ANTH 001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Medicine Man, Developed Market, Nacirema
15 Jul 2020
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Nacirema culture is characterized by a highly developed market economy which has evolved in a rich natural habitat. Fundamental belief is that the human body is ugly and susceptible. Richness of a house often determined by shrine count to disease and decay(remedied by shrines) Rich had stone walls in shrine room, the poor tried to imitate by using pottery plaques to their shrine walls. Aside from a charm-box inscribed by priests, herbalists, and beloved medicine men, there is also the mouth-rite. Performed by holy-mouth-men, they enlarges any holes caused by decay in the patients teeth. If there are none, they gouge out teeth. Then a supernatural substance(magic materials) are put into the hole. (1 to 2 times annually) Potential sadism by the holy-mouth-men, potential of masochistic tendencies in the population then. People"s learned and shared behaviours and beliefs. Culture is learned// passed from generation to generation. Culture is based on symbols// language, money, rings(marriage)
