Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Body Rituals

Body Rituals Among the Nacirema
By Dr. Horace Miner



The anthropologist has become so familiar with the diversity of ways in which different people behave that they are not often surprised, even by the most exotic customs. In fact, if all of the logical possible combinations of behavior have not been found somewhere in the world, the anthropologist is most likely to believe that they exist in some yet undiscovered tribe. In this light, the magical beliefs and rituals of the Nacirema present such unusual aspects that it seems desirable to describe them as an example of the extremes to which human behavior can go.

Professor Thomas Linton first brought the rituals of the Nacirema to the attention of anthropologist twenty years ago, but the culture of these people remained poorly understood until my recent excursion with them.

Little is known of their origin, although tradition states that they came from the east. According to Nacirema mythology their nation was originated by a culture hero named Notgnihsaw. The Nacirema are a group of people whose desolate location has left them virtually unchanged for the past 200 years.

Nacirema culture is characterized by a highly developed market economy which has evolved greatly in the past 100 years. While much of the average Nacirema’s time is devoted to economic pursuits, a large part of the fruits of these labors and a considerable portion of the day are spent in ritual activity. The focus of these ritual activity is the the appearance and health of their body. Now, while such concerns is not uncommon, the ceremonial aspects of the Nacirema show very unique characteristics.

The fundamental belief underlying the whole system appears to be that the human body is ugly. They appear to believe that a woman/man’s only hope is to avoid showing the bodies natural tendency to grow weak and sick. They attempt to do this by performing daily rituals and ceremonies that appear to have a religious, or magical, origin.

Every dwelling in Nacirema society has one or more shrines devoted to the purpose of these rituals. The more powerful the individual is in there society the more shrines they will have in their dwelling. In fact, dwellings are often referred to in terms of the number of such ritual centers it posses. While each family dwelling has at least one such shrine, the rituals associated with it are not public ceremonies, but private ones. The rites of these rituals are normally only discussed with children, however, I was able to establish such a positive rapport with the Nacirema that they agreed to allow me to examine and describe these rituals.

The focal point of the shrines is a box (or chest) which is built into the wall of the shrine. Within this chest are kept many charms and magical potions without which no native believes he or she could live. These potions and charms are often obtained from “medicine men” who hold a high status with in the Nacirema society. The medicine men do not actually provide the charms and potions but instead will write, in an ancient and secret language, the ingredients down. This writing is understood only by lesser medicine men who create the required potions and charms.

After the charm and potion has been used the container is not disposed of. Instead it is placed back in the box located in the dwelling’s shrine. Since these magical potions are for specific illness the charm-box of the shrine is usually overflowing. Although the natives are very vague regarding this tradition I can only assume that the idea of keeping these old potions and charms is to insure that their presence in the shrine will help protect the worshiper.

Every morning members of the family, in succession, enters the shrine room, then they mingle different sorts of potions and charms, and proceeds with a brief ritual of purification. These rituals vary, depending on the gender of the occupant. Below is an example of the daily body rituals which are performed only by men: Each morning males in the society will enter the shrine with a sharp tool. The men will then use this sharp tool in a cleansing ritual which involves scraping and lacerating the surface of their face. The men will then apply a potion to their lacerated face. This potion has a strong stench and it reportedly will burn and irritate the skin where ever it is applied.

Women in the Nacirema society also perform daily cleansing and purification rituals in the shrine. The ritual of the women tend to take twice as long as the men and it is also done in secrecy and private. Women in the Nacirema society will daily use a combination of dyes to paint and decorate their faces. Often times these decorations are designed to attract a potential mate.

The Nacirema avoids exposure of his or her body and its natural functions. Bathing and excretory acts are performed only in the secrecy of the shrines, where they are ritualized as part of the body-rites. Psychological shock results if the body secrecy is suddenly lost upon entry by another host, even if the intruder is the Nacirema’s partner. This secrecy is also extended to reproduction and intercourse. Intercourse is a taboo topic and extreme efforts are made to avoid pregnancy by using magical materials or by limiting intercourse to certain phases of the moon. Conception is actually very infrequent. When pregnant, women will often dress as to hide their condition. The actual birth takes place in secret, without friends or relatives to assist, and the majority of women do not nurse their infants.

Our review of the ritual life of the Nacirema has certainly shown them to be a magic-ridden people. It is hard to understand how they have managed to exist so long under the burdens which they have imposed upon themselves.

