...Body Art and Ornamentation across Cultures Sheryl Strickland ANT 101 Dr. Cynthia Livingston 08/05/2013 Body Art and Ornamentation across Cultures The skin has been a canvas for human expression for centuries. As a result, body art and ornamentation have been a source of interest among anthropologists beginning as early as the 1900’s, and gaining a strong foothold during the 1970’s. “Inscribed skin highlights an issue that has been central to anthropology since its inception: the question of boundaries between the individual and society, between societies, and between representations and experiences” (Schildkrout, 2004). Through anthropological research, we have learned that many cultures worldwide use forms of body art and ornamentation such as scarification, tattooing (permanent and nonpermanent), and piercings for a variety of reasons, ranging from ceremonial religious rituals to tribal identification purposes. The process of body art and ornamentation signifies a figurative death and rebirth that typically involves a painful experience as a means to encourage an individual’s self-discovery, as well as establishing his/her place in society. For the purpose of this paper, I will explore the various aspects of body art and ornamentation across three specific cultures- the Yoruba’s of West Africa, the Samoan’s of the Pacific Islands, and the Hindu’s of India. Throughout the history of African culture, anthropologists have noted a wide variety of body markings among African...
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...For a long time now body art and decoration has been a custom in many cultural groups. Through research we have learned about the different types of body art and ornamentation such as permanent and nonpermanent tattooing, scarification, and piercings. These forms of body art and ornamentation are done for a variety of reasons, ranging from identification purposes to religious rituals. “Skin, as a visible way of defining individual identity and cultural difference, is not only a highly elaborated preoccupation in many cultures; it is also the subject of wide-ranging and evolving scholarly discourse in the humanities and social sciences” (Schildkrout, 2004). The process of ornamentation and body art is usually a painful experience, but it is a way to signify a person’s self-discovery and their place in society. In this paper, I will explore the different aspects of body art and ornamentation in two different cultures; the Maori people of New Zealand and the Yoruba’s of West Africa and explain the cultural importance of their art. Throughout West Africa it is not uncommon to come across people that have scar stripe patterns on their cheeks. The facial stripes that they wear are not produced by paint or tattoos, like many other cultures, but only by scarification. However, in his article, Orie explains that not all of the Yoruba people have the facial stripes. Okola is a term used for describing someone whose face is scarred, it means ‘the one with facial stripes’. People that...
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...Body Art across the Globe In this paper I will be discussing the differences in body art and ornamentation within three different cultures across the world. Each culture has a different way of defining their body art, whether it is with body paints, scarification, body piercing, body shaping, or tattooing. Each culture has different reasons and different ways of celebrating life, death, and aging within their tribe or group, each with a specific rite or traditional way of going about it. The cultures I will be going into are the culture of the Paduang women of Thailand, African tradition of scarification and the Polynesian style tattooing practiced among Samoan and Hawaiian cultures. In a small village just within the Thailand border, there is a group of women known as the Paduang celebrate their culture by wearing what modern western society would consider being bondage rings. Our society calls it neck-stretching but in reality what they are doing is placing brass rings around their neck from early ages such as 5 years old which push the collar bone and shoulders down to make their neck elongated looking. The custom involves adding an extra ring to their next every two years or so (Padaung Woman, 2013). Neck rings appeal to the men in their tribe and men in their tribes prefer to only marry women with neck rings. These neck rings often show status among their peers, however, it is estimated that in the next few generations that the practice will die out as more mothers choose...
