Maoritanga

The Maori People

The word "Maori" actually translates in English to "normal, natural, or ordinary" but more literally meaning "original", in order to differentiate themselves from the later immigrants. "Maoritanga" means "Maori-ness", more or less, and this is used commonly as a proud self description of its inhabitants.

Environment and Adaptation


The Maori are an Eastern Polynesian people who inhabit both the Northern and Southern islands of New Zealand.  Their climate is varied, both from the North island to the South island, and from the coast to more inland. They don't experience extreme differences in temperature from one season to the next, only ranging from averages of 50-60 degree winter days to high 60-high 80 degree summers.  The weather can change quickly due to high offshore winds, transitioning from sunny to stormy and back without warning.  There is little pollution compared to most Western countries, which increases UV exposure during sunlight. During the summer, sun exposure increases, but usually a large portion of most winter days offers sunlight as well.  Rainfall is high throughout both islands, and is evenly dispersed throughout the year. Snow covers the local mountain ranges in the winter, but rarely touches anywhere near sea level. In fact, last August, snow reached Auckland, an area of the North island that hasn't seen snow in over 40 years!

The Maori population suffered a huge decline in population during the mid to late 19th century, after  Europeans migrated into New Zealand. The Europeans, or "Paheka," as the natives called them, imposed a more modern urban approach to trade and economics in contrast to the traditions of the Maori, most of whom occupied rural areas until the 1900s. Searching for employment and other resources following the Depression and WWII, many Maori families mobilized to assimilate themselves into urban society, abandoning several traditions while still maintaining to hold on to the foundation of their cultural beliefs.  Today, the Maori are the 2nd largest group of New Zealand inhabitants, accounting for about 15% of the country's population. Statistics demonstrate that although they are expanding and striving to rise to the urban challenge, they have to compete for employment and wealth with the European majority, and most Maori households are economically far behind their goal.

New Zealand is home to a wide variety of animals, many of which are endangered due to hunting or other foreign environmental stresses as a result of human interference. The Kiwi, a now endangered, nocturnal, flightless bird, is actually New Zealand's national symbol, although it is rarely seen in the wild these days.  It also was home to the only known wingless bird-the Moa, who the Maori hunted into extinction around 400 years ago, although remains have been found throughout the islands.  The Tuatara that wanders the islands is the only species of beaked reptile still in existence-the only remaining member of an order of reptiles stretching back 200 million years!  "As Time magazine said, New Zealand is an ultimate storehouse for discontinued zoological models." (http://www.acrossnz.com/nzInfo/fauna.php). Several varieties of whales and dolphins swim off the coast, including the world's rarest dolphin, Hector's dolphin, only found in New Zealand waters.

Heavy rainfall and regular sun exposure provide a good home for a variety of plant life. 80% of the plant variety is native to the islands.  The Pohutukawa tree blooms bright red flowers in December, and is known as New Zealand's own Christmas tree. There are forests on the North island of giant Kauri trees, with some trees over 160 feet tall!  About 20% of New Zealand land is made up of national parks, in an effort to conserve wildlife and educate the public simultaneously.

Consistent rainfall and regular sun exposure are two environmental stresses that the Maori must put up with in order to survive. They have darker, olive toned skin that demonstrates an increase in melanin production to protect them from UV rays. In addition, their noses and wide and shallow to their face, which provides an efficient method for air intake in a humid climate. 


The Maori have adapted back and forth, from an agricultural society in their tropical ancestral Polynesian origin, to a hunting society until they pushed the moa into extinction and their food supply waned, and then back again. When the European immigrants arrived in the late 1700s, the Maori welcomed the muskets and other trade items they brought, but suffered heavy population loss soon after due to a variety of disease to which the Maori had no established immunity. Disease wiped out much of the population as the European population expanded, and the rural Maori society became outmoded. Most of the remaining Maori people migrated toward the European urban areas in order to seek employment, holding on to their basic ideals, but leaving much of their traditional culture behind. This resulted in a loss of social cohesion, which lead them to give in to vices such as alcohol and tobacco. With this negative adaptation, in addition to a loss of much of their land and culture, it seemed they were headed for extinction. However, the Maori population has regained footing recently, politically and economically, and although they are not yet as statistically successful as their European cohabitants, they now make up the 2nd largest population on the islands.

