Introduction The Semai are among the most peaceful people known. The Semai see themselves as helpless in a hostile world that is beyond their control. Physical violence is extremely uncommon: adults do not fight; husbands do not beat their wives, nor parents their children (Denta & Charles, 1997). Homicide is so rare as to be virtually nonexistent. Semai subsistence depends on swidden gardening supplemented by hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering. Each band occupies a well-defined territory, usually a small river valley or a segment of a larger one (Denta & Charles, 1997). Settlements are clusters of extended family or multifamily households that moved up and down the valleys, cutting new fields each year and leaving the abandoned gardens to be reclaimed by the forest for a fallow cycle of 30 years or more (Denta & Charles, 1997). Although a great many changes have occurred since the early 1970s, bands in the less accessible highland and deep jungle areas still largely persist in the traditional way of life, although they are increasingly being drawn into the economy and politics of the Malaysian state (Robarchek & Robarchek, 1998). THESIS: Semai of Malaysia is one of the most peaceful societies known and they are horticulturalists who resist all violence, have strong social organization based in fear and believe in the power of their culture for relief in sickness and healing. The Semai as Horticulturalists For the Semai, sweet manioc is one of their two staple crops and the second staple is hill rice. They also cultivate a number of minor crops, including corn, and they cultivate forest trees for fruit (Robarchek & Robarchek, 1998). Semai food sharing are distributed throughout the community and consumed im... ... middle of paper ... ...s in the burial by clearing brush and trees, helping to dig the grave, cutting thatch for the grave hut, and so on. Even the smallest child will be helped to throw a handful of earth into the grave. This is the last opportunity for the community to demonstrate that it was not remiss in its obligations to nurture the deceased (Robarchek & Robarchek, 1998). Works Cited Denta, R. K., & Charles, I. (1997). Telling the truth in difficult times: Malaysian anthropologists and Orang Asli . American Anthropologist, 99(4), 836-838. from Research Library. (Document ID: 23657961). Robarchek, C. A., & Robarchek, C. J. (1998). Reciprocities and realities: World views, peacefulness. Aggressive Behavior, 24(2), 123-133. from EBSCOhost. Sørensen, M. (2007). Competing discourses of aggression and peacefulness. Peace Review, 19(4), 603-609. doi:10.1080/10402650701681251
Within this paper, a glimpse into the Yupiaq society will hopefully be accomplished by answering a few questions. First question, what is the Yupiaq worldview? Next, what are the core values that are essential to the success of Yupiaq society? And finally, how are those values expressed in their approach to subsistence behaviors and knowledge of their environment?
There are many cultures throughout the world, which may be far apart and yet still have similarities. Two of those such cultures, the Basseri, that live in Iran, and the Nuer, whom live in Sudan, have their differences, but also have some similarities. Many of the differences and similarities come from their subsistence strategies and the social and political organization of their societies. With the regions of the world, both the Basseri and the Nuer live in, they’ve had to adapt to the environment they live in along with the limitations imposed by that environment.
Wade Davis’ article, Among the Waorani, provides much of the content brought to light in Nomads of the Rainforest. His article delves deeper into their culture and motivations allowing one to more fully understand their beliefs, relationships, and savagery. Both the documentary and article attempt to create a picture of their close-knit relationships and their desire f...
“The Sambia: Ritual, Sexuality, and Change in Papua New Guinea” is a book written by Gilbert Herdt. It is based on a case study Herdt did during the 1970’s of the culture of the Sambia people. His study took place in Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. He didn’t know much about their language, however through out his time there he was able to learn their language and customs. As he settled into their village, he mostly slept in the clubhouse with the other Nilangu villagers; however, eventually they built a house for him to stay at. Herdt had a great interest in gaining new knowledge about the Sambia culture.