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...innovative time period for humans across the world. Estimated lasting about 3.4 million years and ending between 6000 and 2000 BCE, there is loads about this ancient era that is widely theorized and mysterious. Since there is so much to cover within the Stone Age, it was reasoned by scholars in the 1800’s, that it be broken up chronologically, starting with the Paleolithic era and continuing with the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The Paleolithic era, meaning “old stone”, is the earliest division of the Stone Age and covers the greatest portion of humanity’s time. Separated into three stages, Lower, Middle and Upper, the Paleolithic period is still very much unaccounted for. Archaeological digs have been going on for centuries across Europe and other important parts of the world, supporting the knowledge and theories archaeologists now know to create an understanding of our prehistoric world. The Upper Paleolithic is the last subdivision of the Paleolithic era and is known for its sudden progression of intricate stone artifacts, artistic expression and personal ornamentation. Nine major cultures have been associated with the Upper Paleolithic time period and the modern human. These cultures were some of the first to see humans using art and tools as a way of expression. They engraved animals onto their tools and used ornamentation as a way of status and heritage. Early Upper Paleolithic art originated in the Aurignacian culture of Europe around 40,000 years ago...
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...The Renaissance & Baroque Arts The Renaissance, also known as the period of “rebirth”, directly followed the Middle Ages. Some considered the Renaissance period as a bridge from the “Dark Ages” to the modern era or the “light”. This period in history lasted about four centuries—late 13th century to the early 17th century— featuring “a revival of classical art, literature, philosophy, architecture, and learning” and introduced some of “the finest artists and intellectual achievements in the history of the Western humanities” such as Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo Buonarroti (MindEdge, 2013). Renaissance art is traced back to Italy where artists and scholars looked to the ancient Greco-Roman culture for inspiration by reviving the language, values, and traditions that were lost after “the fall of the Roman Empire in the sixth century” (A&E Television Networks, LLC, 2013). Furthermore, Renaissance artists added individuality to their works through portraying “beauty and mystery of the natural world” (A&E Television Networks, LLC, 2013). Most of the art produced during this time showcased religious imagery, completed mostly as Catholic Mass altarpieces. Artists around these times were sponsored by patrons of the arts such as The Catholic Church and affluent families such as the Medici family in Florence. Political permanence, growing wealth, and technological advancements are some of the social conditions that may have contributed to the arts of the Renaissance...
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...After watching Black Panther this weekend I realized that I was absolutely fascinated with the African culture aspects of the movie. The land of Wakanda, a fictional African nation made up by marvel comics, which is represented by the various African tribes and rich clothing (Chutel & Kazeem, 2018) but one of the cultures that stood out to me the most was a fictional character in the movie who wore a lip plate. After researching the various African tribes who are traditionally known for this ritual I stumbled across the rich and enchanting culture of the Mursi tribe which is located in southern Ethiopia in the Omo valley (Obamwonyi, 2016). The Mursi tribes are known to be nomads, meaning not having a fixed residence and moving from place to place and usually seasonally (Obamwonyi, 2016). They’re known to have less than 10,000 members (Turton, 2015). The Mursi people have their own language called the “Mursi” which is also known as Surmic in other languages (Turton, 2015). In the year 1994 only about 3,163 people identified as Mursi while only about 3,158 actually spoke Surmic as their first language (Mursi People, 1). The Mursi people have been recognized to be aggressive by tourist however the Mursi tribe lives an egalitarian lifestyle (Obamwonyi 2016). They live a pretty settled life, and when the Mursi aren’t...
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...developed cultures have known this recipe for thousands of years and each has established a long history of ceramic arts. Through the millennia, these different cultures have taken the rather simple process and adapted it to their own taste while also assimilating foreign influences imported through intercontinental trade and migrations. The result is an art form that is universally popular, yet regionally unique. The oldest examples of ceramic pottery date back past 10,000 BC and come from southern China and Japan. These early pots were made through the “coiling” method, a technique that required the clay to be worked into a long string which was wound round onto itself to form walls that could then be molded smooth. This process was independently developed by cultures across the world but was eventually replaced by the potter’s wheel after its invention in Mesopotamia around 4,000 BC. Thanks to the potter’s wheel, from 900 to 500 B.C. ceramic pottery was widely implemented throughout Ancient Greece, most commonly in the form of decoratively painted vases. While Greek vases typically depicted a scene or story drawn on the exterior, their interior served a variety of purposes; from small jugs used to store and transport goods to large kraters that were used to dilute wine in. Compared to the Greeks, the Romans were less involved with “luxury” pottery but still produced massive quantities of ceramic ware that served utilitarian purposes. Meanwhile, Eastern cultures were working...