Language

The Maori population speaks the Maori language (although only about 20-25% of the Maori people can still speak it). The official language of New Zealand in English, and Maori was added in 1987, in order to protect their native tongue.

The origin of the Maori language is of Malayo-Polynesian descent. It has a 15 letter alphabet, whose written form is enhanced with the use of macrons, or lines over the stressed vowels of certain words that can change the emphasis, or even the meaning, of a word. The Maori language is historically an oral language, with stories and geneologies being passed down from generation through carefully selected speakers. However, in 1814 missionaries first attempted to help the population create a written language to record such events that may get "lost in translation". Although it has been in progress for about 200 years, the written Maori language is actually still constantly growing and being refined.

Gender

There are more than two genders in the Maori culture. There are male and female, but they also recognize what they call Takatapui, for transgender or transsexual, or more specifically someone that is both Maori and non-heterosexual-this term refers to a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender individual.  Lesbian women can also be called  whakawahine.  Homosexuality became an issue only after the arrival of the missionaries in the 1800s. Previously, it was widely accepted  Blatantly homosexual men are taunted by being called laelae, which means "feminine behavior of men".

The Maori woman currently holds less power than their pre-European status.  However, the Maori Prime Minister is a woman, along with several other female political figures. They are allowed to seek out higher education, although many drop out even prior to finishing the "required" education level. Although women are permitted to seek knowledge and education, or a promising career, only a small handful, increasing every year, actually does it. If only a single parent is able to work, it is usually the male, so the female can stay home with the child and the man can go provide.  Again, the missionary colonists provided an ethnocentric view to a population, and the domestication of the Maori woman bagan. Recently women have regained most of their opportunities.  For the most part, these rules are pretty malleable, although Maori women are often portrayed as unsatisfied with the feminine role in their household.  A Maori man may stay at home to take care of a child, or perform so-called "female" jobs, and vice versa. However, in formal aspects of Maori culture, such as the opening or introduction of a ceremony, or during the haku or war dance, they are not permitted to speak or participate.

 "With this wealth of historical evidence showing clearly the leadership roles that Maori women have performed over time, why has it become so common for people to assume that leadership in Maori society is traditionally a male preserve and that female roles are considered to be of less value than male roles?  No matter how numerous they have been, how diverse their skills and fields of leadership, and how wide-ranging their iwi affiliations, for some reason the achievements of these women have been marginalised as being "exceptions to the rule", the rule being that only men could be leaders" (http://www.waikato.ac.nz/law/research/waikato_law_review/volume_2_1994/7). Before Maori women and children can be restored to their rightful place within whanau, hapu and iwi, it must be recognized that it is only through a transferral of power back to Maori that the difficult task of formulating strategies to deal with the destruction wrought by colonisation can begin.  Many Maori women are forced to work both outside and in the home, while others are not so fortunate as to find paid employment at all. Often isolated from the support of whanau, both physically and culturally, Maori women are particularly vulnerable to overwork, ill-health, and domestic violence.  Whanau, or extended family, is an important concept to the Maori people. The consequence of assimilationist policies has not simply been the perpetuation of the but the near-destruction of the Maori social fabric, and its replacement with a set of values and philosophies, Maori law.

The youth of the Maori culture seem to have strong relationships with their mothers, who serve as a buffer for their more distant fathers. Thus, whether a Maori child is female or male, the majority develops their perspective of gender roles through the maternal side. The young Maori develop their individual independence on their own, since the Maori wife has many responsibilities at home in addition to any employment they can obtain. Many teenagers dabble with drugs and alcohol, and (unprotected) sex simply because they have little guidance.

Maori men, previous to European integration, had always been the backbone, the labor, the provider for their family. With the transition to urban society and the rise in unemployment, their biology hasn’t adapted to the differences in the labor requirement. Many Maori women are left to pick up the slack, keeping up the home and seeking out less physically strenuous employment to increase the opportunity for success of her family unit.

The narrator in “The Blessed Curse” would probably either be avoided or create discomfort among residents in today’s California culture. First impressions would be difficult, most likely, and then once relationships developed she would be more widely accepted.

Subsistence

violence

The rules and laws that govern the Yanomamo culture are initially similar to those of Wewstern culture. Violence and killing is looked down upon, and punished to much different extents within each culture. While the rules may be the same, the consequences are very different.