COMMENT ACTIVITY: AFTER READING THE ARTICLE EVERYONE NEEDS TO CREATE A COMMENT ABOUT THE CULTURE OF THE NACIREMA. YOU MAY ALSO MAKE COMMENTS ON EACH OTHERS COMMENTS...AS LONG AS THEY ARE RESPECTFUL.

59 comments:

  1. Put your comment here ~Mr. Klitzke

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  2. Wow, this is kind of weird. Why would they hurt themselfs everyday for nothing? How would they stay living with all the harmful stuff they put on themselfs intentionally.

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  3. I thought that it was pretty amazing how even in the 21st century, there are still tribes out there that have been isolated from the rest of the world and only discovered recently. Also within the tribe i thought it is weird how they think that humans are ugly and they goal in life is not to be ugly.

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  4. I think that it is somewhat like many other religions in the way that we are not supose to show our body and to protect it because it is ours. It is a little different in the way that they try and make sure not to have kids and if they do they try not to show it, they are almost ashamed of it.
    ~Kym

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  5. It's interesting that they think they can't live without the potions. I have to wonder what's in them... ~ Emily S

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  6. I think that it is neat that they stayed unchanged for over 200 years because of their location. The charms and potions are very different form our society today.
    -Tom Killick

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  7. wow it is a wonder in how they survived for so long, I understand that they have the need to look pretty and the need to shave is important but why keep all that potions in the box....
    -Nick R.-

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  8. It sounds like woman are ashamed too give birth and take care of the baby. They wear clothes to hide being pregnant. And the birth is done in secret. That is unlike our society, where having a baby is celebrated with baby showers and other celebrations.-Brendan Cohen

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  9. The Culture of Nacirema is very secretive and their rituals are secluded and located in small areas of their homes, dedicated Shrines to magical beings that they believe will protect them. Naciremians also do not like to show themselves off and dress themselves very thoroughly to avoid showing skin, as well as every morning performing a gender-based ritual. To them their bodies bring them shame.

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  10. Marissa Wettengel-
    that must be a hard way of life. i couldnt imagine anyone doing the rituals. its really wierd how they scrape their faces and put potion on it. its far different from our society.

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  11. I think that this culture isn't the greatest culture idea in the world. It is most certainly one of the more extreme cultures of the world. From an average American's point of view, it would obviously seem barbaric. The idea of cutting yourself and applying ointments to it, painting your face every morning, even hiding a pregnancy sounds odd. For Americans, being pregnant is something that is usually celebrated. I personally wouldn't want to live in this culture, but I'm not saying that it sounds bad to me.

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  12. i think it is weird how everything that has to do with bathing or going to the bathroom has to be done in complete secret, or they go into psychological shock

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  13. Why do they think torturing themselves is the right thing to do? It's not like they get rewarded for it. If I was part of that society, I would try to escape.

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  14. that article is somewhat flabbergasting. it was very interesting that the people think the human body is ugly.-Austin

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  15. I think the Nacirema tribe is just akward people. There beliefs are very different. I think some of there beliefs are really weird,but that is what they believe in. The whole tribe is just different to the world. -stephany

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  16. I was amazed that there dialy life is so much different theres ares. When you think about it that we got it lot easier then tribes in 21st century.
    Tanner Vander Zanden

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  17. This is a very strange but interesting culture to me. It is amazing that their culture has not been changed for over 200 years. I never thought that something could be so secretive.

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  18. I think it's pretty cool that they went 200 years without really changing anything.
    - Travis K

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  19. I think it's different than our society because they are very careful about becoming pregnant and giving birth. Our culture isn't as careful about pregnancies and often have more than one child. It is also different that they think the human body is ugly. A lot of Americans enjoy showing off their body. ~Janessa

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  20. The Nacirema culture is very different then anything I have ever heard of before. They create shrines that hold a chest or box that hold magical remedies or medicine's. They do not like to show their bodies to anyone and aviod having children. I can not help but wonder how their culture goes on if they don't want to have children. I also think that it is very brutal that the men will carve the skin off of their faces and then put a medicine on it to burn the skin off. Their bodies bring them shame and they do anything to avoid being exposed.

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  21. I also wonder how they must of survived by letting these things happen to themselves. Maybe they adapted and barely felt the pain after tradition. Another thing I would like to say: Where were they over 200 years ago? How did they get there? I know these questions will not be answered soon but I hope to find out. I liked reading this articile and it seems very interesting how they came to be. The Nacirema tribe is our source of how ancient life must have been like thousands of years ago. I hope there is more research on this and I want to read the next in this interesting research.

