Anthropology 103 Garrison, A

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Ethnography Project - Amish

Ethnography of the Amish

by Andi Garrison

Environment

There are Old Amish communities in North America, specifically 27 US state mostly located in the Mid-West and North East and also in Canadian province of Ontario. Ohio Pennsylvania and Indiana has the largest population. The largest concentration of Amish west of the Mississippi River is in Missouri, with other settlements in eastern Iowa and Southeast Minnesota. In addition, there is a population of approximately 10,000 Old Order Amish in West Central Wisconsin. In 2010 it was estimated that there were 249,000 Amish people living in the US and Canada.

The summer climate for the Amish is fairly mild with temperatures ranging from 69-72 degrees Fahrenheit. Whereas the winter climate for the Amish is generally below freezing ranging 17-30 degrees Fahrenheit with average snowfall in the US at 28 inches and 64 inches in Canada. The Amish do deal with environmental stresses such as season changes from hot humid summers to cold snowy winters. The Amish do not use electricity to be able to regulate temperatures in extreme weather.

The natural environment of this region is rich in the plant and animal life. Pennsylvania has plants such as maple, red cedar, cranberry and smooth alders and animal like bald eagles, skunk, lying squirrel, bats, woodrat and soft-shell turtle. Ohio and Indiana has similar plant and animal life such as hazelnut, red & black raspberry, crab-apple, plum, artichoke, birch, moose, deer, fox, raccoon, mink, muskrat, black bear and coyote. Ontario with it’s colder climate is home to different plants and animals like arctic fox, beaver, caribou, flying squirrel, polar bear, walrus, wolverine, wolf, swan, apple, ash, birch, gooseberry, honeysuckle, maple, oak, raspberry, serviceberry and willow.

Adaptations

There are no apparent physical adaptations to the environment that the Amish are exposed to. They eat a healthy high fat diet that aids them in the physical and manual labor required for everyday activities.

The Amish intentionally make as few as possible cultural adaptations to their environment and he outside world. The biggest change is the Amish have made is seeking job opportunities outside the community in order to earn money and provide for their families. Ideally the Amish would live off their land and provide for them seleves at home and not leave their homes for work. Because of the high level of inbreeding the Amish have allowed doctors to test and research the society in order to weed out potential genetic disorders. Another cultural adaptation the use of outside sources such as web designers and sales people, even though the Amish do not believe in using any type of electricity they have permitted hiring outside the community in order to survive.

Language

The Amish speak “Pennsylvania Dutch” or “Pennsylvania German” a dialect of European German. Pennsylvania Dutch is a combination of High German and some English Words. Accents and manners of speaking Pennsylvania Dutch can vary between communities. There is a second less common dialect known as “Swiss Dutch” primarily found in Indiana. Swiss Dutch differs greatly from the more common Pennsylvania Dutch to the point that it can cause difficulties communicating between communities. Pennsylvania Dutch is the primary language spoken in the home of the Amish and the first language all children learn. English is first learned at school in the first grade. Amish have a tendency to switch to English when non-Amish enter within earshot, out of respect and to involve the others.

Although Pennsylvania Dutch is the primary speaking language there is no written version, letters are written in English with occasional use of German when possible. High German is spoken is the language of Church and worship. Bibles and all religious literature like the Amish Songbook the Ausbund, is also written in High German. The Amish are widely considered to be bi-lingual, fluent in English and High German.

Gender Roles

The Amish recognize two specific genders in their society, male and female. Amish men and women usually assume traditional and well-defined gender roles. Men, more specifically husbands, are the head of the household. Men are primarily responsible for the financial well-being of the family and for the family farm. Men also assume the religious head of the family leading prayers and hosting church ceremonies and the outside world. Although the man serves as the spiritual head of the home, mothers are very active in nurturing the spiritual life of children. Some woman, or wives, work or own small home based businesses but this is not the norm. Woman with young children almost never have a full time job outside the home, although some manage at-home stores, greenhouses, or bakeries. Typically women devote themselves to raising the children, housekeeping, feeding the family and some farm work.

Although gender roles are strictly defined in the Amish communities there can be exceptions without any negative repercussions. Woman who are single mothers or whose children are adults are likely to assume the Male responsibilities in the home, such as the primary source of income and religious head. There are few cases where the woman owns her own business and can be the breadwinner in the family.

