ANT 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 29: Substantivism, Artificial Scarcity, Potlatch
Document Summary
Potlatch societies combined principles of reciprocity and egalitarian redistribution. Northwest coast indians combined principles of reciprocity and egalitarian redistribution in their potlatch ceremonies. Potlatching ceremony: one is supposed to shame and humiliate one"s rival by showering of gifts. Greatest successful potlatches made it impossible for rivals to repay- therefor mortifying them. Another person to remember is ruth benedict- anthropologist who wrote on northwest indians- quacatil. So intensely concerned with competition were megalomaniac. Why was potlatching so successful in this area- plentiful resources- had an abundance of vegetation and animals= sense of what northwest coast society is like. During the ceremony- dance and songs are associated with rank positions- gifts were also associated with people according to their ranking. Understanding is when you receive potlatch- must reciprocate the ability to reciprocate demonstrates the ability of the individual to mobilize resources and social and political support and validates his status within his own group.