Kinship

1. For this assignment/experiment I interviewed my mother. She was born in Los Angeles, California, and to a middle class caucasian family with a mixed background (French, French Canadian, Belgian, and additional ethnic influences scattered within). She attended Catholic school at St. Genevieve in San Fernando Valley. She married James Ghilardi at the age of 18.

2. The interview was comfortable. Since the subject was my own mother, who I am very close to, there were no awkward moments or any questions that she was uncomfortable answering.  She made it clear that she knew much more history about her family, but that this was all that she had firmly committed to memory-the rest was written down on documentation she had stored. She asked if I wanted her to take it out, and for the purposes outlined in this assignment, I decided against it. Her relation to me absolutely assisted in expanding the thoroughness of this interview. If I were interviewing someone not related directly (or indirectly), I can imagine that the answers become more shrouded, and the subject may leave out details regarding relationship status between fallen-out family members, or maybe even their existence altogether.

3. The family has remained very close and has no grudges or contempt that has caused movement or uninclusion. All of her siblings still communicate with each other on a regular basis, and although they have scattered across the USA, they still visit each other frequently. There doesn't seem to be an influence on either maternal or paternal lines, both are reproducing regularly with the occasional exception. There is a trend toward larger families-if they have kids, they usually have 4+.  The older generations of my family have excellent relationships with the younger generations, with regular reunions and holiday celebrations that often include our extended and geographically separated family members.  There are no ethnic differences that have a social impact on relationships. However, there are some social differences, such as unmarried females and homosexual tendencies in a few relatives.  These topics have, and continue to be ideas that are alternately spoken about as concern areas or swept under the rug, only to be included in one on one hushed conversation between family members.  When it all comes down to it, my mom believes (as do I) that our family is extremely supportive of each other. Although they may not always agree with an individual's decision, they continue to include and even support each individual through the decisions they make, regardless.

4. I know only three generations of each side of my family, starting from my parents and working backwards.  My parents and their siblings, my grandparents and their siblings, and my great-grandparents and not quite all of their siblings.

I do socialize equally with both sides, both are still local for the most part, and the branches that have moved away still keep in touch.

My grandparents on both sides are always respected, yet show their support for their family members independently of their thoughts on the respective decision. Of course, they share their opinions on the subject, but their opinion doesn't dictate whether they will help or provide support or not.  With that said, and noting that both of my grandfathers are deceased, my grandmothers are very esteemed on both sides of my family.  All of their children and grandchildren aim to please them, because we feel that they have taken very good care of us, in raising us and supporting us through hard and happy times alike.

Family members who are related by marriage are not treated any differently. My mother's family has several adopted children, or children that we inherited through marriage, in addition to our blood relatives. These expansions are gladly welcomed.  My dad's family is Mexican and Italian, primarily. Food usually brings us together, and the decibel level in one of our gatherings could probably pop the eardrum of anyone who didn't grow up in a similar environment.  But we are loud, and happy, and we love to be so.

As the firstborn child to my parents, I feel that there are differences in treatment and attitude by gender. My brother is 14 months younger than I, and yet he was allowed to stay out later (or indefinitely, as long as he communicated) before I was. Not to be misunderstood-when I was allowed to stay out, he was allowed, yet he was younger, no...  He was allowed to stay out and I was not and I was older. He was 13 and allowed to stay at friends houses and I was 15 and not allowed to do so. Granted, he was (at the time) a sycophantic suck-up...while I was a rebellious wild child, but can you blame me under such conditions? (I know, the answer is yes, but everyone knows that hindsight is 20/20)  But in our family, in general there is a different level of accountability and treatment that runs along the gender lines.

I have learned that my family is fortunate to still maintain all of its immediate ties-so many families are broken, or scattered, beyond the level of my family.  Also, much of my generation is only related by marriage, and divorce is becoming a trend.

p

"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place."-George Bernard Shaw

Part 1:



Just for fun: I’m pointing at you, then my eyes, then my blog post on your computer screen. Then I point at you, smile, and hold my hands together, flat, like a prayer, and then curl my fingers and wriggle them to imitate typing, then grin, again, sheepishly this time, raising my shoulders as if in question. I hope you understand, and can deduce the results I am looking for.



This experiment was semi-frustrating for me, and very entertaining for my partners in intercourse. (Haha, perked up there a little, didn’t you?) Intercourse simply means “conversation” . Yes, definition #3 has also become a common variation, but the adjective “sexual” usually precedes it, so I’ve written off its standalone value.



in·ter·course   [in-ter-kawrs, -kohrs] noun

1. dealings or communication between individuals, groups, countries, etc.

