Culture sketches : case studies in anthropology

321 Pages·2012·6.436 MB·English

by  Peters-Golden, Holly

CULTURE SKETCHES
Ideal for any cultural anthropology course, this brief collection of ethnographic case studies s
ix
exposes students to 15 different cultures. The groups selected are peoples whose traditional t
h
cultures are uniquely their own. Each has distinctive patterns and practices; each has faced e
d
the challenge of an encroaching world, with differing results. Moreover, they often provide the it
io
prime illustrations of important concepts in introductory anthropology course including Azande n
witchcraft, Ju/’hoansi egalitarianism, Trobriand kula exchange, and Minangkabau matriliny. As C sixth edition
such, this volume can stand alone as an introduction to central ethnographic concepts through u
these 15 societies, or serve as a valuable companion to anthropology texts. Many of the peoples
L
presented are involved in the diaspora; some struggle to preserve old ways in new places. All t
sketches follow a logical, consistent organization that makes it easy for students to understand u
major themes such as history, subsistence, sociopolitical organization, belief systems, mar- r
riage, kinship, and contemporary issues. e

s
KeY updAtes tO tHis editiOn: K
e
AzAnde (CHApter 1) t
C
The Azande chapter includes a new section “Witchcraft and HIV,” demonstrating the ways in
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which Zande beliefs and practices wield powerful explanatory power regarding HIV/AIDS. It also
includes updated information about sociopolitical challenges in South Sudan since the signing e
s
of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, including the referendum on secession and
complexities of displaced persons and returnees. C
A
HAiti (CHApter 4) S
E

This edition includes a new section on the January 2010 Haitian earthquake and its aftermath. S
T
The chapter also includes updated information about the rural-urban balance, remittances from u
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diasporic populations, and the contested 2010 presidential election. IE
S
tHe KALuLi (CHApter 7)
In
This chapter includes a new section, “Logging, Land, and Loss,” which discusses the conse- A
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quences of environmental degradation.
T D
H
tHe trObriAnd isLAnders (CHApter 14) r D
o A
This chapter includes three new sections. The first, “The Substance of Personhood: Kumila P L
o IM
and Dala,” addresses Trobriand social and political organization. The second is a section about L
Trobriand magic, highlighting the differing perspectives of Malinowski and Weiner, and linking og 11
magical spells to clan organization. The third, “AIDS in the Trobriands: Sovasova and the Sick- y 49
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ness of Sameness,” uses HIV/AIDS to demonstrate the ways in which illnesses are experienced 90
and explained in their local settings, using local frameworks. h 6
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For additional resources, please visit: lly 3/11
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HOLLY peters-golden
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C S
ULTURE KETCHES
Case Studies in Anthropology
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(cid:2)(cid:2) Si(cid:2)xth(cid:3) Ed(cid:2)itio(cid:2)n (cid:2)
C S
ULTURE KETCHES
Case Studies in Anthropology
Holly Peters-Golden
The University of Michigan
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CULTURE SKETCHES, CASE STUDIES IN ANTHROPOLOGY, SIXTH EDITION
Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights
reserved. Previous editions © 2009, 2006, and 2002. Printed in the United States of America. No part
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Peters-Golden, Holly.
Culture sketches : case studies in anthropology/ Holly Peters-Golden.—6th ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.Ethn
ISBN 978-0-07-811702-2 (alk. paper)
1. Ethnology—Case studies. I. Title.
GN378.P47 2012
305.8—dc22
2011015409
www.mhhe.com
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For Rebecca and Jenna,
my fi rst students and my best teachers
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C
ONTENTS
Preface ix CHAPTER 6 The Ju/’hoansi:
Reciprocity and
Sharing 102
WORLD MAP Location of Cultures
Numbered
by Chapter xii–xiii
CHAPTER 7 The Kaluli:
Story, Song,
and Ceremony 122
CHAPTER 1 The Azande: Witchcraft
and Oracles
in Africa 1
CHAPTER 8 The Minangkabau:
Matriliny and
Merantau 142
CHAPTER 2 The Aztecs: Ancient
Legacy, Modern
Pride 20
CHAPTER 9 The Nuer: Cattle
and Kinship in
Sudan 158
CHAPTER 3 The Basseri: Pastoral
Nomads on the
il-Rah 40
CHAPTER 10 The Ojibwa:
“The People”
CHAPTER 4 Haiti: A Nation Endure 177
in Turmoil 60
CHAPTER 11 The Roma: Romanipe,
CHAPTER 5 The Hmong: Struggle Rights, and the Road
and Perseverance 81 Ahead 194
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viii Contents
CHAPTER 12 The Samoans: Matai CHAPTER 15 The Yanomami:
and Migration 215 Challenges in the
Rainforest 269
CHAPTER 13 The Tiwi: Tradition
in Australia 233 References 288
CHAPTER 14 The Trobriand Index 298
Islanders: The Power
of Exchange 249
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P
REFACE
A
nthropology offers a unique perspective. Through its lens we can see, at
once, our kinship with the rest of humanity as well as our uniqueness. Stu-
dents peering through this lens for the fi rst time often ask, “How are they the
same as we are?” “How are they different?” It is usually with delight that they
discover both striking similarities and surprising differences.
This volume introduces fi fteen societies, and each glimpse is brief and neces-
sarily incomplete. It is my hope that any student who is intrigued will look further
into the past and present lives of these people. The following chapters are aimed
more at sparking interest than appeasing it.
The groups selected are peoples whose traditional cultures are uniquely their
own. Each has distinctive patterns and practices; each has faced the challenge of
an encroaching world, with differing results. Moreover, they often provide the
prime illustrations of important concepts in introductory anthropology courses:
Azande witchcraft, Aztec human sacrifi ce, Trobriand kula exchange, Minangk-
abau matriliny. As such, this volume can stand alone as an introduction to those
central concepts through these fi fteen societies or serve as a valuable companion
to anthropology texts, including Kottak’s introductory texts, which use most of
these societies as examples and frequently refer to C ulture Sketches.
Many of the peoples presented are involved in the diaspora; some struggle to
preserve old ways in new places. While Ojibwa culture fl ourishes, tribal members
contemplate how gaming on the reservation may challenge tradition. Kaluli music
has been the vehicle for an aggressive campaign to prevent rain forest destruction.
The Tiwi’s isolation was a salient feature in the development of much of their
indigenous culture. Today they are no longer isolated. They encourage tourism,
while making sure younger generations are still taught to gather preferred “bush
foods.” Haitian immigrants and Hmong refugees have envisioned their place in
American society quite differently. Nomadic pastoralists like the Basseri face chal-
lenges from governments who think sedentary peoples are more “civilized” and
environmental analysts who are concerned about the impact of pastoralism and
expanding deserts on agricultural lands. Resettlement and development, such as
that undertaken among the Azande, cannot succeed if motivated solely by goals
of industrial development but uninformed by indigenous culture. The challenges
of illness are addressed in local contexts: Azande witchcraft beliefs and Trobriand
rules of clan exogamy are powerful infl uences on the understanding of HIV/AIDS.
Our world is more than ever a world of change. The exploration and pro-
motion of cultural diversity has been embraced as a mission on some campuses,
feared as a strategy of separatism by others, used as a weapon in other venues. As
we are increasingly faced with a global culture, anthropology takes on an even
greater responsibility to foster respect for differences in the face of change.
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