Children attend school from the first grade to the eighth grade. For the most part children are not treated or seen to differently until after schooling is finished. Children are expected to help with house chores and with the farm. Once schooling is finished the children are at home or on their family farms learning the tasks and skills needed as adults by working with parents. Children actually want to help with work and chores as a good work ethic is instilled in them from a young age and is a common Amish value. A young man or couple will usually find a job and save to buy a farm or house for their future family. In some cases farms are passed down through generations and the parents will live on the land in a separate home one all of the children are grown.

The Amish have very traditional values and as much the woman on generally at home with the children and men are work providing for the family. Their culture and religion is the main force behind these traditions. The Amish do not believe in divorce or separation so children have both parents as role models and to learn appropriate behavior for the community. All members of the Amish congregation come together to build new homes and barns.

The “The Blessed Curse” Williamson describes her struggles with intersexuality. The Native Americans view an intersexual as a person with dual spirits, as someone whom the spirits deem special and important to society. Euramerican and Christians view intersexuality extremely different, that not having a distinct male or female gender means that you are cursed with a demon inside you or that there is something wrong with you. I was unable to find any research to conclude a decisive opinion on how on the Amish view an intersexual person. Because of their strong Anabaptist beliefs I assume that the Amish would view an intersexual baby as a negative, but because they do not believe in any corrective surgery that child would likely feel like an outsider or outcast.

Subsistence

The Amish have a strong agriculture background. Most Amish family’s have farms complete with livestock and horticulture. In more recent times because of the high cost of land some Amish have gone outside of the community to find work, usually in factories or in manufacturing. Farming in still the more desired occupation of the Amish, all family members are integrated into an agricultural way of life. Farms are small only focusing on the needs of the family and community not to turn a profit. Amish farmers' choose to concentrate on raising livestock in small numbers and on growing a variety of crops. Farm size is limited not only by the amount of land that can be managed by one family but also use of electricity id forbidden.

Most of the Amish diet is based on foods that can be grown or raised on the farm. Most homes have sizable gardens tended by the woman and children. Vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beets, corn, tomatoes and peas are typical. You can also find a variety of fruit trees and grapes vines in the gardens. Amish eat a lot of fresh foods in the growing and harvest months, and can large quantities of fruits and vegetables for the winter. Amish also have hen houses and livestock that produce eggs and meat year round. Guns are permitted for hunting which brings in deer and other animals for the purpose of food. Amish food is generally very fatty and filling although their food is usually fresh and organic. On occasion the Amish do eat out in restaurants for special occasions. Amish have a reputation for good food. Numerous tourist restaurants feature “Pennsylvania Dutch” and “Amish-style” cooking.

Men and woman are responsible for providing subsistence for their families. Men work out in the fields plowing and bringing in food from the farm. Woman and children work in the gardens. Women also work in the home preparing and storing food.

The Amish are known for their hearty and filling meals. They also have a diet high in dairy products; most families have at least one dairy cow and drink large amounts of raw milk. Even though the Amish typically have a high fat diet they do not seem to struggle with problems of obesity like the rest of the country. Hard manual labor likely accounts for healthy body mass and weight. Amish are not usually vegetarian or vegan, and eat meats such as pork, chicken, and beef. Some meals may lack meat and have cheese or eggs as primary sources of protein. Alcohol consumption varies between communities. New Order Amish strictly prohibit the use of alcohol among members and youth. On the other hand Old Order Amish use alcohol and make their own vine from fruits like blackberries, raspberries, grapes and even beets. Amish drink water, milk, garden tea and sometimes juice. Coffee is popular among Amish, and is typically taken unsweetened and without cream.

Economic Systems

Most Amish have family farms and gardens, and any surplus goes to the community. Farming is not meant to be used as a means of income; it is to provide food for the family. Since the Amish do not believe in owning materialistic and worldly items they do not feel the need to make extra money off of farming. Not all Amish are farmers, some hold jobs outside of the community or make products in the home to be sold elsewhere. They earn money, shop in markets, eat out in restaurants and sometimes even have credit cards. In addition to interacting with the economy as consumers, Amish also provide products and services to both their own Amish markets and non-Amish, or English, markets. The scope of their businesses can even reach far beyond their local communities to the nation as a whole, and even overseas.

Even though the Amish economy has traditionally consisted of farming, many have branched out to into rural businesses. They interact and deal with non-Amish people easily and understand the competitive market-driven profit system. However the Amish cannot grow their business to large for year of being accused of abandoning their traditional values. Other than sharing goods the Amish do not practice any form of redistribution of goods or wealth. The Amish use American or Canadian currency, check or credit card. Nearly all Amish adults have a bank checking account and married couples have joint accounts. Most Amish have family farms and gardens, surplus goes to the community.

