Eating Christmas In The Kalahari Analysis

In this paper I will discuss Social Theories such as Structural Functionalism, Conflict theory; with emphasis on Karl Marx’s early work and how it relates to the conflict theory and Symbolic interaction. I intend to define and discuss relevant sociological terms of these theories and how these theories could apply to my favorite holiday which is Christmas.

Uwem Akpan’s story, “An Ex-Mas Feast” is a story of the struggles that one family goes through to give gifts on their upcoming Christmas season. Akpan introduces the reader to the struggles of the main characters, which directly ties into the details of impoverished town that they live in. Jigana, one of the story’s main characters, starts off as a naïve 8 year old little boy who was anxious to start going to school. In a stark contrast, Maisha, the eldest sister at 12 years old, held her own and prostituted to bring in money for her family. The second oldest, Naema, was closer to Maisha than any of the others, and Maisha gave her tips and tricks of her trade. Akpan begins the story by saying that the

The perception of foreign cultures can at times be quite peculiar. The article “Eating Christmas in Kalahari” by Richard Borshay Lee, foretells a classic example of cross culture misunderstanding when people from different cultures operate in a culturally unfamiliar environment. Richard Lee, a social anthropologist, explains what he learned living with the !Kung Bushmen, a South African tribe, for three years. This Gemeinschaft community of hunters-gatherers worked together to teach the anthropologist something important to their people, even though he was unaware of their intentions in the beginning.

An ideology created in the 1960s, the culture of poverty is the idea that people stuck in poverty during this time had no way of breaking out and that they were trapped in a vicious cycle. The people living this way are helpless and could not provide for themselves, and many born in this lifestyle are heading downward with no avail. To spread awareness in the 60s, CBS sent reporter Charles Kuralt to document the quality of life and present the culture of poverty that ravaged in Appalachia. He went around a small town in mountainside Kentucky and interviewed families and documented the state of life around Christmas. This CBS News Special Report, Christmas In Appalachia, affirms the ideology of a culture of poverty, and the interview with Ibe Johnson, a hardworking husband and father, solidifies this through several filming techniques. Using a mix of eye-level and low level angle shots along with scale, duration of the interview, and composition of the scene, the film subjects the viewers to evidence of the culture of poverty.

Personal culture, is a share combination of an individual’s traits, skills, and personality. It is formed within the context of their ethnic, racial, familial, and educational environments. Everyone’s personal culture is unique to them (Mensah, 2015, CH3 PPT, Slide 3). I agree with the statement that everyone’s personal culture is unique to them because everyone comes from a different culture, and they are always bound to do something unique that is different to others. Ever since I can remember, my family and I have always celebrated the common holidays that occur throughout the year such as; New Year’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. My family and I have a strong bond, and when holidays come up we always get together and spend time to celebrate the holiday. This is how I grew up, and we never done anything different, and being raised with that in my

Instead, Lee was taunted and belittled by everyone for choosing a “bag of bones”. He was even told that the ox he had chosen was going to ruin the Christmas feast, but Lee insisted that he had chosen a beautiful animal and was confident that they would still eat with pleasure. They replied saying, “Of course we will eat it; it’s food. But it won’t fill us up to the point where we will have enough strength to dance. We will eat and go home to bed with stomachs rumbling”(Lee, Eating Christmas with the Kalahari Pg. 2). Lee was also told that the lack of meat would cause a fight over how they were going to distribute it amongst the Ju. The response frustrated Lee to the point that he tried searching for a better ox, but was unable to find another. He decided that he was just going to serve the ox regardless.

We were very depress when all of my mom babies died, and because of that my mom is done having babies. We made Christmas rodomont’s for all of the babies that died so we wouldn’t forget them. My brother Isaiah almost died but we overpower all of that with teamwork. First, we made Christmas rodomont’s for all of the babies that died because they are in heaven and I believe that they can still see us so I want them to know that we still love them.