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...with ornaments from head to toe was that it is considered a woman’s duty to forever be at her best with pleasant appearance in front of her husband and relatives. Hence the elaborate regimen for various ornaments and equal importance is given to wearing anklets. An anklet, also called ankle chain or ankle bracelet, is an ornament worn around the anklet. It may be worn tight like a leather strap or may dangle an inch or two. Anklets have been worn for thousands of years within different cultures. Sometimes the ankle bracelet has a significant meaning, while other anklets are worn just for beauty. Even today, people enjoy the sparkle of a dainty ankle bracelet and wear all types, from a slim silver one to a more chunky costume jewellery anklet. Anklets have always enhanced the dainty and feminine side of elegance. They are an important part of women’s adornment in the Indian culture though they have also been found in other ancient cultures of Egypt and Middle East. Anklets are a part of ornamentation and have great spiritual and social significance. However, apart from their aesthetic value the basic motive of the anklet is to draw attention to the wearer’s legs and feet. These historically have been worn for centuries by girls and women in India, where it is commonly known...
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...of Ireland, is a sovereign country member of the European Union that occupies most of the territory on the island that it is situated. While Northern Ireland decided to remain loyal to the English crown, the modern Irish State became independent from the United Kingdom in 1922, after signing the Anglo-Irish Treaty that concluded the Irish Independence War. The history of Ireland dates far back to 10,500 BC, with the first human evidence that has been found in the territory, but it wasn’t until the Iron Age that the Irish identity started developing, when the first Celtic language and culture emerged in the island, marking the beginning of a long history of cultural encounters and traditions. Regardless of...
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...Running head: ASSIGNMENT 2: FACTORS AFFECTING MARKETING STRATEGY Assignment 2: Factors Affecting Marketing Strategy BUS 510 – Consumer Behavior February 23, 2014 Running head: ASSIGNMENT 2: FACTORS AFFECTING MARKETING STRATEGY Factors Affecting Marketing Strategy While at a local women’s retail store, came across an interesting leather necklace that caught my attention. As I moved closer to view the item, I was sure the accessory belonged to one of the popular designers and was quite expensive. Once I reached the shelf were the item was display; I saw the designer name “Heaven’s Creations”; an unknown product designer. The necklace was quite a show stopper, extraordinary looking and not to mention affordable. The off-brand’ designer’s line is unique because the pieces are all “one of a kind”--no replicas However, I was informed that the designer does design commission jewelry. I most say that if all future accessory ornaments of the unknown designer’s are as exquisite and show stopping as this leather necklace, the designer will not be off-brand for long. Jewelry, Apparel and Accessories products fall into the category of high involvement/emotions. These are products for which the buyer is prepared to spend considerable time and effort in searching. When marketing this jewelry line, I am going mimic existing campaigns as jewelry is a billion-dollar industry employing millions of people around the world, and costume jewelry has a large piece of this pie...
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...[pic][pic] [pic]Copyright © 2005 West Chester University. All rights reserved. College Literature 32.2 (2005) 103-126 [pic] | |[pic][pic][pic] | | | |[pic] | | | |[pic] | | | |[pic] | | | |[pic] | | | |[pic] | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Access provided by Northwestern University Library ...