Marriage

The Amish only practice monogamy and divorce or separation is forbidden. Partners are chosen by the individual but must be Amish. The Amish church depends on the biological reproduction of its members rather than on acquiring new members through proselytization. Since the population is quite small there have been some issues with inbreeding, young adults are encouraged to choose mates outside of their direct community for this reason. The high inbreeding of the Amish population results not from marriages between first cousins but from the intermarriages that have occurred over generations within an isolated group.

The women usually move to the husband’s community since the family farm is passed down to the son. Weddings are large public affair to celebrate the contributions this new family will bring to the community. Guests bring household items as gifts and parents often bring livestock, furniture or equipment for the young couple. Farms and property are passed down to sons, the couple doesn’t typically inherit anything from the wife’s side of the family. Endogamy and exogamy does not really play apart in the lives of the Amish, they do not have social classes, however they are not permitted to marry outside of their religion. The Amish have no incest taboos and homosexual relationships are forbidden.

Kinship

The Amish decent line is through the male side of the family. Young woman often move to other communities after marriage since the male with inherited the family farm. After his parents retire they will live on the property in separate home and will be cared for by the son, his wife and family. Generally nothing is passed along the female descent line. Males possess the most authority in terms of kinship from inheritance and they are the religious head of the household. Naming patterns in the Amish society are similar to America, example; Wife, husband, son, daughter, grandparents, uncle, aunts and in laws. They have Pennsylvania Dutch versions of these terms but they are very similar.

Social Organization

The Amish are generally egalitarian, or do not have social classes. All individuals have equal status and social power. Men are head of the household but do not have more power over another. Boys and girls all go to school until the 8th grade and then help the family with the farm or house chores. Amish men and woman are forbidden to run for or hold political office. The ministers are chosen by nomination and a drawing not by campaigning and voting. At the end of a communion service men and woman file past a deacon and whisper a name, and person who receives at least three nominations are entered into a drawing to become minister. Being chosen is a great honor and has a life-long added responsibility of service to the community.

Political Structure

All Amish men and woman are forbidden to run for or hold political office. They have nothing to measure political power. For the most part informal techniques such as gossip are used to keep individuals in line. When more formal measures are required the deacon and minister will visit the individual to resolve the issue, if the problem is minor he or she will need repentance. For a more serious offence the deviant will be asked to confess publicly to the congregation. The most severe punishment in the Amish society is a six week ban and everyone is required to shun the individual. The most severe form of punishment is full excommunication. Most issues are taken care of within the community however all Amish people are expected to follow the laws of the country and state they reside in.

The Role of Violence

Violence is forbidden, they believe, by Christ to participate in warfare or violence. Amish believe in praying for their enemies and never engage in revenge or violence to solve a problem. Young people sometimes get in trouble with the law, otherwise the Amish are free of violence and crimes. Amish do permit the use of guns for hunting.

The Amish are forbidden, they believe, by Christ to become involved in any warfare or violence. They do not defend themselves if attacked, and when faced with hostile neighbors or governments they simply abandon their farms and move. Military service is an absolute contradiction to the spirit of Amish Gelassenheit.

Young people sometimes get in trouble with the law, but otherwise the Amish experience almost no violence or crime. They live in a society, according to Donald Kraybill, “where harmony, passivity, and quiet discipline are the norm rather than aggression and hostility.”

Religion

The Amish are devout Anabaptist, a form of Christianity. They believe in Jesus Christ and one monotheistic God. Amish religion and traditions grew out of the Anabaptist reformers who rejected to what they felt were corrupt practices in the Protestant and Catholic religions of the 1500's. The Anabaptists believed that formal theological training was not necessary since the members of the congregation were just as capable of interpreting the Scriptures as the priests.

Amish religion is based upon the basic early Christianity and a desire to be faithful to God. They believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that the Church is the body of Christ fulfilling God's purposes on earth. The Amish stress the importance of keeping the body pure and spotless and free from the contaminating influences of the worldly aspects of life. The Amish would not exist without their religion, everything they do in their lives are deep seeded in the church.