2. interchange of thoughts, feelings, etc.

3. sexual relations or a sexual coupling, especially coitus.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/intercourse



I’m off topic, so I’ll move on… (Point at my friend, nod, point at my friend’s brand new car, nod, point at me, smile, make steering wheel imitation with my hands, smile bigger.) My friend is already shaking her head, saying “No, no, NO!” and flailing her arms back and forth across her body to demonstrate the degree and depth of her answer before I can even twist my finger from her shiny new SUV toward myself. That killed all of about 30 seconds. 14 minutes and 30 seconds to go…



Honestly, once we got off of the “staged” conversation idea and the other two participants were carrying on an exciting conversation about their drive home from their camping trip, where they encountered snow, it flowed better. However, I found that by the time wanted to interject something, I had to quickly calculate a method in which to demonstrate my intended contribution, then abruptly signal them to stop talking so that I could provide input consistent with the flow of the discussion (since earlier in our allotted time I missed the topic I was addressing in the conversation, and they had to backtrack just so that I could feel included) and act out my idea, I was frustrated with the inefficiency of the dilemma, and they were laughing at my reaction! Whew! Eventually they just inserted pauses at strategic points in the conversation, to allow me to “catch up”-I was begrudgingly waited for, included simply out of pity! I also noticed that since I was communicating through facial and hand gestures, and body language, that they seemed to mirror this increase when they responded to me, relying more on expression and hand movements than usual.



I imagine that if we were representatives of two different cultures, the culture in possession of the ability to use complex spoken language would perceive my culture, reliant on physical gestures, as a much less intelligent variation. Certainly the advantage is held by the culture that has developed advanced linguistics, since they are able to communicate much more thoroughly, instead of just saying the basics, as I did in the experiment. Trust me, I wasn’t saying any more than I felt I HAD to. This really makes you focus on the important facts or details, and leave out all the adjectives and other extras. This experiment also opened my eyes to the fact that I need to listen better. Effective communication is very reliant on listening, and comprehension of the meaning of the words and gestures being shared. During this time, I was too busy trying to anticipate where the conversation would go so that I could be prepared for the next subject, or thinking about what I was going to say next, to really understand the complete picture of what the others were trying to share with me.



Examples of people unable to use spoken language to communicate include infants or young children, or sufferers of medical problems such as stroke victims. In order to effectively interact with these individuals, we must modify our approach not only while talking to each other. In some cases we must reflect on how our individual (or generalized-either can be detrimental) biases and predispositions alter our perception, in order to increase self-awareness of our own (potentially limited) level of understanding of another's basic needs/functions and apply those to the circumstances surrounding each occasion.



Also, people from different cultures with different complex languages can be difficult to address as well. I ran into a situation last week in which I was trying to sell tires to a consumer who spoke only Farsi. They brought no translator, and didn’t even quickly jot down the size info, and didn’t have the car present they wanted to buy tires for. My tire salesperson ordered him tires that would have suited the original requirements for size and type on that vehicle. The tires arrived, and the man’s wife came in to have them installed 2 days later. She was furious when I told her we could not install the 15 inch tires on her 18 inch aftermarket wheels. It was impossible for us to understand, without comprehending each others’ language, and without the ability to reference the vehicle, what his needs were…they left without re-ordering, very upset with our customer service…what could I have done?



Part II.



I was able to last 15 minutes in verbal-only speech. It was difficult because I kept having to start over, after realizing that I had my hands in the air, or furled my eyebrows, or raised just the left one (as apparently is my trademark, I discovered). My partners in this conversation had to pay very close attention to my words since (as much as I could) I tried to disguise any emotion or inflections in my voice.



I noticed that my son, Zack, closed his eyes as he listened to me, in order to focus on what I was saying, while my mom had to visually focus on my lips as they moved in order to understand.



This form of communication was tedious, since once I had described an event or situation, I also had to explain how I felt about it (without emotion in my voice) instead of my audience already being able to deduce this from the expression in my face and body as usual.



Non-speech language techniques are imperative in effective communication, but can also be detrimental to our desired meaning if others perceive negative body language or facial expression.



Children, I believe, have trouble reading body language, or not as effectively as an educated or experienced adult, anyway. As a result of this lack of "filter" capabilities, it has become a common saying that "Kids say the darndest things" in response to questions or conversations with similar sounding words, or words with multiple definitions.



