One-Minute Talk Revised

My name is Ashley. Before this class I didn't know what anthropology was. I surely didn't think it was important because I avoided it. I made my LC choice by making sure my block didn't have anthropology in it. The first day of class, I still didn't understand anthropology. The class introduction left me intrigued but puzzled. Then, the first reading assignment cleared things up. I learned a lot about culture. My favorite concept in this course was gender. Perhaps it was because I had a group presentation on that chapter but I just really enjoyed it. I never heard of matriarchical socities. The enthnography in the other book was also interesting. The society described, where there were no fathers, was alien to me.

One Minute Talk

My name is Ashley and before this class I didn’t even know what Anthropology was. I dismissed all the LC’s that offered Anthropology when I was first applying to Baruch. I didn’t hate the class like I thought I would. Out of participating in this class, I decided to try to be more open minded and not compare other cultures to my own. As this course progressed, I found myself wishing we would have more time to allot on each chapter so that I could really learn everything. I also was initially excited to hear that this class environment was going to be different than any other class. There was supposed to be more participation and class discussions. We were so pressed for time this semester that I never experienced that and as a result became disappointed and a bit uninterested.

My Final Blog Post

When I started this semester, I found myself most excited for this Anthropology class. I didn’t like the blogs or the quizzes or all of the reading that was thrown at us in the first few days. I felt overwhelmed. But Professor Gaunt’s animism and enthusiasm made me feel excited none the less. I hated the Kottak book. It was almost always a dry read that I could not focus on. I did poorly on all the quizzes because of how hard it was for me to read that book. I did enjoy the second book. The enthnographies that we read this semester helped me to understand concepts better than the Kottak chapters. Blogging was definitely a chore for me this semester. I don’t like to use the internet so much for homework. It’s easy for me to get distracted or forget. I had to make an immense effort to get the comments and blogs done on time. I also didn’t like that other people had access to my thoughts. I would’ve preferred handing in my reactions on a typed sheet of paper. I liked the ideas and most of the videos that were on the Anthropology 1001 blog. I believe those also helped solidify concepts.

Initially, I did not know what anthropology was and I dismissed it (especially when I was choosing an LC freshman semester). But I took it as a requirement and I learned a lot from it. I don’t know if I’ve become more tolerant but I do try to not compare things cross-culturally. I just try to take everything at face value and stay open-minded. My excitement did dwindle throughout the semester. We were too pressed for time and far too many things were being taught to us. A lot of the ideas that I had to share were ignored and I often noticed students with their hands up who were never called on. I hope that next semester, others students will be able to participate actively in class as we were promised in the beginning of the semester. But there was good feedback when I needed it. I feel that my final project, the mini-ethnography, will be much better because I received the direction that I truly needed.

Chapter 15

"The Road to Refugee Resettlement," by Dianna Shandy, is, to say the least, an eye-opener. And it was definetly my favorite of all the enthnographies we read this semester. The structure of the piece made it feel more like a story then any other ethnography. The beginning of the story of the Nuer youth and the ceremonial scaring seemed like it was going to be what the entire story was about. But, it was overshadowed by the theme of immigration, and more specifically the immigration process for refugees. I thought Thok Ding’s story was interesting. The way it begins with him being in refugee camps and that being the way he gains his education was inspirational. And then, he learned, like other refugees did, to tell a refugee story without making yourself the dramatic murderer. His experience in America was fascinating. He found other Nuer to live with, even though the United States separates groups of refugees to speed up the process of assimilation.

Shandy mentions that in America, when a person is educated they are deemed either underemployed or their degree is not recognized (157). My boyfriend lives in the Lower East Side and frequently visits the local hookah bars. A lot of the employees at the Cozy Café are immigrants and they are college graduates in their countries. One man, Ayman, has a degree in accounting in Egypt but his degree isn’t acknowledged here. His English is impeccable, as are his social skills. I’m around him a lot and I just think it’s unfortunate that he has to pursue his degree yet again here in America. One of my sorority sisters is married to a man from Brazil and his degree is also ignored. He also has to take jobs that he would never have to consider if he still lived in Brazil. I think this is an extreme disservice to the immigrants that come to this country. It’s an injustice that could definitely be remedied through a qualification test or something.