The Amish only practice adult baptism because they believe that only adults make informed decisions about their own salvation and commitment the faith. Amish teenagers are encouraged to explore the outside world in a tradition known as Rumspringa, Pennsylvania Dutch for “running around”. They are still bound by their beliefs but ignore a certain amount of behavior to allow for experimentation.

Art

The Amish only use artwork to supplement their income not to use in home. They have been know to make furniture by hand as well as buildings, buggy's and cloths. Music is traditional and sang in High German, out of the Ausbund. My chosen culture does not fit into this category, the Amish don't believe in possessing worldly or materialistic items. The Amish don't have much use for artwork or frivolous items.

Cultural Change

The Amish strive to be untouched by the outside world with their traditional style of dress and simple lives. However, with the rise of cost for land and goods the Amish have branched out to job opportunities outside of their communities in order to provide for their families. Despite more exposure and influence of the outside world Amish societies are actually growing and flourishing. The entire purpose of being Amish is to be true to the values of the community and the church, to break these rules or try to change them would be cause for excommunication. Every Amish person is allowed to venture out into the world and then choose to be baptized and join the congregation as adults. The Amish do not have a strong influence on the outside world, it is almost unheard of for an outsider to convert, however because of large families and the lack of people who choose to leave the Amish communities are doing well and thriving as a sub culture in the United States and Canada.

Bibliography

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Art as a Culture

Lascaux Caves

In my opinion the cave artists in the Lascaux were trying to dictate what they saw in their everyday lives. I think that early humans were fascinated by other animals. Horses, buffalo, cows they can all be seen and strong, resilient and powerful. But they can also mean survival for humans; meat for food, hide for shelter or ivory for tools. That they had more technology than originally thought. In order to paint the high wall and ceilings it is believed that these "caveman" used a form of scaffolding in order to reach these areas. Also, some painting have been discovered deep into caves where no natural light can reach, suggesting the use of fire torches for light.

These early cave dwellers could have gotten lost in caves with long tunnels. Paintings are found on high ceilings and walls, meaning the artists found a way to scale the cave walls. They lacked the readiness of modern paint and brushes, everything would need to be made by hand from natural substances. The lack of light in cave also poses a problem, and then the need or torches and portable light begin appearing.

The first possible function of early art is to tell a story, maybe cultural or moral. A second function could be to retain a memory, like taking notes, maybe the paintings were meant to be a guide to the natural wildlife. A third could be for entertainment, there are a lot of paintings of the same animals over and over again, the artist could have been doing this as a way of entertaining himself or others.

Art can often tell a story, it can make you feel happy or sad. Art is all about perspective and taking something ordinary like a cave wall or a woman face and making it something exceptional and beautiful.

My favorite art is make-up, I have been a make-up artist for 6 years. There are a few function to make-up artistry; building a persons confidence, transformation for a character, selling a product or just for the fun of the art. Most usually a make-up artist is trying to communicate their best version of a person or character.

I wouldn't classify make-up artistry as being a part of a particular culture, sub-culture perhaps, the beauty industry. Like a lot of industry's, beauty attracts a certain type of person or artist. Most usually flamboyant, shallow and also gifted and eccentric types.

A persons self confidence can be drastically changed by cosmetics; both for the better and the worst. Once I was working with a mother who had burn scars on her forehead and down the side of her face. After some careful manipulation and an eyebrow pencil it was as if the scars had never been there, the woman was beside herself and said she has never felt more beautiful. On the other hand photoshop and celebrities have given us this illusion of unobtainable perfection that can be detrimental to society.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Politics & Violence

Yanomamo Revenge Killing

The Yanomamo do not have a formal written language, number system or laws unlike many western cultures. In western society's we depend on the law and judicial system to bring justice to criminals. The Yanaomamo only have general rules and customs that are violated regularly.

Revenge killings in Yanomamo populations is usually blamed on "woman" meaning they are the original cause for animosity, be it through infidelity, failure to give a promised girl and in some cases rape. In the event that a brawl gets out of hand the family of the deceased may seek revenge on the kin of the victor. The resulting fights and warfare often result in many lost lives on both sides.

In the Yanomamo population the unokais are men who have killed another person and have gone through the unokaimou ceremony. There are a few benefits to becoming a unokai. Only the unokais can become patas (headman or leaders) of their village. The unokais are only more desirable as mates and often have more children because of this. A non-unokais is a man who has not shed any blood, however to the Yamomamo this is often seen as weak and they are ridiculed because of it. Being a unokai is a sign of power and strength in their community, any man seeking power or leadership would need to have gone through this ceremony.

