As I
am reading the chapter, it is interesting to me how different cultures can be
depending on how a certain group’s beliefs are, and depending on
their geographic location. Reading through the chapter, I couldn’t help but
think back to past stories I’ve read and documentaries I’ve watched on tribes
that have been isolated from the rest of the world and us trying to understand
their way of life and culture based on their society that they have created and
lived in for so long. The Nacirema had “medicine-men” that they would go to be
healed and relieved of sicknesses and illnesses, which would be paid off
with extravagant gifts. Here in our culture, we go to the doctor for illnesses
and pay it off with currency; we believe in medicine, they believe in magic. Culture
is simply what your society believes and practices. I remember reading of
different African and Asian culture where neck rings are worn to elongate the
neck of a woman. Depending on which culture, some women would start as early as
2 years old. In their belief, in their culture, they believe the long neck
represents beauty. The women of South Ndebele people of Africa wear their neck
rings with tradition dresses as a sign of wealth, although only married women
are allowed to wear the rings. In addition, I have heard of different African
tribes that stretch their earlobes and/or lips with circular gages made of
wood. The larger the display meant more wisdom within their respective tribes.
Malinowski’s note at the end of the chapter made me think even more because I cannot
help but agree. In the American culture and society, we laugh at the thought
that medicine healed because it’s magic. We laugh at the thought of ceremonies
and rituals that bring healing, but we fail to understand that there are tribes
out there that still perform these acts because it is their culture and they
have been doing it for who knows how long. Our civilization with our high-tech
gadgets and medicines that have been scientifically proven to heal have made us
immune to the thought of magic and the “magic” of belief.
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