The Mbuti is an indigenous pygmy group who lives in the Ituri Forest in Zaire. In doing research for this paper it was found that the Mbuti is referred to as Bambuti quite frequently, however, they are only one of four cultures that make up the Bambuti. Researchers believe that pygmy people have lived in the rainforests of central Africa for more than 6000 years. Mbutis are primarily foragers who hunt or gather most of their food. The culture of the Mbuti or Bambuti is one of egalitarian where there is no defined leader. Conflicts are resolved by community consensus. The Mbuti culture holds the forest in which they live in high esteem. Their belief is that they are one with the forest. They even refer to the forest as “mother” or “father” because it relates to how a mother and father provides for their children. In an effort to gain some understanding about the complex culture of the Mbuti people, the main focus in this short report will be on the Mbuti’s social organization, political organization and gender relationships.
The environment in which the Mbuti people live in plays an important role in their social organization. “Although the Mbuti all lived in a remarkably uniform tropical rain forest environment, half of them were net hunters and the other half archers. The respective social groups reflected adaptation to the differing demand of the hunting technologies of the larger group, which consist of smaller nuclear families.” (Heinder, 1972). The large group of nuclear families worked together to make sure there is enough nets, net handlers, and people to drive game into the nets. During what the Mbuti people called the “honey season”, the group work in smaller nuclear family capacity for net hunting; but la...
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...T. B. (1984). The Mbuti of Zaire: Cultural Survivor. Retrieved June 19, 2011, from Cultural Survivor Website: http://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/democractic-republic-congo/mbuti-zaire
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Nowak, B., & Laird, P. (2010). Cultural Anthropology. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
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Turnbull, C. M. (1965A). The Mbuti Pygmies: an ethnographic survey. American Museum of Natural History . New York, New York.
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...
By analyzing the Kawaiisu, a Great Basin Native tribe, I want to explore cultural wonders and observe their society as I compare an aspect of interest with that of another culture in the world, the Chuuk. Comparing different societies of the world will allow me to successfully learn about the Kawaiisu people in a more detailed and open minded manner. Populations all around the world throughout time have had different views and traditions of beliefs. Through this project, I hope to unravel and gain an understanding of different perspectives and ways of life.
“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.
The extensive research conducted by Robert Sapolsky demonstrates the immense similarities that the Savanna baboons have compared to the average human. When broken down, the reader can indefinitely see the struggle for social dominance in the community, the instinctual takeover of the subconscious, the hierarchy ladder that dictates the rank in everyday life, and lastly the changes from one generation to the next. Although professor Sapolsky’s research ended with the death of the Keekorok troop, there was a time frame, when the last fleeting moments closed in, that he witnessed the death of aggression and saw the ushering in of kindness and tolerance amongst each other. This epiphany was imperative to Sapolsky’s understanding that nothing is concrete; there is always some way to branch out and make a better environment.
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.
The film Ongka’s Big Moka is about a Big Man named Ongka of the Kawelka tribe in Papua New Guinea. Being the Big Man of the tribe Ongka reasures his status by arranging a Moka ceremony. In this film we see the process of a Moka that takes up to 5 years of preparation. We follow Ongka’s struggles and successes of accumulating the number of pigs in preparation for the ceremony. The film allows us to understand the motives and functions of a Moka, provides topics that have been discussed in class, and relate this culture to a similar institution within the United States.
Bastien, B. (2011). Blackfoot ways of knowing: The worldview of the siksikaitsitapi. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press.
William Haviland, Harald Prins, Dana Walrath, Bunny McBride, Anthropology: The Human Challenge (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011), 58.
Between the years of 1985 to 1987 Conklin spent a total of 19 months living amongst the Wari’ tribes. Her primary source of gathering information was to interview the Wari’ about their own culture and history. Performing return trips to the Amazonian society in 1991, 1999, and 2000 Conklin was able to confirm her gathered information by asking different Wari’ about their beliefs and cultural history. Amongst Conklin’s interview subjects were dozens of elderly Wari’ who could remember the life before the outside world had become a major influence. They c...
in the DBQ Project. 265. The. Print. The. Khumalo, Lobengula, Chief of the South African Ndebele (Matabele) Tribe, Early 1890s.
the story in the Phillip Whitten and David E. K. Hunter anthropology book of No
Ember, Carol R., Melvin Ember, and Peter N. Peregrine. Anthropology. Thirteenth ed. Boston, MA: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.
One can easily note the physical and sexual violence brought upon the people (black and white) of Congo after independence, but we must locate the other forms of violence in order to bring the entire story of Patrice Lumumba to light. The director’s attempt at bringing the story of Patrice Lumumba to the “silver screen” had political intentions.
Boas, F. (1930). Anthropology. In, Seligman, E. R. A. ed., Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences. Macmillan: New York.
The Maasai People from Kenya represent a pastoral society. They rely on the taming and herding of livestock as a means for survival. Those responsible for herding livestock are the Maasai warriors and boys, especially during drought season. They had cattle, goats and sheep as their livestock. I did notice a social transformation in their society. Each individual has their job to complete daily. For example, the women formed the houses, milked the cattle, cooked for the family and supplied them with water. The men made the fence around the Kraal and secured the society and the boys were responsible for herding livestock. These multiple duties, commanded by the elderly, eventually started emerging to new and different customs such as trading with local groups. This was