Sometimes we have to rely on verbal speech only, when reading body language. For example, people with current injuries, or even permanent handicaps (i.e. quadriplegia), are disinclined or even unable to perform the basic functions that would allow them to use this mode of communication.



The benefit of the ability to perceive and translate body language as a form of communication is immeasurable within any relationship. It allows the trained communicator to recognize signals and to be proactive in responding to their respective audience’s reactions, needs, wants, concerns, (mis)perceptions, etc.



Hmmm…environmental conditions in which NOT reading body language would be beneficial? I remember visiting my grandfather in the hospital when I was very young…probably 4 or 5 years old. I knew that my family was sad that he was sick, but I was unable to perceive the depth of emotion in their body language and expression…. Looking back on my memory now, having experienced loss, and developed my ability to perceive the lack of hope and the inability to accept his loss…the search for peace in coping with the resignation that he was not going to be there forever like he said he would…. I think I would like to be unaware of the weight, the gravity of the situation and the static within the dense air of morale, in circumstances such as these. However, this ability evolved with a purpose. It comes in handy often, and as a survival instinct, is obviously more beneficial to own than discard.



In conclusion, if we analyze the level of reliance we place on the human use of symbolic language within cultures and physical communications worldwide, this ability has evolved from a habitual degree of expression to an obligate one. Yes, there are cultural differences and unique circumstances that can make communication difficult, but even Helen Keller, with no sight or sound, was able to learn to effectively communicate. Go Humans!





Part III.



Part one absolutely would have been easier if the use of written language was allowed. Although it is not as quite as instantly gratifying as spoken language, at least it is still possible for someone to communicate even extremely complex ideas in this method, compared to just being able to grunt and point to try to convey the detailed thoughts they are trying to share.

Written language allows individuals within a culture to communicate their needs and desires to others within their society, giving them a better understanding and ability to assist each other. It provides a quick and efficient means to distribute mass information. It allows people to connect in both physical and emotional ways that were impossible before the development of written language.



Written language has paved the way to disperse the ideas and practices previously particular to a certain culture throughout different parts of the world. With the increasing popularity of the Internet and its translation abilities, the globalization of these previously "contained" ideas is imminent. As this process continues, and cultural isolation wanes, the blending and blurring of cultural differences becomes more common, for better or for worse.

Adaptation

Zulu:

1.The environment in which the Zulu people reside in South Africa is a warm, tropical climate with consistently hot and humid temperatures. Summers run at least 80 degree days with the majority of rainfall occurring during this period. “Winter” temperatures run in the mid 70 degree range. Winter sunshine averages almost 7 hours a day, some of the highest in the country.

2. In response to the constant and inescapable levels of sun exposure, natives to this area demonstrate a physical adaptation that indicates that the melanin levels within their body are significantly higher than that of a society with less sun exposure in their cultural background. This prevents bodily harm from solar radiation, and results in the blackening (even darker than some other cultures who consider themselves of "black" skin) and thickening of the skin. These adaptations act as a more defensive barrier against the harmful rays of the sun.

3.  A cultural adaptation that has developed as a result of the same environmental stress is the prominence of headwear. Hats and headbands may have been originally worn to protect against the heat and harmful rays of the sun, but the Zulu culture has capitalized on this idea, and the intricacy and patterns/colors within headwear now denotes status as well.  Now they can save their heads from sun damage in style!

Andean Indians-

1. The many tribes of Indians now occupying the Andes mountains is widely varied.  The climate is extremely tropical, with high humidity and huge variances in temperature on a daily basis.  The seasons are marked more by differences in the amount of rainfall/snow and degree of humidity than temperature. "On the high, cold plains, known in the Andes as puna, there are only two seasons: summer every day and winter every night."

2. The Andean Indian tribes live in an extremely high altitude, and have adapted to this environmental stress through the development of a higher concentration of hemoglobin, a long term adaptation that allows more oxygen to be carried through the bloodstream to various parts of the body.  This allows the body to function properly even at an altitude that could result in hypoxia for a human who has lived at sea level for all or most of their life.

3. A cultural adaptation to the variance in temperature between daytime and night has resulted in the popularity of layering clothing. Most individuals wear between 3-5 layers of clothing to accommodate the transition in temperature.  Ponchos and beanies are regular garb, and everything is in bright colors to aid in searching for someone who may have been hurt or lost during travel.

