Nacirema Tribe

Horace Miner’s “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” was a very entertaining essay. The essay made made fun of American culture without directly stating the name of the culture, other than including the word American spelled backwards. Miner bring to the reader’s attention the odd rituals practiced in America that the normal citizen would not find strange at all. However, by presenting his essay in this form he shows how strange American customs are from the view of someone in a different country.

Every Culture and Country has norms in which they live there day to day life by. What the Nacirema,(Americans) expects out of society, and the structure is seen as peculiar to someone from another part of the world. Thesis statement -Throughout the world Cultural diversity is evident. Cultural Diversity is demonstrated through Marriage, Ceremonies, and the lives of Children.

In my opinion, this article about the Nacirema people was very fascinating. These people have a very different culture than we do, which I find very intriguing. They believe that the human body is ugly, and describe it as weak and prone to disease. Due to many aspects of the nonmaterial culture in America, I was raised to believe that the human body is beautiful and can accomplish incredible things. Therefore, I find it hard to see the meaning of their rituals, however, I do respect our cultural differences. The Nacirema people also build shrines within their houses. These shrines contain chests full of previously used magical healing potions and charms. The Nacirema people perform personality ceremonies at the shrine daily in order to ensure

According to the history of the Navajo Tribe, the Holy People lived in the underworld and helped by guiding the First Man and First Woman to earth (McCoy 1988). The Holy People are said to be attracted to songs, dances, and chants during the ceremony along with the creation of Sandpainting. The Sandpainting is used in the healing process of the ceremony to draw a picture that tells a story of the Holy People. The Navajo culture have amazed so many people to how beautifully constructed the rituals are performed.

In Horace Miner’s article, “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema”, he talks about a tribe and describes their odd behavior. He tells about how the tribe performs these strange daily rituals and how their peculiarity is extreme, but in fact he is actually speaking of Americans as a whole (Miner). Miner uses this style of writing to more effectively prove his point: that Americans are ethnocentric.

The traditional Athabascan potlatch has not change much since it was celebrated by their ancestors in the past. In this essay we will explore what the significance of the Athabascan potlatch and why it is so important to the communities where it is celebrated. We will also explore similar “gift giving” ceremonies by other indigenous people around the world.

Traditions are often taught through hunting and gathering, song and oration, and environmental stewardship (About The Hualapai Nation, 4). Depending on the time, Hualapai will go to upper or lower regions of their land to hunt. Migration traditions help preserve and pass on cultural truths and lessons that connect Hualapai to their elders, community, lands, past, present, and future (About The Hualapai Nation, 4-5). Hualapai are deeply connected with nature and believe they are connected to the Colorado River, which they call Ha’yiđađa (About The Hualapai Nation, 6). They believe that they were created from the sediment and clay from the River (About The Hualapai Nation, 6). Elements around and in the canyon all hold deep symbolic meanings (About The Hualapai Nation, 6). The people seek to preserve and protect the land of their

The Chimariko was a small group that is now part of list of extinct tribes in America. According to Kroeber (1976,109) they are a descendent of the Hokan, it is noted that they maintained their original language better than other groups such as Shasta and Pomo. (109) The Chimariko were estimated to be at 250 people in 1849, six people in 1903, and according to Kroeber “In 1906 there remained a toothless old woman and a crazy old man.” (1976,109)

Horace Miner was a professor for the University of Michigan. He sought out to teach young people the importance of cultural anthropology. ("Horace Mitchell Miner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia", n.d) In June of 1956, he released an article that he had written called, “Body Rituals Among the Nacirema” in the American Anthropologist (vol 58, pp 503-507) Miner writes so cleverly as he explores the culture that of the

Although the Nacirema tribe has very unique methods and focus on the human body and appearence, they are similar to our society. I feel like this tribe's beliefs are particularly similar to ours because they try to achieve "beauty" just like we try to be "prettier" or "perfect". The Nacirema can be described as a weird/unique tribe because they use torture to achieve their beliefs. One thing that striked me as particularly odd was the "mouth-rite" and "latispo" rituals because the people knew that they might die if they went through them and they still do it. They do this because they want to fit in and it is also something that has been tought all their lives. In a way, we also go through a type of torture when we decide on changing the way

This is the location of the Nootka tribe.They lived on Vancouver island.They stretch their civilization all along the west coast.They live in the forest their is bushes and pine trees.They also live in a cold and warm environment and word bark robes and animal fur skins.

The subsections of the chapter efficaciously organize the information on Native American culture; one section titled Native American Diversity and Complexity briefly overviews the similarities in culture among Native American tribes: “…kin-based bands of hunters and gatherers…economic and social systems were adapted to the ecosystems they inhabited…extremely productive farmers…” These lines indicate that Native American societies were very primitive and shared aspects similar to those of early civilizations. Further in the reading, in the section titled Sacred Power, the author includes some religious facts on the tribes. “Most Native North Americans were animists…their rituals appeased guardian spirits that could ensure successful hunts and other forms of good fortune.” This means that the tribes were most likely religion-based societies. For every important event, such as invading another tribe or going on a hunting trip; the Natives would have a corresponding spirit to appease for good fortune. In addition, the reading also includes some information pertaining to the status of women. “Throughout the eastern woodlands, as in most of North America, women tended crops, gathered plants, and oversaw affairs within the community; while men were responsible for activities beyond it, especially hunting, fishing, and warfare.” This

The shaman performs a healing ceremony, in which he crosses over the spiritual world to bring back the soul of the sick person back home. Fadiman incorporate that unlike the western doctors, a txiv neeb does not to need to ask questions or conduct any form of tests to tell their patient what is wrong with them (Fadiman 2012, 33). The author further gives a brief explanation of the what happens during the healing ritual and during Lia’s healing ritual. During the ritual, the shaman who brings his own tools to perform the ritual. The tools consist of finger bells, a gong, a saber, rattle, and his flying horse which is in the form of a flat board with four legs.

Miner’s article presents numerous anthropological concepts including culture, social behaviors, symbols, material culture and holism. While providing us with a synchronic view of an unexplored culture, Miner tackles the principle mindset that governs the “Nacirema’s” social customs and “rituals”, looks at key symbols and material possessions as the focus of the culture, and highlights the importance of studying a culture in its entirety to gain a full and accurate understanding.

Some of the differences are their language, how they live together as a family, how they sustain themselves and get their food. Different cultures have different community rules. The Navaho language is Athapaskan and the Navaho live in Colorado Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. They live in Hogan’s which are made from wood poles, tree bark and mud. The door of the Hogan is on the east so it can welcome the sun.