Holidays are an important part of every culture in the world. They are times of festivity where friends and family gather together to celebrate special events at different points of the year. Oftentimes these affairs aren’t limited to a single day and each country has their own set of specific rituals that they perform to commemorate the occasion. Many holidays also have religious origins that are a mix of Christian and pagan beliefs.

Writing this essay could make you have an open mind about others and how different we celebrate our holiday.

Different parts of the world contain their own traditions. Not only do different regions have their own unique traditions, but also neighbors in a subdivision might not believe in

The holidays have sprung upon us. There is a chill in the air. In some places, the ground covered with snow. It is a time where stores are filled with candy canes, Christmas trees, and chocolate Santas. When you look at storefronts there may be snowflakes in the windows, or Christmas trees in your local malls. Christmas, it seems so magical to most, it’s the holiday most know. However, there are some who celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanza, or they just belong to a different culture and their holidays are filled with their own traditions. For some, December is not marked by going to a tree filled the parking lot, inhaling that pleasant smell of pine, while searching for the perfect tree. Instead, their December starts with a tradition not as widely

Holidays are overrated. They are days made up by large retailers to prompt you to spend more money on items that you don’t need. Think about it, how much money have you spent on all the decorations and gifts in your lifetime? If all the holidays ceased to exist, people wouldn’t have to fret about working overtime just to save up for all of the Christmas gifts or if they have enough money to buy dye for the eggs during Easter (Participial Phrase). Who needs a nine foot tall pine tree in their living room? What family needs to eat a whole turkey in the matter of hours? (Rhetorical Question) Celebrating the new year is pointless, the only thing that changes is the date, everything else remains the same. Many years ago holidays had some sort of

Christmas is the annual festival celebrating the birth of Jesus on the 25th December, at least that is what it began as initially. Since it has expanded into an international phenomenon for consumption, taking priority over our everyday practices of life (Michel De Certeau, 1980). Our time we spend divided between work and leisure in accordance to the codes and conventions of society shifts, Christmas derails these expectations. Yet surprisingly Christmas gains little attention in terms of social research, despite the fact that it can be explored diversely. The inquiry ‘What is Christmas?’ links to multiple aspects of social research. The aspects of Christmas can be subdivided into the following; religion, commercialism, gift-giving, social relationships, sensualism and mythology. This essay will analyse these fundamentals of Christmas through both psychological and sociological perspectives, as the theories among these two social sciences are best suited to the elements which make up Christmas itself.

Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year. I love seeing the shinny Christmas lights that decorates my street and the sound of fresh fallen snow on the ground. Christmas reminds me of family, the laughter and loved we shared, and the gifts we gave to each other. My house on Christmas became the center of my joy.

Twas the night before Christmas, pale and yellow moonlight illuminated a house deep in the woods. Tall pine trees surrounded the house, like giants pointing at the inky black sky. Flurries of snowflakes swirled in a hurry around the house. The house stood alone and abandoned, adorned with Christmas lights, but not the ones you would see on any ordinary house. Some lights were fading, once bright and colorful but now a former shell of what they once been. Others burned out in a spark while the ones left were shattered. The front door was decorated with a rug that could be mistaken as an animal. The tree inside the house was not in the most pristine condition, either. The tree slumped in a dark corner. The top of the tree stretched out like bony fingers grasping at the air. The shiny, glinting ornaments that once fashioned the tree were now shattered. The wallpaper plastered to the wall was now peeling off, like it was rotting. The paint on anything on the house was now faded and chipping away. Stale air filled with dust occupied the house. The house was indeed creepy and not in the most pristine condition. Even more mysterious, the house would only ever appear on the night of Christmas Eve. Despite this, many local teenagers and explorers were drawn to the house. Anyone who was brave enough or dumb enough would enter and see the house in its deteriorated state. One Christmas Eve night many years ago, an explorer had stumbled across the house. He had been in the snow for what