...The Mbuti Culture ANT101: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology The Mbuti Pygmy Culture The Bambuti are a foraging group that are scattered throughout equatorial band of Africa. This area they live is primarily the rain forest. Mbuti have a unique culture, set of values, and lifestyle that are all undergoing great change. The Bambuti have been classified into three groups, which differ from each other linguistically, economically and geographically. The Aka people speak the Mangbetu language, hunt mainly with spears and live in the north of Democratic Republic of Congo. The Efe speak the Lese language, practice archery and live in the east of the country. The Sua speak the Bira language, usually hunt with nets and live in the south. Mbuti are the hunter-gatherers of the Ituri Forest. The Mbuti culture is more than 5,000 years old, and today's Mbuti live much as their ancient ancestors did. Roaming the forest in groups of no more than 14, they keep dogs and nets for hunting but otherwise have few material possessions. Their existence is harsh, and their average life span is short; many Mbuti die before they reach the age of 20, and very few of them live to see 40. Mbuti are primarily net hunters, although they also use bows for shooting arboreal monkeys, and spears for hunting bush pigs, buffaloes and other big game. Mbuti net hunter groups have been involved in commercial meat trading since the early 1950s. They obtain agricultural food...
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...Mbuti Culture Mbuti Culture Mbuti people, also known as Bambuti, are a pygmy foraging group consisting of numerous bands in the Congo region of Africa. Pygmy is a term used worldwide in many ethnic groups to describe individuals whose average height is unusually low. Foragers are a group of people who rely on hunting and gathering to obtain their food and other sources needed for survival. This paper will discuss the background of Mbuti people, their culture, and how society today is changing the future for these indigenous people. Sometimes referred to as “the people of the trees,” Mbuti is one of the four cultures within the Bambuti. The Mbuti, as mentioned before, reside in the Congo region of Africa, specifically the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire. Zaire is home for the tropical rainforest, Ituri. “The “Forest,” or symbolized universe of the Mbuti, can be understood as a system of symbols by which kinship operates. These symbols have direct relevance to the Mbuti social world. The example of the concept of “sphere,” as an organizational system underlying the spatial layout of the family hut, the band community, and the “Forest” itself, illustrates the direct application of ndura symbolism to Mbuti life. Furthermore, the Mbuti kinship system functions at several different levels – the family, the sub-band, the band, and that of general Mbuti society, all of which are connected to the “Forest.” Various...
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...Cultural Anthropology March 8, 2015 Turnbull’s The Forest People Turnbull’s The Forest People, is a book written about the Pygmy’s culture and how people living in this tribe survived. Colin Turnbull decided to evoke on a journey where he analyzes this interesting lives of the Pygmies. Throughout the story we find several key components that give us more of an understanding about each valuable thing that the Pygmies do everyday. This can be found from the way they eat with portions to the way they raise their children with tender and love. Even though each component is extremely different then what we do in today’s society, there are definitely some valuable lessons that can be learned through reading and understanding the Pygmies culture. The Pygmies have one rule to follow when thinking about gathering food, “No one goes to bed hungry”. This quote is interpreted exactly the way it is written. When the men and women typically go out to hunt, which is normally one time every week or two weeks, they always keep the amount they are feeding in mind. Unlike Americans, who normally go out and prepare food for just their family or household, the Pygmy’s make sure that every single individual in their tribe is fed. It is very rare to hear about women helping the men hunt but it is a refreshing thing to hear that they take part in this responsibility. The job of the women is not actually to kill the game but they simply put the net around it. This...
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...Chapter 1: The World of the Forest * Ituri Forest – Northeast corner of the Belgian Congo * Stanley’s Dark Continent – * country he loved and hated * scene of ill-fated expedition to relieve Emin Pasha * Emin Pasha – expedition costing hundreds of lives and imposing hardships on survivors trekked across great forest three times, losing more lives each time through fighting, sickness and desertion * Outsiders: All came from open country full of plains, sunlight and warmth – thus people who visited the Ituri and feel overpowered by damp air, drying out between violent storms, and remoteness and loneliness * For those who live there: cool, restful, shady world with light filtered hazily through the trees. No silence to them: forest full of exciting and mysterious sounds * Believe cry high up in trees is the chameleon telling them honey is nearby (scientists say chameleons are unable to make these sounds) * World of forest is closed, possessive, and hostile to those who do not understand it. * May think it hostile to humans because in every village, people have fear of forest * Villagers are friendly and hospitable to strangers, offering them the best of whatever food they have and clearing out a house where the traveler can rest in comfort and safety * Villages set among plantations in clearings cut from heart of forest – it is from the plantations that food comes, not from forest, and for villagers life is a constant...
