DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

Samuel van der Swaagh

House 2, Cohort 2

10/04/12

Ethnographies of Work I

Journal Response #3

 

            During the third week of SOSC 111, we read an ethnography called “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema” that changed my perspective on how ethnographers can utilize the etic. The ethnography discusses the body rituals of a “foreign” country that is located between Canada and Mexico. As the ethnographer outlines the culture’s obsession with appearance, we meet three powerful practitioners: the Medicine Man, the holy mouth man, and the listener. In the hierarchy of this society, the Medicine Man has the authority to concoct and prescribe potions to his people. Underneath the Medicine Man, there exists a group of specialists who interpret languages. Another powerful practitioner of Nacirema is the holy-mouth-man who essentially prods at people’s decaying teeth. Within the society it is important to maintain the healthy appearance of the mouth because the culture believes that the mouth aids a person in relationships. Lastly, the listener is a magic counselor who has the ability to expel devils from people’s head.

 

           During the reading, we also learned that the people of Nacirema view the body as frail and naturally prone to disease. The people of Nacirema counter act sickness or outbreaks through powerful potions. The most important values of the place are economy, body rituals, charm box maintenance, and daily bowing rituals over a clay shrine. The culture is very magic ridden. In Nacirema, both men and women are expected to practice strange rituals. Early in the money, one can observe men applying sharp objects to their faces and women baking their heads in ovens. Although Horace Miner’s ethnography possesses an element of “otherness,” the report also has an element of familiarity.

 

           As we discussed Miner’s “Body Ritual of the Nacirema” we realized that the ethnography describes the American culture. However, Miner utilizes the etic to demonstrate and critique and contextualize the familiar. In other words, Miner performed pure ethnography upon our society in order to show the strangeness of our culture. After reading Miner’s report on American body rituals, I now see that Americans are weird people. Why do women willing go through the torture of placing their heads under a blow drier? Why do men “scratch” at their faces with razors? Probably the most probing question is how can Americans call other country’s “primitive” when they themselves still caught up by “charms,” “potions,” and “body rituals?” This ethnography demonstrated the power of perspective. With just a turn of a word or phrase, ethnographer’s can move people to change their views, policies, and legislations.

 

 

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Submitted Version of 10/04/12:

SOSC 111 Journal Response #3.docx

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.