Without warfare there would be no use for political structure, someone to decide when and who the next raid with affect. Leadership is often determined by kinship and unokais status. As I mentioned a pata can often have as many a dozen wives resulting in a great deal of offspring and a larger descent line.

If a raid occurs and is successful a tribe is expected to seek revenge on them, if they do not their status in other villages will be seen as week and cowardly. All of the headsman are unokai, the revenge killings will place these, men in higher social positions.

Often revenge killings are determined by the deceased kin. Any given tribe can have multiple patas (headman or leaders) whom can have many as many as a dozen wives. In turn the chances of any revenge victim have many kin is quite high. The family or kin of the deceased will feel the need for revenge killings.

Men that participate in revenge killings are likely to be more attractive to the women in the village as well. The article shows that the unokais have a much higher reproduction rate compared to non-unokais. Wives are often obtained by force or arranged marriages, yet the woman in the village are more attracted to the unokais.

As shown by the Yamomamo revenge is very powerful and a person can become consumed by it, even if they "know" right from wrong. We often see in western trials and portrayed on popular television shows the motives behind killings; jealousy, infidelity, self-defense, power or even money. Often times an accused murderer is not a serial killer, it is a person who reacted in a violent manner during the heat of the moment. We fell the need for punishment and redemption against murder and in order to do that we have laws, courts, fair trial and prison for consequences.

By Andrea Garrison

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Kinship

My Mother

My interviewee is my Mother, she was born in Anaheim and raised in Los Angeles. From the outside my mother's family is of European descent and they attended a Baptist Church on Sundays. They were a middle class family that owned several businesses including rental properties. My Mother kept busy with gymnastics, rainbow girls and jobs daughters (masonic affiliation). She was raised to strive for an upper class and "perfect" life style. Inwardly, child abuse and secrets ultimately resulted in drug abuse, trust issues, social awkwardness and a son by age 19.

My interview was conducted over FaceTime, since face to face wasn't available. From an anthropologist perceptive, collecting at the data was difficult and confusing. Difficult because my subject didn't know a lot of the names of family members or where they are now. Confusing because the family is very large and most of the upper generation is deceased. For example on my subject's father's side, she knew there had been 13 children but most of which had died before she was born. I never felt awkwardness or discomfort during my interview since I was speaking with my mother, honestly is one of the foundations of our relationship. Had I interviewed someone unrelated to me, I think this would have been more difficult and probably awkward, especially since I went into detail about the nature and closeness of each family relationship.

My mother seemed to have a lot more relatives on her mother's side that she was or is close too. There are large age differences through out the family, accounting for much of the separation. My mother's paternal family mostly lives in small towns in Arkansas, and her maternal side lives mostly in Southern California. The older generations were were very larger, my mother had 13 aunts and uncles her fathers side, it was a different time they lived on a farm and many of the children died young. The younger generations are average 2-3 children. Most of my family is of European descent, with almost no ethnic variation.

My Sister, Aunt and Mother

I am not every close with my extended family, with the exception one of my aunts on my fathers side, I am close to her and her children. I am extremely close to my siblings, my mother and my niece and nephew. My boyfriend and I have been together for more than two years and I am growing increasing closer to his immediate family as well. I grew up with my mother and sister, I am closest to them. I have always had trouble bonding with my extended family. We all independently make decisions, I put more weight on the opinions of my my mother and my aunt. In my family we having a saying "you can divorce a spouse but you cannot divorce a family". To mean blood isn't always thicken then water. Family is about the love and commitment to each other not the blood line. There are a lot of woman, strong woman in my family, I think the men feel out numbered. I don't think I learned anything new during this exercise other than some funny names of family members. I think this exercise reminded me of the importance of family and keeping close to your loved ones.

By Andrea Garrison

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Subsistence and Economy

Part 1: Discuss and compare the costs and benefits of the two different subsistence patterns of hunter gatherers and agriculture, addressing the following questions in full:

Agriculture gives people the ability to grow plants and animals that are most beneficial to the complex society's, that are sustainable, healthy and thrive well under environmental stresses. The more food you have to supply the people and your family the larger the population grows. With agriculture come the development of art, sciences and mathematics, with less time spent on hunting and gathering other aspects of culture are able to emerge. Another advantage is the that cities and townships are able to flourish and set roots without the need to be constantly on the move to seek food.

