...different, as their religion is based on magic and organized by witch doctors in a hierarchal caste system. Although “Nacirema” is “American” spelled backwards and could theoretically refer to the Nacirema as a backward people, Miner does not explain how and where the name originated. In his thesis he refers to the Nacirema people “as an example of the extremes to which human behaviour can go” (1956: 503). This example is laid out in the article by describing the practices of “holy-mouth-men,” the “latipso,” and the “listener.” As it is for many, it’s all about beauty and health, and this is definitely the focal point for the Nacirema in all of their rituals and ceremonies. Personally, I believe their thoughts on beauty and health consumes them, considering that the Nacirema have proven to go to great extents and is seen as barbaric, “[t]he fundamental belief […] that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease” (1956: 503). They would practice rituals and ceremonies that are believed to work because of magic and faith in the practice and of the medicine men, shown in the examples below. An offshoot of their obsession with beauty and health is their preoccupation with their own mouths! They have medicine men they call “holy-mouth-men” (1956: 504). Compared to our modern culture, you can say they are the dentists for the Nacirema. They would go to such extents as to stuff and enlarge their teeth cavities in the belief that this would welcome...
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...In the article, “Body Ritual among the Nacirema,” Horace Miner details several rituals of titled tribe that are rooted in a fundamental belief that the human body has a natural tendency is to ineffectiveness and disease. Some rituals that are described in the article include women baking their heads four times a year as well as a daily mouth-rite to help fight against tooth decay and to attract friends. (Harvey, 2009, p. 20) However, the one ritual of the Nacirema tribe that most resonated with me was that of the ritual of every citizen keeping shrines devoted to adverting the above-mentioned belief. Within every household, one or more shrines are prepared to ward off the human bodies tendency to weakness and disease. (Harvey, 2009, p. 19) Rich families within the Nacirema society have several shrines within their homes. According to this tribe, the richness of a house is referred to in terms of the number of ritual centers or shrines it possesses. (Harvey, 2009, p. 19) Most citizens have homes made of wattle and daub construction. However, the shrines rooms within these houses the wealthy are walled with stone. Poorer families on the other hand imitate the rich by applying an imitation plaque to their shrine walls. (Harvey, 2009, p. 20) The focal point of the shrine is a box, which is built into the wall. In these boxes are kept the many charms without which no one of the tribe believes he/ she could survive without. (Harvey, 2009, p. 20) A charm is not disposed of after it...
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...One can see through the text a representation of how some indigenous individuals used to live. As I person who lives in the millennium era, the Nacirema can be consider to be bizarre and out of center for their medicinal ways of curing people during their times. However, one can be open minded to say that perhaps for them performing this techniques were usual and relevant to believe in, and that they did not question itself effectiveness at all. Humanity as well might criticize our medical and clinical techniques of curing people in the future as we judge our fellow Nacirema people. Future scientist could judge our methods of providing a pill to the patient to cure them as we judge the Nacirema for giving magical potions. Another...
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...1. What is Miner’s purpose (argument) in writing about the behaviors of the Nacirema? The Body Ritual among the Nacirema serves as an illustration of how American culture could be perceived by those who are entirely ignorant to our way of living as strange and ritualistic. The work is written specifically from the viewpoint of an anthropologist who is oblivious to the “rituals” in our society, however familiar with many others. Miner’s substantiates how foreign our lives could be to others by offering numerous and vivid descriptions of routine Nacirema activities. While describing these actions, the tone of the anthropologist is nearly condescending, perpetuating the idea that said activities are extreme and very alien to the speaker. The activities described include brushing teeth, going to see a doctor, and taking medicine among other examples. Miner contends that “The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease.” (Miner 503) Which is an accurate deduction despite its cynicism. Miner compares the use of a bathroom to a shrine that’s purpose is to aid in remedying this belief. The shrine contains all things necessary for masking our supposedly faulted bodies. These things are all referred to by words to help dissolve the familiarity of the objects themselves, such as calling medicine “potions.” The wealthy are also referenced in the account. Miner says that those can afford...
