Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

Culture as a Central Concept

Have you ever wondered why. . .

• Some cultures are warlike like these Vanuatu tribesmen? (Top photo)

• Who have guests over for dinner—and the guests are the dinner?

• Of course, were much more civilized that that, aren’t we?

• (Our boys in action over there in Iraq)

• We use high tech—much cleaner than all that gore)

Hasn’t It ever occurred to you. . .

• Why polygamy is practiced?• (You were maybe expecting two

women married to one man?)• Guess what! The upper photo does

portrays polygamy of a kind. • It’s called polyandry—one woman

married to two men • So does the lower photo of this

ethnic Tibetan coup—I mean trio

Haven’t these things piqued your curiosity. . .

• How it is that people practice sorcery (above)

• And actually believe all that stuff?

• Or how half a million would go halfway around the world

• For the sake of a rock called the Kabala Stone?

Or how about these. . .

• Why is it that, to some peoples, this witchetty grub is like a steak dinner?

• Or why is it that, instead of using pigskin for football games,

• These Afghan horsemen prefer to use a goat’s carcass for their version of polo?

Human Diversity: A Fact of Life Despite our Funny Ideas

• We have funny notions about “primitive” cultures (cartoon)

• Caption: “Let’s contact that professor who wanted to study us

• And eat the students he sends to do the research”

• But many cultures are peaceable (such as this Semai man of Malaysia)

• They abhor war and avoid violent behavior, suppress anger

• Even Semai children avoid games that are competitive

On Human Diversity: Making a Living

• Some cultures hunt and gather, such as the !Kung women bringing in edible roots (upper photo)

• Our ancestors did the same for up to 200,000 years ago

• Other peoples farm, such as these Iroquois women (lower drawing)

• Still others may raise only cattle, horses, or other large animals

• Nowadays most of us do nonfarm work full time (sound familiar?)

On Human Diversity: Marriage

• Take marriage:

• Some cultures are monogamous—like ours

• Serial monogamy is one subtype—as suggested in this cartoon

• Q: Why are men attracted to women who smoke?

• A: “Serial monogamy: when she dies, I go to the next one”

• Others don’t wait—they practice polygyny, as in this Nigerian household

• You’ve already seen that others practice polyandry (in Tibet)

On Human Diversity: Economics• Most economies are built on gift

exchange called reciprocity’• Among the !Kung (above), the

unlucky hunter could still count on meat

• He would return the favor when he bagged an animal

• Other societies rely on open air markets

• Such as this one in Chichicastenango, Guatemala

On Human Diversity: Politics, Law, and War

• Most non-Western societies manage social control without government

• Above: Nuer leopard skin chief , who mediates disputes, usually over cattle

• But he cannot force parties to agree nor can he enforce existing agreement

• Often, mediation fails leading to warfare (Dani of Western New Guinea, below, prepare for battle)

• Revenge is often obligatory out of fear of vengeful spirits

On Human Diversity: The Supernatural

• Different peoples perceive the unseen world in different ways

• Islam and Christianity have the same prophets: Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus Christ

• Both call for the triumph of good over evil• Hindu/Buddhist Balinese see the concepts

as forces cancelling each other out• Gods are the forces of creation• Demons (right) are the forces of decay and

destruction• Human role: to keep the forces in balance

or else the world will come to an end

What Anthropologists Do

• Explaining diversity and similarities is the job of anthropologists

• Why do some peoples have one spouse while others have many?

• Why do some cultures have governments and their codified laws while others manage without them?

• Why do some peoples share their resources while others do not?

• These are all questions that anthropologists address.

Welcome to Cultural Anthropology

• This term, you will be looking at the different cultures around the world

• You will find out why some marriages are arranged

• And make perfect sense to East Indian families

• Even if this woman and man • may never have met each

other before. . .

So What is Anthropology?

• Glad you asked!• Let’s look at the etymology. . .• “Anthropology” is derived from two Greek terms:• Anthropos: “man” or by extension “human”• Logos: “study of” or “science of”• But any field from medicine to law to history is

about humans• So we have to narrow the term down a bit

Anthropology: Study of Culture

• We might define anthropology as the holistic and comparative study of humankind and its culture

• Anthropologists observe people’s behavior of a culture in the field (As in Quintana Roo, SE Mexico)

• Or reconstruct their behavior in archeological sites (As at this Inca site near Macchu Pichu, Peru)

• Or study people’s language that carries their culture

• Or study their biological capacity for culture. . .

• But what is culture? That is up next,