Ana Ontaneda
March 4, 2009
ANT 1001/ TV24A Gaunt
March 4, 2009
ANT 1001/ TV24A Gaunt
Politics and Leadership: Life without Chiefs
It's interesting to know that "for about 98 percent of our existence as species our ancestors lived in small, largely nomadic hunting-and-gathering bands containing about 30 to 50 people apiece (Harris 96)." In the past, people did not have presidents, monarchies, nor police offers to provide justice and ruling. Bands were able to know everybody else intimately because they were very small. As mentioned by Harris, reciprocity prevailed within the bands because people had to be generous. Members of bands would not say thank you to others because thank you was an expression implying that one did not expect such a generous deed. This is why the !Kung Bushmen treated Richard Lee the way they did. Band members are accustomed to sharing and "giving and taking." It is expected to receive, in their case.
Although life used to exist without a justice system, people would still be punished for freeloading or taking more than what is being given. Such behavior was eventually punished (Harris 99). Redistribution was essential in bands and villages. Douglas Oliver conducted an anthropological study of the Siuai, village people who lived on the South Pacific Island of Bougainville (Harris 100). The "big men" were known as mumis, and the mumi's job was to give away a feast and in return receive appreciation and support from his guests.
Bibliography
Harris, Marvin. “Life without Chiefs.” Conformity and Conflict: Reading to Accompany Miller, Cultural Anthropology, 4 ed., ed. Spradley and McCurdy. Pearson, 2008, Chapter 10
Although life used to exist without a justice system, people would still be punished for freeloading or taking more than what is being given. Such behavior was eventually punished (Harris 99). Redistribution was essential in bands and villages. Douglas Oliver conducted an anthropological study of the Siuai, village people who lived on the South Pacific Island of Bougainville (Harris 100). The "big men" were known as mumis, and the mumi's job was to give away a feast and in return receive appreciation and support from his guests.
Bibliography
Harris, Marvin. “Life without Chiefs.” Conformity and Conflict: Reading to Accompany Miller, Cultural Anthropology, 4 ed., ed. Spradley and McCurdy. Pearson, 2008, Chapter 10