magic, ranging from "holy-mouth-men" to the ceremonies that take place at the latipso. Medicine men are often referred to as magical practitioners, performing rituals to "help" the one who is willing to pay.
Insecure: I chose this word because many of the daily "rituals" that take place are based on appearance. The shrine that people spend so much time in front of is a medicine cabinet/mirror, usually placed in the bathroom. In that time, many average families had ony one or two bathrooms, while the richer families had several bathrooms, all with medicine cabinets. These medicine cabinets were stocked with "charmboxes" or perscription pills.
Ridiculous: This word should be abvious because the author makes many of our daily habits seem absolutely ludacris. He states that latipso is not meant to help anyone, but only gives out "harsh" treatments and the latipso is simply a place where people go to die. This is not the case in our society. We go to hospitals to get better.
Monetary: The medicine men do not help anyone, no matter how sick, unless they are willing to pay. Then, after being helped, they are expected to pay again for their services. Enough said.
American: Looking back at the article, I can see how an outsider would judge our society harshly. Many people do not rely heavily on outward appearance or a plethura of perscription medication. Nor do they go to "medicine men" for their ailments, such as tooth aches or pains. They also do not go to "witches" to talk about their earliest memories. This is a Western, culture, and it is very limited to a small number of societies whom are considered to be civilized.
Part B:
As an American, I feel like the words I chose to describe the civilization in the text were completely accurate. I have no issue stating that Americans are based on money and appearance. We strive to be skinny and rich from early adolescence. We go to school to get a degree so we can have high paying jobs. We spend the rest of our time going to gyms, getting our hair and nails done, making sure our teeth are healthy, and making sure our physical health are all in order.
I feel like some of the judgments I used were a little biased because the things we do daily don't seem ridiculous when we are partaking in them, but when we see them from another perspective, we think its weird and abnormal.
Unfortunately I can't think of any other words that is UNBIASED to replace any of my words.
It's important to avoid ethnocentrism when studying other cultures because what is wrong or abnormal to us is completely normal and justified to other cultures. We may not understand why some cultures do what they do but it doesn't mean our practices are any better than theirs.
Magical: This word comes to mind often throughout the text because there is a theme of magic, ranging from "holy-mouth-men" to the ceremonies that take place at the latipso. Medicine men are often referred to as magical practitioners, performing rituals to "help" the one who is willing to pay.
Insecure: I chose this word because many of the daily "rituals" that take place are based on appearance. The shrine that people spend so much time in front of is a medicine cabinet/mirror, usually placed in the bathroom. In that time, many average families had ony one or two bathrooms, while the richer families had several bathrooms, all with medicine cabinets. These medicine cabinets were stocked with "charmboxes" or perscription pills.
Ridiculous: This word should be abvious because the author makes many of our daily habits seem absolutely ludacris. He states that latipso is not meant to help anyone, but only gives out "harsh" treatments and the latipso is simply a place where people go to die. This is not the case in our society. We go to hospitals to get better.
Monetary: The medicine men do not help anyone, no matter how sick, unless they are willing to pay. Then, after being helped, they are expected to pay again for their services. Enough said.
American: Looking back at the article, I can see how an outsider would judge our society harshly. Many people do not rely heavily on outward appearance or a plethura of perscription medication. Nor do they go to "medicine men" for their ailments, such as tooth aches or pains. They also do not go to "witches" to talk about their earliest memories. This is a Western, culture, and it is very limited to a small number of societies whom are considered to be civilized.
Part B:
As an American, I feel like the words I chose to describe the civilization in the text were completely accurate. I have no issue stating that Americans are based on money and appearance. We strive to be skinny and rich from early adolescence. We go to school to get a degree so we can have high paying jobs. We spend the rest of our time going to gyms, getting our hair and nails done, making sure our teeth are healthy, and making sure our physical health are all in order.
I feel like some of the judgments I used were a little biased because the things we do daily don't seem ridiculous when we are partaking in them, but when we see them from another perspective, we think its weird and abnormal.
Unfortunately I can't think of any other words that is UNBIASED to replace any of my words.
It's important to avoid ethnocentrism when studying other cultures because what is wrong or abnormal to us is completely normal and justified to other cultures. We may not understand why some cultures do what they do but it doesn't mean our practices are any better than theirs.
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