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...Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Running head: THE NACIREMA Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Body Ritual Among The Nacirema Running head: THE NACIREMA BODY RITUAL AMONG THE NACIREMA The Body Ritual Among the Nacirema was written by Horace Miner in which he describes the culture of a tribe a people that would make most Americans think that the Nacirema people are barbaric and mysterious when in fact we are more common than one may think. The Nacirema people are much like modern society Americans but uphold ancient traditions and language. Myself being of Native American culture I could relate with some of the descriptions given in the article written by Mr. Miner. Most people have the misconception that Native Americans believe in...
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...Horace Miner from the University Of Michigan wrote of the Body Rituals among the Nacirema, in which he described the customs of the Nacirema people. The culture of the Nacirema people has been brought to the attention of anthropologist as their rituals and habits concerning the body are uniquely distinct. Their culture is depicted as strange and centered on the human body; appearance and health are prioritized, and modification is widely used. The Nacirema people have a peculiar habits in which their appearance is altered. One of which involves “scraping and lacerating the surface of the face with a sharp instrument”. This ritual consist of an uncanny description of a practice that Americans preform on the daily. Shaving is an act that everyone...
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...The Nacirema and the American The Nacirema culture as described by Horace Miner creates a very mixed impression. In the beginning one may think that the rituals described in the article seem truly horrific and unusual. But, as soon as one realizes that Miner has chosen a very unusual way to describe the culture of modern Americans, one gets to appreciate the unusual humor of the author. The Nacirema focus on the cleansing rituals, which at first seem unusual and somehow even unbelievable and unusually masochistic, seem to be pretty normal if looked at from a different angle. The author shows how presentation of one theme from a different perspective and a bit of imagination totally changes the perception of a reader. The new angle at which Miner sees and describes the modern society makes one to take another look on the everyday life of Americans. It is truly amazing how a new perspective changes the perception of things that are considered to be normal. Miner managed to turn some ordinary activities into ghastly and unthinkable acts performed by representatives of an exotic tribe. Therefore, this article makes one to stop and think of the perception of the common acts and deeds by representatives of different cultures and societies. Miner’s paper is a very interesting piece of work that makes the US citizens looks at their own actions from another perspective. Although all the actions described by the author are quite common and have been performed by each person at different...
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...beliefs, rituals, practice and culture in general. I have come to the conclusion that just as I am comfortable practicing what I believe in, and find comfort in doing so, so are the Nacirema people. As each one of us grows practicing traditions/ rituals, passed on from generation to generation we become used to the " normalcy" of our culture. We do not consider the perspective of an outsider, who might find our rituals, beliefs, traditions, just as odd as we find theirs. Just as I don't view my culture as odd, they don't view theirs. We all derive reassurance and comfort from our practices. This is why we have created them. They serve...
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...Nacirema Case Study Concerning Cultural Rituals and Diversity Rebecca Gawthrop Keller Graduate School of Management Abstract This is a case study reminding us of observations performed many years ago demonstrating some of the most uncommon but existing cultural rituals and diversity found on our (small) planet. The Nacirema Tribe could top the charts for most unconventional practices. The unique tribe believes that their bodies are ugly and therefore perform daily magic based rituals to prevent disease and decay while enhancing personal relationships within the tribe. The sometimes bi-annual rituals concerning the mouth and the rituals of the sick are beyond morbid and truthfully, probably cause more pain and suffering than if nothing was done at all. The objective of this assignment is to select and describe a ritual, discuss the symbolism used within the ritual and to discuss any “special” roles of those within the case study. Key words; cultural rituals, diversity, Nacirema Tribe, unconventional Through the case study done by Horace Miner on the observations performed by Professor Linton, we are enlightened and reminded of how tremendously diverse those even not so far away can be. In 1936, Professor Linton was able to document for anthropologists his observations of the North American Nacirema Tribe who believe that their bodies are naturally disgusting. To prevent further ugliness from happening the Nacirema perform several inhumane rituals consisting of magic...
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...In regards to the article, the Nacirema culture has created a way of life that is unique and unorthodox to my local area. After narrowing down the main points of the article, three words that describe their unit include theocratic, naive, and seclusive. Theocratic: The dynamics of their daily living display similar characteristics to the make-up of a theocracy. The medicine men, herbalistis, "holy-mouth-men," and "listeners" hold a distinct amount of authority over their people. For example, in order for the medicine men to provide treatment to someone, they must be given "substantial gifts." The severity of someone's health is not taken into account. Therefore, without a gift, no cure is practiced. The same pattern is followed...