Shandy, Dianna. “The Road to Refugee Resettlement.” Conformity and Conflict. Pearson 2008. pp. 151-160

Mixed Blood

Jeffrey M. Fish's "Mixed Blood," actually was as amazing as Professor Gaunt said it would be. I didn't struggle to relate to the content. I also feel that I learned from it. Race is definitely socially constructed, as Fish says. The physical characteristics that we commonly associate with blacks, whites, Hispanics, or Asians, occur in other races as well. The different textures of hair, such as curly or straight, are not exclusive to a particular region. If that were the case, than people would easily fit into racial categories. In Puerto Rico (as I have been told by family), the inhabitants come in various shades and they classify themselves as white, black or Indio (or India for women). These social constructions are offensive and cause unnecessary division. My grandmother, for instance, would be white. I'm tan so I fall under the India category. As a result, my own grandmother is offended by me. My sister is white so she's favored over me. It's unnecessary.
Also, here in America racial categories have some variety. Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, other, multiracial. I've never really understood why we have to explicitly state our race on a census. Why not something more specific or less offensive? Like, ancestral origins and you list all that apply. Few people in this world aren't mixed.
I also found the tipos of Brazil to be extremely interesting. I had trouble placing myself into a category though. I could be a morena because I have brown hair that is slightly wavy (when I don't straighten it), my skin is tan, and my lips aren't thin; however, I do have a narrow nose. But no other tipos fit me. This chapter was extremely informative because it made me see how ineffective racial groups actually are. I never saw that before because when I hear Hispanic, which is what I identify myself as, I think of a pretty inclusive category.

Fish, Jeffrey M. "Mixed Blood." Conformity and Conflict. 4th edition. Pearson. 2008. pp. 84-94.

Chapter 13 - Baseball Magic

“Baseball Magic,” by Geoorge Gmelch, was a very cute ethnography. It brought to light all the quirky habits that baseball players have and revealed them to be more than mere superstitions. Many baseball players perform rituals or adhere to taboos to do well during a game. For example, outfielder John White picks up a piece of paper before each and every game as a ritual. White truly believes that picking up paper will improve his game as a result of the first instance it happened when he “got some good hits that night” (Gmelch 129). Another player, like pitcher Turk Wendell, wears a necklace with the teeth of all the animals he has ever killed.

I never noticed all the rituals that baseball players put so much care into. Perhaps it is because I don’t watch enough baseball, or perhaps it is because my own religious beliefs are too skeptical to permit rituals and superstitions. The chapter in the Kottak book was about religion and the way people do bizarre things in order to establish control. I don’t have a religion or a need to explain the unexplainable. I don’t have good luck charms or taboos. Friday the 13th is a regular day. If there is a ladder and nowhere else for me to walk, I’ll walk under it. But I did find the text on these things interesting. It’s enlightening to understand people and the way they use their charms. Just this Sunday, when I became an official member of Kappa Phi Alpha sorority, I learned of one of their taboos regarding personal gear (greek lettered clothing). I do not know how specific I can be with what they told me because greek organizations are secretive and I’ve yet to be educated on so much, but regardless I thought what they told me was really silly. I have to adhere to it out of respect because if I don’t they’ll think I’m bringing bad luck upon them. But Gmelch’s story and the Kottak chapter kind of help me understand the taboo.

Gmelch, George. "Baseball Magic." Conformity and Conflict. 4th edition. Pearson. 2008. pp 126-135.

Chapter 5: Mother's Love: Death without Weeping

The story, "Mother's Love: Death without Weeping" by Nancy Scheper-Hughes, discusses infant/young child mortality in Brazil. The others of Bom Jesus guard themselves from the mourning of their children. They do not mourn them but view the frequent occurance as a patron saint claiming its angel. Each year "about 45 percent [of deaths] are of children under the age of five" (Scheper-Hughes 49). When is it safe for a mother to love her child? The seemingly callous mothers are really protecting themselves. Some let themselves cry for the death of their children but it is a sign of weakness. It is also a sign of weakening faith. To be unhappy with the fate of the child is to challenge God's plan.

In history, this process of dissociation has been a common one. English settlers, in colonial America, did not name their babies until after the first year. It was a way to protect the mother against depression if her child died. The same occurs in Bom Jesus. The nation is not medically sound. Doctors mistreat and misdiagnosed young patients. The mother's are practically powerless in the rehabilitation of their infants. The mother's are also forced to put themselves and their "strong" children first. They have to continue to work and provide. Taking care of a struggling infant is a risk in Bom Jesus.

It's hard to judge the mothers of this place. "The average woman of the Alto experiences 9.5 pregnancies, 3.5 child deaths, and 1.5 stillbirths" (Scheper-Hughes 49). To lose a child is basically unnatural. The parents are supposed to raise the child, and the child buries the parent. That is what my father has always told me when we hear of a miscarriage or the death of a child.