4. If I were asked to describe each culture by their race, I would find it very inaccurate.  In my readings, I discovered that the Zulu are not just one but several African societies combined. Due to this, and the pride associated with the name, it seems that there is no other alternative to name their race, except, in fact, "Zulu".   In regard to the Andean Indians, some anthropologists have even noted that they cannot really be classified as tribes because of the large variances in culture and area-how could "Native American" actually be an accurate classification for them, when it is so vague? It gives us an idea of their origin, with no insight into the adaptations they have aquired.

5. The US census changed their standards for race classification in the year 2000. The only group that the Zulu population would fit into is "Black or African American", which are included together, and the Andean Indians into the "American Indian and Alaska Native" category. Such a vague grouping relates only to skin color, not necessarily national origin or culture. Although such a description may give us clues as anthropologists to physical adaptations that have occurred or not occurred within a society, this is a scientifically incomplete factor for analysis. The analysis of physical and cultural adaptations is much more useful from an anthropology standpoint, since "race" or skin-color is inclusive of, and analyzed within these branches.

http://www.upmc.com/health-library/Pages/ADAM.aspx?GenContentId=19510&ProductId=109&ProjectId=2&ReturnUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.upmc.com%2Fhealth-library%2FPages%2FADAM.aspx%3FGenContentId%3D000560%26ProjectId%3D1%26ProductId%3D109

http://www.examiner.com/new-age-in-national/shamanism-around-the-world-the-q-ero-of-the-andes

http://www.prb.org/pdf/census2000_usingnewracialprofiles.pdf

http://www.zulu.org.za/index.php?about

http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/aflang/zulu/home.html

http://www.adventurechronicles.net/AdventureChronicles/Home/Entries/2010/3/26_Immersing_in_Culture.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=4w2hiuK1sOsC&pg=PA293&lpg=PA293&dq=zulu+physical+adaptation&source=bl&ots=wlRQfO0BPq&sig=_XR7pdE8e5LEay4o4YzZukoxCLI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MrOPT9CKBciQiQKo5_C-Aw&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

Reflections from a descendant

My five words:

Ignorant-

Although these practices seem like their mere enactment should raise a red flag on multiple levels, the Nacerima people are so loyal in following these traditions that my first word is "ignorant". However, if they are considered a "highly developed market economy", who are they trading with that wouldn't question and try to help them get out of the more destructive of their behaviors?  There can't be a successful market economy without demand, so they can't be selling only within their own culture...  They also seem to trust in these medicine men and "Holy-mouth men" although their health doesn't necessarily stabilize and their teeth continue to decay, still religiously visiting them even when the remedies fail to work.

Materialistic-

"...the opulence of a house is often referred to in terms of the number of such ritual centers it possesses.... Poorer families imitate the rich by applying pottery plaques to their shrine walls"  Obviously a status symbol, a home that contains multiple shrines denotes wealth and power. The dramatic and materialistic emphasis on the ownership of the "many charms and magical potions without which no native believes he could live" is only surpassed by the requirement that the medicine men and other service people must be rewarded with substantial gifts in order to provide their remedies.

Inadequate-

"The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease." Feeling "incarcerated" in these ugly human bodies makes them constantly masochistic in pursuit of the divine or alien form they strive for. Punishing themselves by "baking their heads in small ovens" or "scraping and lacerating the surface of the face", they can never atone for the inadequacy they struggle to cope with from birth.  Their dissatisfaction with breast shape seems unreal! 

Superstitious

Referred to as a "magic-ridden people", it all seems to be in a negative connotation. It is hard to be objective about many of the traditions they uphold and the beliefs that support them. The degree of faith they place in their magic potions and holy men is unimaginable. However, their "pathological horror of and fascination with the mouth" is the most interesting and extreme.  They believe that it has a "supernatural influence on all social relationships. Were it not for the rituals of the mouth, they believe that their teeth would fall out, their gums bleed, their jaws shring, their friends desert them, and their lovers reject them. They also believe that a strong relationship exists between oral and moral characteristics." I'm curious as to the origin of this oral fixation, and of the superstition surrounding it. Perhaps the cold sore epidemic (Herpes simplex) hit them roughly at some point, but I can only speculate.

