preview

Wsu Anth 316 Essay 1

Good Essays

Raiven Bell
ANTH 316
Essay Exam #1

1. A. Ernestine Friedl says that the position of women is higher the more they are involved in primary subsistence (as owners or controllers, NOT merely as laborers). This is true of Kung women because they are equal if not primary contributors to the Kung society as key decision-makers, primary food collectors, domestic leaders, child bearers and child caregivers, and equal distributors of the food and goods to the tribe. Also, Kung women lead the household and all domestic activities and they are responsible for teaching their children how to behave, provide for the group, and contribute to their society. It is an important contribution to an egalitarian society to be diverse in skills and in …show more content…

B. There is equality between Kung men and Kung women. Their duties hold an equal amount of weight in importance within the community. Women take care of the home and handle most of the domestic work. They raise the children, collect raw foods, and also hunt small game. Kung women maintain the household while the men are off hunting for days at a time and are the primary distributors of goods and food amongst the tribe to make sure things are shared equally. Men handle all dangerous activities, especially hunting, and they contribute to cooking, tribal decisions (when they move, etc.) and building and making things.
I agree with the B position because of the Kung have always been known as an egalitarian society with men just slightly holding a more powerful influence given their authoritative nature and status from bringing the tribe the rare luxury of meat; however, in more recent years, Kung women have taken a more assertive role in the Kung society, especially in decision-making and I feel that the Kung men have been put in their place and truly understand the value of women within their society and are treated them more equally. 3. Modernization has affected the Kung in regards to gender roles and relations in some very interesting ways. I was not surprised to learn that the Kung are a predominantly

Get Access