Hunting and gathering is a basic instinctual process of feeding yourself and you family. A great advantage to this method is the variety of food sources and nourishment. Food foraging people are found to be better feed and ward off malnourishment and disease. Diseases are avoided by constantly being on the move and living in smaller groups of people. Since less time is spent farming they are able to concentrate on family ties and spiritual development. Also, it has been found that hunter gathers have better over all dental health and have larger jaws to accommodate more teeth, getting rid of the need to have extra teeth removed.

Agriculture does have disadvantages. With the sudden rise in population and not always having adequate waste disposal disease can easily run rampage though a city. Fewer variety of food planted can result in malnourishment and rapid tooth decay. Deforestation threatened periodic food shortages and ultimately social conflict.

There are several disadvantages to hunting and gathering. Environment can change easily and create wet marshes or dry deserts void of food and animal life. There is constant need to travel to find food sources, not leaving much time for other activities and technological advances. Research shows that hunter gathers actually have a healthier diet. The variety of food available provides a wider range of nutrients. Agriculture tends to focus on sustainable plant and animal life, not necessarily a well rounded diet, that can result in an undernourished society.

I think that human populations moved towards agriculture as a survival instinct. If you plant wheat in one place you don't have to spend all day looking for it. Once they realized they could plant different food sources and herd animals, people were able to spend time and focus on other activities and technologies.

Part 2: Economics and Trade:
There is a direct relationship between the availability of surplus and the ability to trade. The more goods you are able to harvest the more you have to barter and trade with. With agriculture came the ability to have more food or supplies then needed for survival, giving people and civilizations things to barter and trade for. No longer was each individual responsible for providing all needs to their family, you could develop a specific skill or job and barter to get items you need.

Trade gave opportunities for travelers to share and give items or food from other cultures, paving the way for learning and sharing technologies instead of only being dependent on your own family or community. Another benefit to trade was the introduction of horses to native cultures in North America. With horses came the ability to track and hunt large animals like bison. Bison was used for food, shelter and tools made of bone.

One example is the Comache from the great plains. The Comache acquired horses and guns from Indian traders and Europeans, resulting in powerful hunting chiefs and later war chiefs. A once peaceful people became wealthy and raiding became their new way of life. Another negative impact of the development of trade is the rise of leaders and economy. Society went from sharing with community to using substance as a way of displaying power and social gain.

Without agriculture hunter gathers wouldn't have much to trade with, they most likely only gathers what then needed. With agriculture people found themselves with a surplus of goods, I think it was only natural that civilizations would share the surplus and eventually realize they can get items in return. Eventually growing large enough to be able to trade with other civilizations and travelers.

By Andrea Garrison

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Language

Part 1: You were asked to engage in a conversation for 15 minutes where you were not allowed to use
any version of a symbolic language (no speaking, writing, or ASL).

Did you find this experiment difficult or easy? Explain. (5 pts)

Over all I found this assignment difficult. Any questions requiring more than a yes or no, I attempted to act out and was mostly unsuccessful. I found that I rely heavily on speech with facial expressions and hand gestures are normally only used for emphasis.

What were the impressions of partners in the conversation? Did they alter their way of communicating with you because of your absence of symbolic communication? Describe. (5 pts)

No, my partner did not change their way of communicating with me. My partner mostly found the experiment humorous, but helped as much as possible to keep the project going.

Imagine that you and your partners in the conversation represent two different cultures meeting for the first time. Which culture has the advantage in communicating complex ideas? What attitudes might the speaking culture have toward the culture that does not use symbolic language? Identify individuals in our culture that have difficulty communicating with spoken language and explore how that affects how those who do speak interact with those individuals. (5 pts)

I think the non-speaking culture would be at an advantage over the speaking. The non-speaking people are used to being able to communicate without language, whereas the speaking culture would be at a loss of words. I think it would be very frustrating for the speaking culture, you are used to being about to communicate freely and easily. I think young children have a difficulty communicating with in our culture, their language skills are not fully developed. Children often get frustrated and cry or act out to try to communicate their needs. An example is a child going through their "terrible twos", at this age they can't form sentences and often throw tantrums and cry or scream to get what they want or need.

Part 2: You were asked to spend 15 minutes communicating without any physical embellishments, i.e.,

no hand signals, not vocal intonation, not head, facial, or body movements.