American-

The terrible part is that I chose all my words, and then when re-reading was thrown off with the geography Miner includes:  “They are a North American group living in the territory between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico, and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles. Little is known of their origin, although tradition states that they came from the east....” Okay, so geography isn’t my strength, but I do know enough to raise an eyebrow at such a range-certainly a culture such as this couldn’t warrant such a large span of land, and besides, the US is between Canada and Mexico…this refers to a study performed in the 1930s…is this a trick?  Ohhhh!!! Read it backwards, guys...although the vowels are swapped (Stoked that I figured it out before Thursday!!!-secretly relieved at the embarrassment I saved myself, and excited that this course is going to be just as, if not more challenging and tricky than Anthro 101.)  You almost got me, Professor Rodriguez!

"Latipso"

Non-human-looking breasts-these are the idolized women that provide staring priviledges, for a fee...they also serve really good chicken wings as they display their alien forms.

Ritualistic Charm box

"Moral Fiber" -improving mouth ablution for children

Part B:

1. As an American, how do you feel about your choice of descriptive words in Part A? (If you are from another country, you can still comment on your choices based upon your first hand experience with American culture but include the fact that you are from another culture.)

As an American, I think that the words that I chose-Ignorant, Materialistic, Inadequate, and Superstitious-and American!!-are accurate, except that "superstitious" may be a little skewed. Although the article portrays our culture as such, I think that a lot of the fears that the author labels as "superstitions" are actual physical attributes that we do consider ugly, and will inhibit us from (not necessarily keeping friends) attracting a spouse, or landing a job, etc.  Because of the importance we place on appearances, a mouth full of decay can be a detriment not only to health but also to social progress.


2. Do any of your choices exhibit ethnocentrism on your part? In other words, do any of your descriptive words reveal a judgment of the Nacerima rooted in your own cultural bias? Are any of your words free of bias? Identify the words you feel are biased and unbiased and explain your reasoning.

I think that my choice of the word "Ignorant" demonstrates my ethnocentrism. My first line to justify this word is, "Although these practices seem like their mere enactment should raise a red flag on multiple levels..." This shows my bias since, although it turned out to be pointed toward my own culture, it is improper of me to assume that just because certain actions would raise a red flag for me, there may be no perceived warnings within the culture being analyzed. 

Obviously "American" is biased, because at this point I realized that I was shooting down my own culture the entire time.  However, I didn't describe this word completely as an adjective-it's meaning is far too vast and relative to try to define it.

I feel that "Materialistic", "Inadequate", and "Superstitious" are all pretty unbiased, from an objective point of view, and that they are well-founded within the text.  While "materialistic" and "superstitious" are 3rd party observations, "Inadequate" is, I think, a cultural self-identity that a native "Nacerima"n would agree with.


3. For any of the words that are biased, can you provide alternate words that are free of bias but communicate the same explanatory information and intent of your original word?

 Instead of "ignorant", I might say "creedbound", because it seems that although certain actions lack the foundation for continuance, and should be re-evaluated, it seems that this population is wearing blinders in favor of upholding their traditions.

Instead of "American"...? What other word is vague enough to describe such a culture? Let's go with "motley"

4. From this experience, reflect on the importance of avoiding ethnocentric judgments when describing other cultures. Why is it important to describe another culture in a manner as free from personal cultural bias as possible? Do you think it is possible to completely avoid personal cultural bias as a Cultural Anthropologist?

It is extremely important to avoid ethnocentric judgements when describing another culture.  I am curious to know the cerebral difference between the likelihood of bias of someone who has spent time already within several different cultures for extended periods of time, and someone who just has one cultural background. Does the anthropologist with experience in a larger variety of cultures pick up more biases, several from each culture, that they have to work to shed? Or does it become easier to detangle themselves from these skewed perspectives? Is ethnocentrism more difficult to deal with the first time a new anthropologist visits another population? Or less trouble, since they only have the perspective from one culture? 

In order to give an accurate and objective description of another culture, it is important to use objective thought and language as much as possible, or misrepresentation may, and probably will, occur-this is not conducive to the goal of anthropology.

Unless you lived under a rock with no cultural influences for your entire life, it is almost impossible to completely avoid cultural bias as a Cultural Anthropologist.  The successful anthropologist will analyze and re-analyze and re-re-analyze themselves to learn and maintain an awareness of their own cultural biases, and use this objective self-study in conjunction with their gathered data in order to accurately represent the culture they are studying.