Environmental Adaptations

 Zulu and Andean. 

Two different groups of people, or populations, living completely different lives. 

Today I'll be going over their differences and possibly their similarities. 

Nacirema, Who are they?

PART A 

- Economical - 

    The Nacirema have learned to develop a highly advanced economical trade and buy system that can equate to economies today, specifically capitalism. In an article by Horace Miner, he describes their economy as, "characterized by a highly developed market economy which has evolved in a rich natural habitat, while much of the people's time is devoted to economic pursuits". Their economy allows for them to sustain and keep their healthy natural habitat, while being able to freely pursue economic pursuits of becoming "upper class". This suggests they have a free economy that allows for any one of any class to rise from the ground up. 

- Medically Advanced - 

    Miner goes into deep detail about their medical practices, as some of it may sound gruesome, overall it does help the patients in their overall health. As explained by Miner, their medically educated have what is called, "...an imposing temple, or latipso, in every community of any size," in which, " a fair proportion of the really sick natives who enter the temple ever recover". Seemingly, every community has a "latipso" in which they those who are sick will enter and a good majority will leave recovered. This suggests that they are medically advanced to take care of their sick and injured, while also successfully curing them of any issues they may have for the most part. Though their practices may seem "gruesome" they are highly effective in healing those in need. 

- Religious - 

    Like most communities of people, Nacirema peoples are also religious. Their practices are done Bi-yearly, in which they meet a "Holy Mouth Man" everyone from all different communities seem to come together for this "Holy Mouth Man" while also "praying" to him every day at least once or twice a day. This is considered the, "rite [that] involves a practice which...consists of inserting a small bundle of hog hairs into the mouth, along with certain magical powders, and then moving the bundle in a highly formalized series of gestures,"(Miner). Though why this ritual is made seems uncertain to outsiders, it is their religion that should be respected just as much as any other religion. To question their religion isn't welcome, but to understand that they have this helps us understand that they are advanced and spiritual enough to commune together for religious reasons.  

- Caring - 

    The Nacirema have a practitioner in whom they go to when they are troubled, and it shows that they care for each other enough to be able to empathize with other's troubles. These are practitioners, "known as a "listener." This witch-doctor has the power to exorcise the devils that lodge in the heads of people who have been bewitched," in which the "listener" has their patient vent, "all his troubles and fears, beginning with the earliest difficulties he can remember," (Miner). The "listener" walks through the patient through their issues and attempts to cure them of these difficulties in their livelihood. It requires a high emotional intelligence and capacity in order to do this, so the practice of having someone like this in their community demonstrates an extent of sympathy and care for others in their community. 

- Objective - 

    Despite their efforts and seemingly caring practices for others in their community, as noted by Miner, the multiple Nacirema will have harsh views of their physical appearance for community acceptance. Specifically, "general dissatisfaction with breast shape is symbolized in the fact that the ideal form," making the breasts of a woman important overall rather than their other attributes, and "a few women afflicted with almost inhuman hypermammary development are so idolized that they make a handsome living by simply going from village to village and permitting the natives to stare at them for a fee". While others with larger "attributes" will make a profit off of their own bodies. To glamourize and idolize things such as this can be seen as objective. 

-Cultural Anthropology- 

ABOVE 

New Semester.

New Blogs. 

Spacer. 

BELOW 

- Physical Anthropology-