Midterm Essay Questions

Ten Points Each (Answer Six Questions) I want examples from the reading, class discussions, etc...

1) Explain the importance of language to group identity? Provide examples.

2) How do the Jesuit colonists portray Native Americans in the Jesuit Relations readings? How much do we learn about them from this reading? Do these accounts tell you more about the Native Americans or the Jesuit colonists?

3) What is the Kula ring? Why did Malinowski think that this practice was important? Did he find any rituals in his own culture that were analogous to the Kula ring practice?

4) In the article “The Hunters: Scarce Resources in the Kalahari”, the author assesses the day-to-day life of !Kung life. How does their day-to-day life as foragers compare with that held by many anthropologists in the 1960s. In a broader sense, how might the day-to-day life of such people differ from agriculturalists, or pastoralists?

5) What was the ecology of Easter Island when Polynesians first arrived on the island about A.D. 400? What did they eat? What changes happened to their environment? How did this affect their lives and does this apply to anything happening in the world today?

6) In the article “Reciprocity and the Power of Giving” and our discussions about gift giving, what do we mean by reciprocity? What is the social function of reciprocity? How can giving be used to intimidate other people or groups? Give examples from class, you own life, and the article.

7) Based on the article “Life Without Fathers or Husbands,” what is the basic domestic unit in Na society and what are its main social and economic functions? Describe the Na society. What are the culturally defined ways that Na men and women meet and set up assignations? Are there taboos and other restrictions on their sexual activity defined by their culture?

8) In “Symbolizing Roles: Beyond the Veil,” explain the meaning to Westerner of the veil worm by Middle Eastern women. How does this view reflect Western values? What means does the veil have for many Middle Eastern women? How do these meanings relate to the Muslim concept of purdah and other Middle Eastern values?

9) How does Laura Bohannan’s interpretation of “Shakespereae in the Bush,” fail in some ways? How does her story to the Tiv deomonstrate the concept of naïve realism? How does her story represent cross-cultural misunderstanding? What parts of Hamlet didn’t work for the Tiv?

As always let me know if you have questions!