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  22. I thought it was pretty wierd how the men cut their faces.It is pretty much like self torture I dont get why you would do that. And I was wondering what type of things the spells have in them?

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  23. this is kind of weird but yet it is kind of cool that he got the information from them i think it is interesting but weird at the same time i think it is different that they have a shrine that they keep there medicanes in and the stuff they believe they need in order to live...~Jessica

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  24. If they are not suppose to expose their body... how come the picture at the top is the way it is?

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  25. I think it is amazing how isolation from the outside world over a long period of time can cause cultures to have very different traditions and beliefs than the other parts of the world

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  26. Zach PawelkiewiczOctober 13, 2009 12:18 PM

    I don't understand why they apply something to their face that hurts? Is there meaning for this?

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  27. I dont think how girls paint themself is very attractive if anything if is weird. i dont find it really weird that guys put posions on there back and how this is a daily thing.

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  28. One thing that i like about the Nacirema tridition is that they are very diffrent. It seems that they all go by the triditions and that alot of people do the nacirema tridition. ~ ally peperak

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  29. That is a good question, person who commented about the picture.

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  30. I thought it was cool that these rituals hadn't been really noticed until recent times. Then I learned they hadn't even been changed for over 200 years!

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  31. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  32. i thought this was pretty weird that even now theres still tribes that have never seen anyone other than the members of there tribe. i dont think i would be able to live like that!

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  33. This is a very intresting culture. I thought that no one else believed in that stuff anymore. Besides how could the women just hide themselves like that?

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  34. I thought it was really wired how no one has really know of these people and there ritruals.

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  35. I think the Nacirema tribe have very wierd beliefs. But its also what they believe in. The whole trib is just different to the world
    ~Kenzie.

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  36. I think its really interesting to hear that this culture actualy beleivs that the human body is sickening.so they do body rituals everyday and use medicine or what they beleive in is magical objects carrying a symbol that would help ther bodys not get week and ugly.very interesting to me also that this man found this tribe this culture is all they know about thats it,they stick to there own custums.

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  37. why would they do stupid stuff to themselfs is it really that accupieing. but that is thier belif so i really can not say much.
    ~cassy

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  38. I think that this culture is really old because if they still believe in all the potions and magic stuff, the tribe must have started like a 100 years ago.

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  39. I think what they are doing is kinda cool. but I do think its one big fanasty. If they didnt want to get sick why not go see a doctor??? But I know for sure I wouldn't have the guts to do what they do.

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  40. I think that was very vague. the contents of the story was very interesting and it was very educational. also they have sex in the shrine. and they did rituals every single morning. i dont know how they survived. they are a very unique culture. they are probably not going to last very long. i think.

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  41. I think that its kinda weird how they are so big on this stuff but not many people know they exist and what they do.

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  42. I got a question do these people believe in magic or are thery like magic people.
    I think that it would be a interesting topic to talk about.

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  43. I dont get why they belive in magic beacause it seems like a very weird belief but i think that that they have alot of different belives but its just different to certain people.

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  44. I thik that its wierd how they do all these ritruals and belive in the magic potion

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  45. i dont get how they went so long with out beeing discovered

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  46. wowzers this is wierd self inflicting pain? its kinda ridiculos and not nursing your kids? really?

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  47. i dont get why they would hurt themselfs and i dont get why someone would tell them to hurt themselfs i would never be able to do that
    ~kendra

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  48. This culture should not be tampered with even though they want to learn about there culture. this was very interesting and i want to learn more about this interresting culture

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  49. i think that this is a odd tribe and the way they do most things. the whole scpaping their face with a sharp tool does not sound good to me. i think it is a very unhealthy life style.

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  50. I think that this is a really wierd type of culture cause of all things that they do to themselves to purifie themselves.

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  51. Alex Wegner saysOctober 13, 2009 1:11 PM

    that the rituals are pretty weird but then again if you put these people in our culture they'll think we're weird. also guys putting stuff that causes rashes aint quite right (please say this as a red neck thank you)

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  52. Its A lie. nacirema spelled back wards is America

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  53. Alex wegner saysOctober 13, 2009 1:23 PM

    looking good mr k!!!!!!!

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  54. I think it is very weird that the men punish themselves by cutting and then pouring a "potion" on there faces and that they believe the human body is ugly and wrong to be sick. i think the fact that they dont nurse there own kids is also wrong.~Phil kline

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  55. hey wazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz up sr. klitzke lookin okkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.........

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  56. This is cool for how long its been going on but seriously some of these traditions or rituals are messed up.

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