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...Beginning many centuries ago, Westerns have created a sphere of influence that has been widely accepted by the international world as the ‘way of being’. Since its start, Western influence spread throughout touching the bases of many states, especially post-colonial nations. However, there still remain untouched communities that have not yet adjusted to the global trend of Westernization. Amongst these scarce communities are the ‘Pygmies’ whom are found throughout central Africa. ‘Pygmies’ have been named the ‘Forest People’ due to their lack of integration with the Western world. This essay will mainly discuss how the studies conducted by Western explorers and experts alike aided in creating the myth of the ‘Forest People’ and will then further explain how media and tourism have also played a role in shaping and sustaining the Euro-American representation of ‘Pygmies’. The myth of the Pygmies resurfaced between the 18th and 19th centuries when Europeans were in the prime of colonizing different African states. During this time, many explorers ventured into the forests where they came into contact with the Pygmies. Nonetheless, explorers were unable to keep up contact with the Pygmies in order to provide any detailed accounts of their appearance, lifestyle and interactions. It was not until Schweinfurth’s reveal that multiple ethnographers such as Colin Turnbull became involved with learning further about these unexplored people and African rainforests (Frankland...
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...D.J. Ram’Seur Mrs. Mitchell CBA-6th 13 October 2017 The Kinka-Who? The Potos Flavus, also known as the Kinkajou (kiNGkəˌjo͞o), is one of the many endangered animals that are losing their natural habitat, the Brazilian Rainforest, to the most invasive species on this planet, Humans. The kinkajou is one of the two species of animals (excluding primates) that have a prehensile tail. They have specially jointed feet, this enables them to turn a complete 180˚. It is also the only animal of the carnivorous order that relies only on fruit, with the exception of the insects that are on the fruit and in the honey that they eat. They are also the only mammals that are pollinators. Efforts to save the kinkajou wave been set in place by the Kids Saving...
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...Tribal culture Tribal culture there are many tribes in bangladesh and each tribe has its own unique culture. Some tribes may even have cultural distinctions within their different clans. But some traits are generally common among most tribes. For instance, originally most tribes are animists. Religious beliefs and taboos except for the sangsarek of the garos and buddhism of some tribes of chittagong and the chittagong hill tracts, all other tribes have no specific religion. They regard their ancient rites, beliefs and customs as their religion. The samsarek of the garos is also close to extinction. Most of them have by now become christians. However, they still follow certain rites of samsarek. Most santals are christians now but they observe their own tribal rites. The periods of the full moon and the dark of the moon are of special significance to the oraons, manipuris and buddhist tribes. Many religious and cultural rites take place during the full moon. The oraons believe in the sayings of dak and khana. They have many superstitions regarding journeys. For example, oraons will not undertake a journey if they stumble at the start, someone beckons from behind, a house-lizard calls out, a message is delivered about someone's death, a corpse appears on the way, a crow caws on a dry twig, or an empty pitcher comes in view. When oraons start tilling the field, they will do so from the east. They will wait for an auspicious day to begin building a house. They believe...
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...HISTORICAL INJUSTICE TOWARD TRIBALS: A REFLECTION ON FOREST POLICES OF INDIA Introduction The Forest policy plays a vital role in the life and economy of rural poor. It is also played a crucial role in sustaining the life supporting systems of country’s environment. The livelihood activities of tribal’s center on the forest in which they live. They have maintained a time immemorial relation with forest and always interact for their sustenance and try to recreate the forest with their traditional conservation systems. But as soon as the tribals relation with forest got transformed due to progressive assertion of state monopoly rights over large areas of forest. It has resulted in large scale eviction and uprooting of traditional tribal villages. The relationship that existed between tribal social organization and the forest was completely upset as a result of these policies. In the ongoing process of liberalization, privatization and globalization, new markets challenges has been forced the state to divert the forest land for large corporations. This marked the beginning of a new forest governance system that was alien, induced and most particularly that excluded forest –dependent communities in the name of scientific forestry, public interest, national development, conservation and industrial growth. Due to this in humane policies have eroded their life styles and simultaneously the assertion of state primacy over natural resources deprived them of an...