Were you able to last for the full 15 minutes of using only speech for communicating? What made this experiment difficult for you? (5 pts)

My main difficulty was not using vocal intonation. I did not last the 15 minutes straight, multiple time I attempted to repeat myself without changing the tone of my voice. The assignment was to have a conversation, it was nearly impossible for me to ask a question without changing pitch at the end of the sentence.

How were your partners in this part of the experiment affected by your communication limitations? Explain. (5 pts)

Again my partner found my efforts amusing, and was constantly correctly me.

What does this experiment say about our use of “signs” in our language, i.e., how important is non-speech language techniques in our ability to communicate effectively? (5 pts)

It would be impossible for me to tell a story and apply any sort of emotion when trying to speak in the manner. You can't describe something as exciting without appearing excited.

Are there people who have difficulty reading body language? Describe the adaptive benefit to possessing the ability to read body language. Can you describe environmental conditions where there might be a benefit to not reading body language? (5 pts)

Yes, there are people who have difficulty reading body language. Being able to tell when someone is feeling aggressive, confused or comfortable is a valuable skill when trying to communicate with someone. The only example I can think of is if you managed to get yourself into a kill or be killed situation, in which case bonding or reading an emotion in your advisory might lesson your chances of survival.

Part 3: There is a third component of language which we did not test in this experiment, and that is the

importance of written language.

Do you think your experiment in Part 1 would have been easier if you had been permitted to use written language? Why or why not? Explain. (5 pts)

Yes, my partner in the experiment can read English. Even if I could only draw it would have been easier to communicate.

What advantage does written language provide to the culture that develops and uses it? (5 pts)

Being able to record our conversations, history, books are all great advantages for our culture. We can read, communicate, learn and educate

What impact has written language had on “globalization”, or the spread of ideas around the world? (5 pts)

Texts and literature can be easily translated, read and learned by most cultures around the word. Now with the availability of the internet endless amounts of information is available anytime.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Environmental Adaptations

Zulu

1.The Zulu people are located on the eastern side of South Africa, bordered by the Indian Ocean and the Drakensberg Mountains. Most of the rainfall occurs in the summer which averages 82 degrees making it humid, while winters are warm, dry and average 73 degrees.

2. The Zulu people live in a tropical climate not far from the equator and have developed high amounts of eumelanin in their skin to ward off the dangers of harsh ultra violet rays.

3. In the late 1800's a illegitimate son of a Chief, named Shaka created a short stabbing spear turning mild conflicts normally settled by shouting insults into a deadly nature. Later the clans of kwaZulu-Natal banded together and ultimately defeated the Voortrekkers and 30 years later the British.

4. I would describe the Zulu people as being Native South African race. Based on "The does Race Exist" By Dr. Brace and Dr. Gill, I agree with Dr. Gill that race does exist. The Nguni peoples migrated from northern to southern Africa forming the Xhosa nation, which would later split into smaller clans and are now the Zulu.

References

1. KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority (http://www.zulu.org.za)
2. Zulu Culture (http://www.zulu-culture.co.za)
3. Skin Color Adaptation by Dennis O'Neil

Andean Indians

1. For each population, give a brief description of the environment in which the population lives.
The Andean Indians live in the Andes Mountains, a long stretch of mountains running along the western coast of South America. Temperatures range from 52 degrees to 72 degrees and includes hot "wastelands" and tropical rainforests.

2. For each population, identify and describe one (1) physical adaption they demonstrate.
After 1000's of years living at high altitudes the Andean Indians have developed unique physiologically response to low oxygen pressure. They produce more hemoglobin there for increasing their lung capacity an ability to deliver oxygen to the blood.

3. For each population, identify and describe one (1) cultural adaption they demonstrate.
The Andean Indian live in a rich horticulture society. Farming and developing the mountain side is a way of life. They are able to produce abundant amount of food in what most society's would deem impossible.

4. Race: I would describe the race of the Andean Indians as Native Andean. Native because their physical adaptation to the high altitude shows that the Andean Indians have lived in the mountains for 1000's of years. Andean describes the Andes Mountains where the Andean live.

References

1. Climate of the Andes (http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org)
2. Adapting to High Altitudes by Dennis O'Neil
3. Central American and northern Andean Indian By Dwight B. Heath (http://www.britannica.com

5. Summary – Adaptation vs. Race:

I think adaptation plays a part in race, if a culture didnt adapt to their environment then the race wouldn't exist. I think both have an important role in explaining a culture. Race is a simple way to describe people and adaptation explains who a particular race is.