Scheper-Hughes, Nancy. "Mother's Love: Death without Weeping." Conformity and Conflict. 4th edition. Pearson Education Inc. 2008. pp. 45-54.

Chapter 8 - Life Without Fathers or Husbands

This week's reading, "Life Without Fathers or Husbands," by Clifford Geertz, related completely to the chapter reading in the Kottak book. The beginning of Geertz story concerns the structure of the society. There is a lot of sexual interaction between those who are "unrelated." This prevents incest from occurring in the society, as the society defines it. This tribe, the Na in China, concerns matrililineal descent. In other words, the children are claimed as the fruit of their mother's looms and join their mother's group. Children are considered the relatives of their mothers but not of their fathers. So, when a man sleeps with his daughter, he is not committing an act of incest. The Na see incest as an act of sex between two members of the same lineage, which they trace through their mother's side. More interesting is the lack of marriage. It does not exist. Instead, there are "visits" when a man comes to a woman to have sex. The purpose of sex is to procreate. And more unusual, to the very American me, is that these visits aren’t taboo. If the woman in question is of age than her visitor may simply enter her home. He can knock on the front door without any issues arising. I am not surprised, however, that a woman cannot visit a man. In so many societies, it seems that women are not pure or feminine if they actively seek out sex.

Then, Geertz discusses the “cultural revolution” that the Na experienced. “As early as 1656, the Manchurian Qing, troubled by succession problems among ‘barbarian’ tribes, decreed that the chiefs of such tribes, including the Na, must marry in the standard way” (81). The Na was forced to conform to the ideas of another culture. Those in the higher social classes, with property to maintain, married to protect their possessions and status. Those with nothing to lose continued to engage in “‘depraved,’ ‘backward’” (81) sex. As a result, 50% of adults have syphilis and many women are sterile. Later on, rules implemented by the government (such as, forcing women to marry the genitors of their children) proved “ruinous” (82) for the Na. The government later shifted its emphasis on educating the Na, rather than punishing them.

What I enjoyed more about this example than from the chapter 7 in the Kottak book, is that it discussed the way a society functioned. Kottak is limited because his examples are brief and used to explain concepts. Geertz’s chapter was a specific, extended example that was balanced. It explained the Na society and remained considerably neutral. It mentioned the dangers of such free sex. In America, I associate open sex with disease. But when reading about the Na, I did not once feel concerned for the people. I know multiple partners are dangerous but when reading, I didn’t even think twice about it. I also thought that the way the chapter ended was powerful. It documents the assimilation of a culture. Although the Na had, to me, unconventional ways, the loss of a culture is sad. I think Geertz captured that. This is my favorite reading thus far.

Mini-ethnography

For my mini-ethnography project I will do one of two things. My first choice for the project is to interview a member of a motorcycle club. This is difficult because I have to first convince the subject that his identity and the identity of his organization will be protected. There is drug use and more adult material occuring at the club's hangout areas; however, there is a lot of jargon that pertains to that lifestyle such as "1%" and "kite." "1%" is defined as "hard riding, hard partying, non mainstream type people" (Biker Dictionary). It typically refers to those who are willing to engage in illegal activity. My subject manufactured his own contact table on myspace and used the word "Kite" in place of message. I have the image stored here : http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j172/magicdust6/newcontacttable-1.jpg. Currently, I assume this means contact privately but I have yet to ask. The subject in question has been a prominent figure in my life for many, many years. He has been a member of 2 MC clubs since I was a child. There were a great deal of years in between the end of one club and the joining of another. I am curious as to why he would avoid this lifestyle only to rejoin it. He is a father and a husband, as are many of his brothers. I find it curious that they are able to juggle their responsibilities with work and family. Also, motorcycles are dangerous and leave the body exposed. My subject was struck by a car about 2 years before and has since struggled with pain-perscription addiction.

If he declines, I will likely write about a friend of mine who has taken a different path. He is intelligent in all fields of education. I consider myself to be adequate in all fields and he can exceed me in mathematics and science. History, we seem evenly matched. I am better in English. Regardless, he should do well in academia because he is of the targeted intellect. Yet, we are on different paths. He is a high school drop out who seems to have no real reasons for doing so. His parents encouraged him to do well in school and he didn’t have economic pressures forcing him to leave school. He had about the same level of responsibility as I did. I am curious regarding his academic choices. Does he regret it? Does he feel prepared for the work force? I doubt college prepares its students. Many people work in unrelated fields regardless. Also, additional training is taken by newly hired persons. But my friend’s predicament reminds me of what would have happened to me if I had not had parental support, or if I had an external force impacting my education. He is fine with being used as my subject. I would likely conduct the interview in a hookah bar because he goes to these establishments frequently. It’s also a good place for conversation. It has a café atmosphere but it has the lighting of a lounge. In my experience, duller lights lead to lower inhabitations and an increase in comfortability.