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...A Study of the Garasia Tribe and Strategies to Evangelize Them 1.) Overview of the Tribal Groups in Rajasthan Rajasthan is a state steeped in culture and history. Rajasthan, or the realm of the Kings, as it is known, is perhaps one of the princely states of all in India. Its history is abundant with stories and legends about its kings and rulers. In its golden age, the region was ruled by the Rajputs, and in their honor the state was known as Rajputana in its erstwhile years. These were the royal people, the Kshatriyas, the warriors and they were known to be fierce fighters, extremely proud of their heritage and position. But the state itself comprised of many other people groups, most of them tribal in nature. The state even now comprises of five major tribal people groups with many other either being the branches of these major groups or minor ones. These five tribal groups are Mina, Bhil, Garasia, Saharia and Damor. Of these tribal groups, the Minas are the largest of the lot with almost a share of close to 50 percent of the total population; Bhils come close with a population of 45 percent and then come the Garasias with a population comprising 3-4 percent of the total population of tribal people. The population of the Garasias in Rajasthan has been dwindling in the recent past because of their migration to North Gujarat. 2.) The Garasias Numerically speaking, the Garasias constitute the third largest group of the state of Rajsthan. Though they are also...
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...SCRIPT By Isabelle McCall, Ben Szabo, Kylie Auerbach, Tyler Wright and Anton Akhmetov Introduction: (Make sure you introduce all members of your team!) Kylie: The last time Mt. Etna erupted was May 16, 2015, who knows when it will erupt again. Hello I am Kylie, Isabelle: I’m Isabelle, Anton: I’m Anton, Ben: I am Ben, Tyler:and I am Tyler Ben: From Mrs. Silver’s class we have news about Mt. Etna. Main Body: This is where you will present all of your information to the public. Isabelle: It is located on the east coast Sicily, Italy. Ben: Mount Etna is an active stratovolcano, meaning it has been built up layers and layers of molten lava rock. It has 4 distinct craters on the summit. Kylie: Just between the African and Eurasian covertient plate boundaries, it stretches square miles over 460 square miles. Anton: Mount Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. It has had a series of eruptions since 2001. Even though it is thousands of years old, it is still very active. It has been going hot for over 2,000 years. Tyler: Mt. Etna is 10,900 feet tall with a base circumference of 93 miles. Isabelle: More than 25% of Sicily’s population lives on Etna’s slopes. Etna is just above the city Catania. Ben: It has been know to have violent eruptions and voluminous lava flow! Anton: Mt. Etna has the longest written record of eruptions than any other volcano. It is a subduction volcano, so this type of volcano is very gassy, that is 1 reason of why Mt. Etna is...
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...1915, Athabascan tribal Chiefs from throughout the Alaskan interior banded together to protect their Alaska Native land rights, an issue that propelled Alaska into statehood in 1959, and continues today. Tanana Chiefs Conference is organized as Dena’ Nena’ Henash or “Our Land Speaks”; an Alaska Native nonprofit corporation, charged with advancing Tribal self-determination and enhancing regional Native unity. TCC provides health and social services balancing traditional Athabascan and Alaska Native values with modern demands. Vision: Healthy, Strong, Unified Tribes Mission:...
