Contemporary Warfare in the New Guinea Highlands

The Strongest Blood tells the story of two cousins in an Indigenous setting, living in the Northwest Territories. Anyone who has read The Strongest Blood knows how it centers in on the teachings of Indigenous peoples and the struggles and conflicts that they face involving their land, spiritual beliefs, and economy. Van Camp’s extensive use of literary techniques directs the spotlight on the two major themes of Indigeneity, and economical conflict while creating an interesting environment for the reader.

Historical studies indicate that the New Guinea was one of the hottest countries, insect infested, and occupied by aggressive people. The Imbonggu community is one of the integral parts of the community. William E. Wormsley drew a special insight into the lives of these people after spending several years with them. In his fascinating book, the author uses an incisive, yet articulate, voice to describe the culture, social structure as well as bride wealth, religion, and magic among these people (Wormsley, 1993). During that period, New Guinea was specially known as a man-eating zone. The local people were reputed as cannibals, nasty and aggressive people. Therefore, as the anthropologist of his time, Wormsley was destined to critically analyze the group on their view of the white man. A study that released results that still struck the world with shock (Wormsley, 1993).

increasing gang and gun violence, and reluctance by officers to act on the scene. Guns are becoming more available across the country recently, and many people are getting access to weapons. In many cases, this isn’t a problem and people should protect themselves, but some abuse this and use guns for personal uses such as revenge for other deeds or for other crimes such as robberies.Many gangs are also trying to protect territory and they use guns to do so, and in cases as ones with Hadiya, innocent citizens are getting caught in the conflict. But, perhaps the most stunning problem, is the police’s reluctance to be proactive on the scene. Many officers are reluctant to act in gun violence scenes because of previous uproars across the country because of viral videos of officers doing things that some people think are controversial, such as shooting a man possessing a gun. This can get officers fired from their jobs and they may even get tried for illegal

Factions solidify and tensions mount.” (Pg. 77). According to Harris, this almost always precedes Yanamamamo warfare. If Tierney’s accounts concerning warfare and the derivatives of warfare are correct, this makes Harris’s arguments incredible.

In the book, Fist, stick knife, gun, the author shared his experience of growing up in a society in which he needed to learn the code of conduct that regulated what was fair and unfair when it came to surviving and protecting himself throughout his childhood. Not only did Canada learn how to fight mentally and physically and where there is no social control. Early on in Canada’s life, he had come to realize that because he had lived in an area that consisted of poverty and crime.

A 'riot' is commonly defined as a disorderly behaviour, which often involve violence and the destruction of property (Andrews, 2014, p. 292). Riots can be viewed from a Conservative point of view and from a Radical point of view. Conservatism and Radicalism are both political ideologies. Although ideologies are 'explanatory frameworks that help to make sense of society' (Andrews, 2014, p. 306), conservatism and radicalism contrast in many ways. Conservatism is associated with wisdom, limited politics, and natural hierarchy, legitimising the existing order. Radicalism is linked to progress, universal rights and popular sovereignty, suggesting alternative to the existing order (The Open University, 2016b).

Chapter 6 of Matthew Gladwell’s book Outliers, there are illustrations of many family feuds. While the feuds were horrific, they were indicative of pattern which existed within the Appalachian Mountains and surrounding areas. The region was seemingly plagued by a “culture of honor” (p. 167). Because of the ancestral heritage of the “Scotch Irish”, these mountaineers were willing to fight at the slightest challenge to their reputation (p. 167). This behavior results from the need to survive, and is strengthened by the clannish ways of the people. This inevitable violent way of life is correlated to the number of murders in the South, and the implication is these murders are personal, in the same way family feuds were in previous years. Moreover

As it has been said by Hippocrates, “to seek to ease pain is natural”, yet the question still remains as to why we as a society inflict pain upon one another? (Silverburg, 1996, p. 16) The systematic and societal build-up of violence is a controversial issue as there are many dimensions through which it can be seen. Whether it is emotional, psychological, or physical abuse – the question of “why” still remains unanswered, as do many of the questions that are asked by the Aboriginal communities. The World Report on Violence and Health defines violence as: "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting

The myth states that Aboriginal Peoples took the scalps of warriors and soldiers as trophies and prizes of war (Dolan). It is these myths and stereotypes that illustrate the Aboriginal Peoples as “savages”. The false information which they provide about their culture results in misleading ideas that are able to tear down their beliefs and values, shaping them into false prejudice, that dehumanize Indigenous People. “The complex process of dehumanizing Indians to justify taking away their land and culture...” as stated by Colin Calloway

Introductory comments suggest that the West, at least during this time, was a region of exaggerated violence in places such as Pottawattamie

Social impacts of violence are detrimental to individuals, communities, and entire nations. Beah’s harrowing ordeal in Sierra Leone’s civil war exposes him to all of these impacts. A sense of community is quickly lost

Colonized people across the globe were the ones responsible for their own destiny as they pushed for their independence from controlling empires. In the 1850’s to the 1900’s, there were many powerful countries, particularly in Europe, Asia and Africa that ruled through their colonial empires. This control was important as mother countries benefitted from their colony’s raw materials and labor. It didn’t take long for populations in these colonies to feel used as they started to realize that they had no control in the land where they lived. Groups started to develope, lead by the elite and upper class, looking for change.

In a time in the world where we are seeing increased violence and backlash against government and police control, it is necessary to look at the past and see what led our country to the state it exists in. Many issues such as police brutality, court decisions and riots are due to institutionalized inequalities. Desegregation during the Civil Rights Movement had a false appearance of equality that brought about a complex form of discrimination and resistance in response. Black lives were still being neglected and peaceful protests quickly morphed into militancy based in black nationalism. Malcolm X, a black revolutionary, once said that “Algeria was a police state. Any occupied territory is a police state. Harlem is a police state. The police in Harlem are like an occupying force. The same conditions that forced the noble people of Algeria to resort to terrorist-type tactics…those same conditions prevail in every Negro community in the United States.”Malcolm’s idea that a police state leads to terrorist tactics in negro communities is based in historical evidence of colonialism and segregation and can be reinforced by the arguments of Cabral,Covington, Daulatzai, The Battle of Algiers and the Spook who Sat by the Door. In this paper, I will argue that as Malcolm X stated, negro communities in the United States are subject to internal colonialism, segregation and isolation thus leading to the colonized people of these communities revolting against the police state which

words, if decolonization is a process in which " 'The last [native] shall be first and the first [settler] last, ' this will only come to pass after a murderous and decisive struggle between two protagonists" (37). In these contexts, Fanon argues clearly that all of oppressions represented by colonialism and imperialism are violent in nature and must be destroyed only by greater violence:

In studying Bali it is easy for an anthropologist to overlook cockfighting and "aside from a few passing remarks, the cockfight has barely been noticed" (276). However through Geertz's observation he believes that the cockfighting has much more depth to it and it is not the cocks that are fighting, "actually, it is men" (276). In Bali animals are not portrayed as beautiful creatures but detested as representing demons. Much of Balinese life is adjusted to prevent any association with animals so they will "file the child's teeth" at a young age and eat "hurriedly and privately" because they believe it is beast-like (278). The Balinese are "aversive to animals," so why are they so involved with cockfights? Geertz believes the male Balinese identify with cocks as what they "most fear, hate, and are fascinated by – The Powers of Darkness" (278). Rather than treating the cocks cruelly like any other animal, they treat them with a tremendous amount of care and respect, even beyond that of fellow humans. Geertz as an anthropologist is capable of recognizing this relationship between the Balinese men and their fascination with cocks and how it has an affect on their culture.