Inayat Kaur
ANT 1001 TV24A/ Gaunt
2nd Year (Finance)
Religion is important. The broader Anthropological definition of religion encompasses beliefs, taboos, fetishes, rituals etc. As an avid Facebook user, I notice what people write under the 'Religion' option. A friend of mine wrote 'Cricket' under religion. The game clearly, means a lot to him. Another one wrote 'Gossip Girl.' Mine says 'Spiritual but not Religious.'
We've seen how religion plays an important role in shaping history. Whether it was the Franciscan Friars converting the Native Indians or the insistence of Islam that led to the creation of Taliban. In anthropology, religion could mean superstitions or beliefs. In 'Baseball Magic,' for instance, the player sticks to his routine because he believes it will bring him good luck.
I come from a land where superstition is very common. We believe that eating youghurt before an exam brings good luck. And if you call someone's name when they're leaving for some work, it might disrupt it. Also, we never keep books on the ground. The Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and creative art. We belive that Saraswati resides in books, from where we derive knowledge. And therefore, we avoid keeping books on the ground.
It's interesting to note how people believe in a variety of things. Religion is a key component to understanding a culture.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Anthropology Essay #5
Inayat Kaur
ANT 1001 TV24A/ Gaunt
2nd Year (Finance)
Step 1
Try googling, " Life without fathers." I tried. And till the fourteenth page of search results, every single result is a reference to this chapter.
Step 2
Next, try asking the librarians about a tribe or community whose structure is somewhat similar to the Na in China. I spent an hour or probably more. Result: No success!
Step 3
Continue to be amazed. I am still like, Wow!
The Na tribe in China is truly one of a kind. And they sure are unique. Before reading this chapter, I always thought 'Marriage' was a cultural universal. This beats the shit out of Gay Marrriage, Plural Marriage and Live-in Relationships!
It's a pity that the goverment is trying to change the Na culture. If these people have sutained till the 20th century, that means they don't need to change. As an Anthropology student, I wish to retain the cultural uniqueness. I guess it's too late. But I'm so fascinated. I would like to read more about them.
ANT 1001 TV24A/ Gaunt
2nd Year (Finance)
Step 1
Try googling, " Life without fathers." I tried. And till the fourteenth page of search results, every single result is a reference to this chapter.
Step 2
Next, try asking the librarians about a tribe or community whose structure is somewhat similar to the Na in China. I spent an hour or probably more. Result: No success!
Step 3
Continue to be amazed. I am still like, Wow!
The Na tribe in China is truly one of a kind. And they sure are unique. Before reading this chapter, I always thought 'Marriage' was a cultural universal. This beats the shit out of Gay Marrriage, Plural Marriage and Live-in Relationships!
It's a pity that the goverment is trying to change the Na culture. If these people have sutained till the 20th century, that means they don't need to change. As an Anthropology student, I wish to retain the cultural uniqueness. I guess it's too late. But I'm so fascinated. I would like to read more about them.
Anthropology Essay #4
Inayat Kaur
ANT 1001 TV24A/ Gaunt
2nd Year (Finance)
A mother's love is instinctual, unconditional and forever. Or so says a popular quote.
An Indian poet named Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 wrote a poem about his mother. It is as follows:
I Cannot Remember my Mother
I cannot remember my mother,
only sometime in the midst of my play
a tune seems to hover over my playthings,
the tune of some song that she used to
hum while rocking my cradle.
I cannot remember my mother
but when in the early autumn morning
the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air,
the scent of the morning service in the
temple comes to me as the scent of my mother.
I cannot remember my mother
only when from bedroom window
I send my eyes into the blue of the distant sky,
I feel that the stillness of my mother's gaze on my face
has spread all over the sky.
Paradoxically, in Alto do Cruzeiro in Brazil, mother's love is different, to say the least. The high rates of infant and child mortality have forced mothers to love their children only if they live beyond the first few years and show promise to survive. This might seem absurd to people living in developed nations, where infant mortality rates are very low and children receive the best medical to ensure their survival. And babies are named right after they are born.
Some of us might think that the mothers in this region are selfish. They don't love the babies because they dont want to get attached and be hurt when the baby dies. I think this is another kind of love. Selfless love! Mothers wait for the baby to give signs that it will survive. And only when the baby grows up and shows signs of good development, it is given a name and doted upon by the family.
Although, I strongly believe that starving the babies who are born weak is not the best approach. The author's insistence on breastfeeding the weak babies is a very good idea. And also, advancement in medicine will help the babies to survive. But, at the same, these women need to work and earn money to support themselves. I come from a developing country, where half the population is below the poverty line. And it's not uncommon to see older siblings bringing up the younger ones. But the mother works within the vicinity so she can feed the baby. I guess, these women in Brazil don't have that option.
We all fear something. My worst fear is being helpless. And I think these women in Alto do Cruzeira are very helpless. The community's social structure keeps the mothers from doing the best they can for the newborns to survive. While, this method works and spares the mothers a good deal of heartache, it doesn't change the fact that mothers are helpless. I guess a little bit of faith could help. Like Moody said, "Faith makes all things possible... love makes all things easy."
ANT 1001 TV24A/ Gaunt
2nd Year (Finance)
A mother's love is instinctual, unconditional and forever. Or so says a popular quote.
An Indian poet named Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 wrote a poem about his mother. It is as follows:
I Cannot Remember my Mother
I cannot remember my mother,
only sometime in the midst of my play
a tune seems to hover over my playthings,
the tune of some song that she used to
hum while rocking my cradle.
I cannot remember my mother
but when in the early autumn morning
the smell of the shiuli flowers floats in the air,
the scent of the morning service in the
temple comes to me as the scent of my mother.
I cannot remember my mother
only when from bedroom window
I send my eyes into the blue of the distant sky,
I feel that the stillness of my mother's gaze on my face
has spread all over the sky.
Paradoxically, in Alto do Cruzeiro in Brazil, mother's love is different, to say the least. The high rates of infant and child mortality have forced mothers to love their children only if they live beyond the first few years and show promise to survive. This might seem absurd to people living in developed nations, where infant mortality rates are very low and children receive the best medical to ensure their survival. And babies are named right after they are born.
Some of us might think that the mothers in this region are selfish. They don't love the babies because they dont want to get attached and be hurt when the baby dies. I think this is another kind of love. Selfless love! Mothers wait for the baby to give signs that it will survive. And only when the baby grows up and shows signs of good development, it is given a name and doted upon by the family.
Although, I strongly believe that starving the babies who are born weak is not the best approach. The author's insistence on breastfeeding the weak babies is a very good idea. And also, advancement in medicine will help the babies to survive. But, at the same, these women need to work and earn money to support themselves. I come from a developing country, where half the population is below the poverty line. And it's not uncommon to see older siblings bringing up the younger ones. But the mother works within the vicinity so she can feed the baby. I guess, these women in Brazil don't have that option.
We all fear something. My worst fear is being helpless. And I think these women in Alto do Cruzeira are very helpless. The community's social structure keeps the mothers from doing the best they can for the newborns to survive. While, this method works and spares the mothers a good deal of heartache, it doesn't change the fact that mothers are helpless. I guess a little bit of faith could help. Like Moody said, "Faith makes all things possible... love makes all things easy."
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