“Friend by Day, Enemy by Night” shares an in depth look into the lives of the Kohistanis who live in Thull, Pakistan. The author of the text, Lincoln Keiser, goes into great depth in explaining the life of these people before and after mar dushmani. Mar dushmani can be directly translated as “death enmity.” This social relationship between the Kohistanis causes for many problems. As a general principle death enmity allows men to retaliate whenever another man wrongs them, though the act of revenge itself should not exceed the original wrong. The example stated in the book is, “a blow should answer a blow and a death answer a death.” For such offenses as attacks on men through their wives, sisters, and daughters retaliation usually occurs in deadly violence. Killing the offender is considered the most appropriate response. Although violence usually takes place during retaliation, it is not the only way to handle it.
Schmalleger, F. (2009). The Conflict Perspective. In F. Schmalleger, Criminology: An Intergrative Introduction (p. 347). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
The way of the Ju/‘hoansi life has changed dramatically in many ways throughout the years. However, it is still possible to reflect upon their original way of life and compare it with their present state of living. Most of the changes occurred due to environmental, economical, developmental, social and cultural changes. All of which play a vital role in determining a Ju’s way of life. Although the land of the Dobe and !Kangwa have developed and changed in recent years, there are still some remnants of how the environment used to be. A significant shift in social and cultural aspects of the Ju/‘hoansi life can be observed in the new environment. However, some important aspects of their culture and belief system are still reflected in their everyday lives.
Cultural Anthropology: The Human Challenge, 14th Edition William A. Havilland; Harald E. L. Prins; Bunny McBride; Dana Walrath Published by Wadsworth, Cengage Learning (2014)
The Korowai are one of the most endangered ethnic groups in the world. Their traditional culture was developed thousands of years ago. They live in small family clans and are hunter-gatherers and live in a horticultural society. The natural resources have allowed them to survive in the harsh rainforest which they depend for living. As population grows in society more and more people are using the earth’s natural resources. Trees are being cut down for extraction of minerals and energy. Lands are being used to create missionary communities. The Korowai territory is surrounded by missionary communities, who have influ...
The Mbuti people are known as foragers because their main source of survival lies on hunting and gathering as they move from one place to another. They originated from a region in Africa called Congo. The Mbuti people even with their fairly decent population prefer to be grouped into smaller groups or bands which are mostly made up of close relatives. They live in the rainforests of central Africa, where they have lived popularly for more than 6000 years now.
The American Anthropological Association 's (AAA) aim is to offer guidelines and promote education and discussion. American anthropologists do this often by speaking and interacting with individuals living and experiencing the culture. Truly understanding, learning, and becoming accustomed to a new cultural environment takes a significantly long period of time, perhaps even years of exposure to the culture in order to truly understand traditions, morals, and customs. For instance in the Shostak`s study on the !Kung people, it was important for the researchers to say words correctly, at appropriate times, and in a culturally accepted manner, in addition, in order to interview individuals, specifically women, the anthropologist would ask one to “enter work” with her and they would talk for an hour or a day, or over a long period of time, perhaps two weeks. When studying another culture, American anthropologists include host country colleagues in their research planning and when requesting funding, establish true collaborative relationships, include host country colleagues in dissemination, including publication, and they also ensure that something is given back to the host. When studying other countries, the process is done carefully and thoughtfully, in order to end the study with new information on a culture and to establish new connections
Jayson, Sharon. “Video Games Tied to Aggression.” USA Today (March 1, 2010). Web. 25 March 2011.
The Study of Ethnomusicology - Thirty-one Issues and Concepts [Book] / auth. Nettl Bruno. - Champaign : University of Illinois Press, 2005.
DuNann Winter, D., & Leighton, D. C. (2001 ). Structural Violence . Peace, conflict, and violence: Peace psychology in the 21st. New York : Prentice-Hall.
In the 1950s, anthropologist Colin Turnbull spent three years living in a rainforest with the BaMbuti Pygmies. His 1961 book entitled The Forest People provides an ethnographic study of the culture he experienced. He states in the book’s acknowledgements “this book tries to convey something of the lives and feelings of a people who live in a forest world, something of their intense love for that world and their trust in it” (Turnbull). Turnbull uses his experiences to tell an elaborate story with characters a reader can easily form attachments to. He obliterates the stereotype surrounding the Pygmy people and, instead, shows the reader the beauty of their culture and lifestyle. The Forest People is not simply a description of a cultural group vastly different than our own; it is also a window into their world.