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...General info The history of music in Iceland has no parallel in other European countries, or, probably, anywhere else in the world. In Iceland the music of the "Middle Ages" predominated well into the nineteenth century. Due to Iceland's isolation, centuries of musical development on the European continent had gone by unnoticed. Even ordinary four-part choral singing was first heard in the fifth decade of the 19th century. Instrumental music, in the usual sense of that term, was non-existent. When the "new" music finally found its way to Iceland, the population, with certain exceptions, especially as regards church music, proved to be more receptive than might have been expected. Latent creative talent soon emerged, and musical development has been exceedingly rapid in the twentieth century. In the 1980’s Icelandic music was on the world music map with the emergence of artists such as the Sugarcubes. In more recent years Iceland has seen international success of many more artists, such as Sigur Rós. Classical music Jón Leifs (1899-1968) is one of Iceland’s best known classical composer writing many of his works about Icelandic nature which bore titles such as Hekla, Dettifoss and Geysir. The Iceland Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1950 and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2009. Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has garnered an international reputation as well as cellist Sæunn Þorsteinsdóttir and Daníel Bjarnason, a young classical composer and conductor. Opera The Icelandic...
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...INTRODUCTION The rapidly changing culture, politics and economics of modern life deeply affect the industrial environment, especially consumer industries such as textiles and clothing (Lowson, King & Hunter 1999). One of the impacts is that the contemporary North American and European textile and apparel industries suffer immense competition from foreign producers (Yan & Fiorito 2002). As early as the mid-1980s, imports were estimated to account for close to 50% of consumption (Lowson, King & Hunter 1999). As most imported textiles are produced with very low labor expense, huge amounts of inexpensive products can be supplied in the domestic market. Considering this situation, competitiveness in cost and quality continue to be key issues for textile manufacturers. In order to significantly reduce time and cost in the supply chain, the industry needed to become more focused on consumers by developing a supply chain management process that would be demand driven and production that would be synchronized to replenish product at the consumer's pull rate (Lovejoy 2001). Today, consumers desire to personalize the style, fit and color of the clothes they buy, and require high-quality customized products at low prices with faster delivery (Lee & Chen 1999). New manufacturing technologies such as 3D body scanners, CAD/CAM systems, and digital textile printers have played a key role in increasing the effectiveness, flexibility, agility, and precision of production. ...
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...,Introduction * Anthropology -The study of the lives and cultures of human beings, alive or dead. -They also study the evolution of these cultures over time as well as significant changes. * Sociology -Sociology is the study of human social life, groups, and societies. -They also study the interactions among these groups and the individuals within them. * Psychology -The scientific study of behavior and mental processes. -Psychologists look at how the brain functions and what is the result on peoples personalities, behaviors, and attitudes. <Introduction to Sociology> * What is sociology? - The social science discipline that looks at the development and structure of human society (institutions) and how it works - Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior * Sociology subjects matter - Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts * Hierarchy - Hierarchy is the ranking system used in any particular environment based on authority or power - Each position or role requires a certain type of expertise which is valued by society - In order to distinguish between these roles people are expected to dress and act in a certain way - On any given day we can play many different roles in society – eg. A parent can drive their kids to school and then go to work and teach their students * The roles...
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...The Influence of Music on Self and Society - Values in Music in Eastern and Western Cultures David Eaton July, 2003 Throughout history the unspoken but highly evocative language of music has exerted powerful influences on individuals and societies alike. Felix Mendelssohn once remarked that music is more specific about what it expresses than words written about those expressions could ever be. That music has the power to express, convey and illicit powerful emotions is without question, however the issue of music's moral and ethical power, and how that power affects individuals and societies, is one that receives too little attention in our post-modern world. Ancient cultures held strong beliefs in the moral and ethical power of music and as such it was imperative for artists within those cultures to exercise a certain moral and ethical responsibility in their creative endeavors. As a professional musician for over thirty years I concur with that premise and it is primarily from the axiological, rather than a theoretical or aesthetic viewpoint that I approach this discourse. The responsibility of artists to the social environment in which they live and work is something that I have always had strong sentiments. As we now find ourselves beginning a new millennium, questions with regards to music's origins, its spiritual, religious and mystical properties, its moral and ethical power, its transcendent qualities, the role of the arts and artists and the importance of art in general...
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