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...Body Ritual Among the Nacirema The observation of the Nacirema society as presented by Horace Miner was enlightening in its reflection of our own societal norms. At first I did feel a sense of culture shock upon reading the essay. After further contemplation, I felt that the cultural relationships and practices were not all that different from my own. I found it very interesting that the social and economic structure of the Nacirema society is the same as that in which we live in. As with our culture, goods and services are the pinnacle of the economy and each person has their place or purpose within the society. The cultural universals of the Nacirema seem to parallel those of our own culture. The shrine that is the location for private rituals to take place is what our society considers the bathroom. The socialization of the Nacirema children to these rituals can be equated to potty training and personal hygiene in our culture. The daily body rituals that the Nacirema men perform may be viewed as a masochistic but in our society that is the same as shaving. It is not uncommon for a culture to view the natural body as ugly and seek to modify it to be esthetically pleasing. Even though the language used to describe the body rituals preformed in these shrines may sound unusual or even barbaric, the rituals described are the same as in our culture. The obsession with the mouth and visits to the “holy-mouth-men” are folkways that our culture participates in as well. We may...
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...The Nacirema tribe is a group of people from North America, whose practices and beliefs are very extraordinary and usually involves pain and torture. The most important belief they believe is that human bodies become weak and acquire diseases. Due to their belief, they practice certain types of rituals and ceremonies to prevent themselves from being ill. The mouth, which they believe have a strong influence on their social relationships, draws them to have these mouth rituals. They believe that by performing these rituals, their mouths will have less complications and their relationships will blossom. Their daily body ritual consists of a small bundle of hog hairs with magical powders and they insert it into the mouth. Once or twice a year,...
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...The shrine contains a charm box where charms and magical potions are store, as well as a small font beneath the charm box. The rituals that occur in the shrine, bathroom, are not done as a family but rather as individuals. Reading about the rituals in the bathroom described in such an abstract fashion is comical. The charms and magical potions stored within the charm box are medications and other similar objects. Miner describes the nacirema (American) going to a doctor of some sort, telling the doctor their symptoms, and receiving a prescription of which the pharmacist fulfills. The prescription medication is then taken until it has served its purpose, however, even then it is not discarded. Thinking of this simple yet rather accurate observation, it causes me to think of the multiple prescription medicines my family keeps. The reason as to why my family seemingly hoards these medicines after they have already served their purpose is beyond me, however, I never questioned it before reading this story. Thinking about it now, it seems completely irrational. Considering the medicine was prescribed for a specific set of symptoms and ailments which corresponds to a certain strain...
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...The article “Body Rituals of the Nacirema” by Horace Miner was interesting and different, because there’s a question before the first paragraph in the article asking if they were more like us. By “us” I would assume he is talking about the American people and if you could find similarities in our culture and practices with theres’. I am also raised in a Filipino household, which will probably make me interpret a few things differently, but it won’t greatly affect how I answer the question. The Nacirema are a North American group living between Canada and Mexico, and that they came from the east. Miner further writes about the Nacirema “mythology” stating that their nation was founded by a culture hero named Notgnihsaw. After reading that statement, I noticed how...
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...HRM582 The Body Ritual Among the Nacirema The Body Ritual Among the Nacirema As an individual coming to investigate American civilization through the observation of cultural activities, I find the ritual of medicine men and women (doctors, psychiatrists and pharmacists) very interesting. “Medicine man" or "medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples (Unknown 2012 ¶2). Native Americans held the “medicine people” in very high regard. It was believed that the knowledge they possessed was privileged and linage was restricted to remain in particular families. The power bestowed upon and held by the “medicine people” made them mystical. They were viewed as having supernatural powers allowing them the ability to cure disease and control the spirits. This led to the term of “witch doctors”. Witch doctors were used to describe African traditional healers, as in Nacirema. The “witch doctors” were known for their connection to the spiritual world. Through their intimate relationship with the spirits they were often called on to heal disease or the psyche. They were believed to have the ability to bridge the natural world and spiritual world and provide inner harmony. These practices opened the door for herbalists, acupuncturist, and other alternative approaches to healing...
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