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...Dorothea Pierce World Culture Examining Alternatives to Globalization Those that oppose globalization criticize the methods that are being used in consumerism, immigration, and nutrition. They are concerned with how the present methods are affecting global warming, hunger worldwide and the immigration issues being faced across the world. One of the main reasons for this is the worldwide hunger issue we are now facing. Hunger is not just in third world countries anymore, it is now faced in every nation including ours. Crops cannot be grown or produced in a large enough quantity to feed everyone, not to mention those that are actually have to labor at the farms to grow our food and tend the livestock. If each country were able to maintain their own economy there would be no reason to rely on other countries for their goods. If this were the case, the only reason to travel to other countries would be to take a vacation, study their culture or maybe to trek around the world. Whatever your reason, it would not be out of need but because you wanted to. All of the top stores employ 'buyers' that travel around the globe in order to bring us the best the world has to offer. But do we really need this? The answer to this question is no, but that does not stop the average consumer. There are those that want the best that there money can buy and if that means that it is an apothecary from China, well they are gonna find it even it they have to order it online and have...
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...Phase 1 Individual Project – The Kwakiutl Indian Tribe Potlatch Ritual Michael Chargualaf HUMN250-1302B-03 Colorado Technical University Online The Kwakiutl Indian Tribe Potlatch Ritual In trying to understand the topic of a Kwakiutl chief burning his family’s possessions during a potlatch, one must research the background, history, and makeup of these people to determine the reason for this ritual. From a distant view of the topic, one would interpret this as an act of lunacy and pointless in every aspect. But with all irrational acts or behaviors, one must look deeper before making judgment. And even then, what may seem illogical to you based on your cultural beliefs may be typical for other cultural groups. The Kwakiutl Indians, located in the Vancouver Islands, live along the coast line. They comprise of a number of tribes and are subdivided into family lines called “numaym”. Numayn is believed by the tribe members as being descendants from a mystical ancestor. It is in this belief that seems to determine a tribe member’s social ranking within the tribe. Economically, the Kwakiutl, are considered to have an abundance of wealth in terms of food and other natural resources. With their close proximity to the ocean, it is naturally assumed that their main source of food comes from the sea and that they are a tribe of fishermen. While mostly true, they also specialize in woodworking and handcrafts such as making baskets, mats, and blankets. The Kwakiutls, however, spend...
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...The movie Apocalypto depicts the journey of a Mesoamerican tribesman who must escape human sacrifice and rescue his family after the capture and destruction of his village. It happened during the declining period of the Mayan tribe. In this movie, the Mayan society is in its breaking period, thus needing resources in order to support their social, political and spiritual needs. So, in order for them to survive, they need to scour hectares of forests to locate any valuable resources either from trees, caves, destroyed societies or plundering any weak societies around them. To know what kind of social theory it actually depicts, we need to look first in the different aspects of their society. In their social aspects, men are born to fight and rule while women are born to be slaves; therefore, males are important in this society. Men are used to hunt for the resources that were said earlier and they are dominant in this society. Without them, the society is nothing. In their political aspect, governing the tribe has a relation to their beliefs. Politics and Religion are fused together here because of the high priest and the emperor being partners in ruling the entire kingdom. They are responsible for the whole kingdom’s survival of the people and their beliefs. In their declining period, they emphasizes conflict theory because of their need to search resources by salvaging any other societies in order to support their needs. Dominant societies plunder smaller ones to survive so...
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...Assignment 2 Water Conflict In colonial America the Inxica and Daho clans were two Indian tribes sharing pastures and water in the Texan hinterland. During droughts or hard times the two clans were always in conflict over water and pasture. It was during this time that the Daho chieftain decided that it was time to settle these conflicts once and for all. They decided to poison the common well without informing the Inxica to kill the clan and their animals. ‘This will teach the Inxica a lesson.’ The Daho chieftain declared. ‘We were the first settlers in this land and it is about time the Inxica knew of this fact.’ added the chief’s advisors. ‘Long live Daho! Long Live Daho!’ chanted the Daho citizens in agreement with their chief’s decision. On the first day countless cattle and three children of the Inxica died from the poison forcing the clan to seek for alternative water source deeper in the jungle. The Daho were pleased and celebrated victory over their perennial enemies with song and dance. The Daho had a spring in their land and thus could face up with the situation of water. They flourished and were glad at their win. During this time it was common for Indian tribes to send their young to Christian missionaries under the Spanish to learn how to read and write. The Daho had selected the top minds from their youth and since it was December it marked the time for their homecoming. The five Daho students were glad to at last go home and try to improve the lives of...
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