NC Rider.com. Biker Dictionary. March 13, 2009.

Chapter 10 - Life Without Chiefs

I was impressed with Marvin Harris ending paragraphs, that we evolved into the "beasts" (102) we are today. The simplistic civilizations that we can trace our ancestors to were venerable. The generation seen is something that today's society would benefit from. Man has become much more selfish and opportunistic. Eager to impress but unwilling to donate to his brothers. The "Big Man" (Harris 99) and his reciprocity did bring Communism to mind; however, it was a very admirable notion. The way everyone ate and the reasoning was comprehensible. The man who has meat today may not have any tomorrow, his generosity was done as a way to be practical. Redistribution of food is important, as we can see in our own society. We live in a hierarchical society, especially in America where equality is achieved by socioeconomic status. I love today and the America I live in but it is important for us to take a page from history and act accordingly. The homeless beggars and the starving children, of this country and elsewhere, would benefit from !Kung practices of redistribution. And by remaining humble, like Richard Lee (Harris 97) was taught to do, we will be closer to achieving absolute equality; which is better than the stratified form that we have today.

Harris, Marvin. "Life without Chiefs." Conformity and Conflict. 4th Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 2008. pp 95-103.

Chapter 12 - The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Chapter 12 of Conformity and Conflict, titled “The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Worlds Shaped by Worlds” by David S. Thomson, begins with a paragraph that introduces the essay. It mentions “language mirrors reality” (Thomson 113). The ending sentence uses the word “doublespeak” and that was significant in my being able to enjoy the essay. The topic had me skeptical, I did not understand the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis and my prior understanding of it was negative. But, being that I just finished reading George Orwell’s 1984, I was familiar with the Newspeak reference and that opened my mind. The essay begins with the notion that a word, or small phrase, doesn’t capture the entire idea that people intend it too. The example of the accidental explosion (Thomson 114) was a great in furthering my understanding of the Hypothesis. That made me comprehend that language is limited in describing meaning. Then, there was the example regarding color (Thomson 118). Those who speak Bassa are restricted in describing the various colors they see, but they are able to comprehend that the colors are different. The Hypothesis, when first introduced to me in the Kottak book, made me feel that speakers of other languages lacked the intellectual capacity as a result of having unsophisticated language. But Thomson’s essay better explains that the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis gives a possible reason for why people relate to the world differently, because the symbols in their language are not varied enough. The essay concluded with Orwell’s 1984. Newspeak, in the book, was preferred in that in limited thought. Because people had fewer words to use, they had less opportunity to commit thoughtcrime.

Kalahari - Chapter 2

“Eating Christmas in the Kalahari” by Richard Borshay Lee is about a joke that was played. The !Kung of Africa celebrate the Christian holiday, Christmas. To them, it is the celebration where they “praise the birth of white man’s god-chief” (Conformity and Conflict p. 11). The tribe remains interested in the holiday due to the Tswana-Herero tradition where an ox is slaughtered. Lee, a social anthropologist, would slaughter an ox for the Christmas celebration. He had the sincerest intentions. He had chosen the biggest ox in a herd. He believed it would be the best for the celebration. But the villagers joked and said they thought it was a “bag of bones” (p. 13). Lee had been led to believe that the villagers, the older the ox, and the less fat it had. Fat is where the energy, the nourishment is, and this old ox didn’t have enough fat. The villagers revealed that they were joking about the ox; however, Lee couldn’t shake his doubts. He asked Tomazo why they had played a joke on him. He said, “Why insult a man after he has gone to all that trouble to track and kill an animal and when he is going to share the meat with you so that your children will have something to eat” (17)? Tomazo repied, “Arrogance” (17). The villagers played a joke on him to keep him level headed. It was reasoned that just because Lee could afford the gift for the villagers did not make him any better than them. Lee rephrased this as, “There are no totally generous acts” (17). Lee's essay, to me, shows the way villagers protect themselves from external influence. They changed the holiday and then they changed the way Lee viewed his gift to them.

Introduction

This is my first blog. I've had online journals, but the people who had access to it where the closest of friends. Needless to say, nothing personal shall go into this. But, I did, as you can tell, put some effort into personalizing my blog. It looks a lot like my myspace, minus the knuckle rings. Enjoy reading my future Anthropology related posts. And have a lovely night. Or day. Depends on what you're doing. I don't know.