Who are the Nacirema and how shall they be defined? The dictionary defines an Anthropologist as a person that studies human beings and their ancestors through time and space and in relation to physical character, environmental and social relations, and culture (Webster 2011). I am not claiming to be an Anthropologist however, from my viewpoint, I am not sure if I am capable of grasping my mind around the concept that “the body is ugly and that its natural tendency is to debility and disease” explained
The Nacirema tribe is a North American group with a highly developed market economy that has evolved into a rich natural habitat. The underlying belief of the Nacirema is the human body is ugly and that it has a tendency to weakness and illness. The Nacirema believe that the condition of one’s mouth has influence on their social relationships and believe that if not in good condition, their lovers will leave them, their gums will bleed and their teeth will fall out, etc. So in order to maintain a
When Abelard Schneider returned from his voyage to the primitive Nacirema tribes, one could scarcely stop him in his excited rambling. He spoke in a frenzy, rarely pausing to accept questions from his audience of peeved onlookers. Schneider’s discoveries describe at great length, the peculiar nature of Nacirema mating rituals, a world of bizarre customs and luxurious excesses. It is well known that the Nacirema engage in an elaborate rite which they call a gniddew; each tribesperson is expected to
Who are the Nacirema? According to Horace Miner the Nacirema are a tribe located in North America, originating from the east, who are known for their performances of odd rituals and taboo magic. Miner, an author published by The American Anthropologist, wrote an article in 1956 titled "Body Ritual Among the Nacirema". Recently additional information has surfaced about the tribe from the American Anthropology Association. Proof of a new strange ritual has been discovered. This practice consists of
Dillon O’Brien Merrill Singer Anthro 1000 15 April 2012 Nacirema Paper It has been rumored that are extraordinary beings on another familiar planet close by our home of Nacirema, and it is our goal as the Interplanetary Nacirema Research Center team to investigate the situation. We plan to focus our trip on the specific coordinates that the University of Connecticut campus lies on, and being the curious creatures we are, we plan to delve into specific areas within this concentrated area. We
The rituals of the Nacirema To most of us, hospitals are a place to help you when you’re in need or want to get healthy. But for the Nacirema, it’s quite the opposite. According to the Nacirema ritual article, they call hospitals a latipso, which is hospital spelt backwards without the ‘H’. They discuss and caricature the repulsive viewings on what they think goes on in hospitals (latipso’s), or what they think they do. I will now tell you how in Miner’s perspective, the body is ugly and how
Anthropologists are familiar of many cultures that spread across the world. They are usually not surprised when it comes to bizarre cultures such as the Nacirema. The Nacirema is a North American group, although it suggests that they came from the East little is known about their origins. What makes the Nacirema so interesting are their beliefs and rituals, within their culture it is believed their body is ugly, and has a tendency to be weak and attract diseases. This belief has led them to have
While reading the Nacirema I could not help to think how different they were and question the different rituals and customs they practiced. After finding out the meaning behind the allegory I was shocked and surprised. I was surprised int the similarities that are visible after knowing that the parable of the Nacirema was actually about America. My brain started making connections to the American culture. One of the first connections that immediately made to the reading was the part where Miner talked
Ritual among the Nacirema, the author, Horace Miner, discusses the various types of strange rituals the tribe of Nacirema performs. The main reason for these rituals is that these people believe that the natural human body is unattractive according to their established standards. The article is solely focused on the rituals and traditions that the Nacirema go through on a daily basis. Their primary focus is centered around appearances and health instead of their economy. The Nacirema believe that by
and norms. An example would a clan known as Nacirema whose culture would be described by outsiders as extreme and sadistic. Their culture consists of unique ritual, strong believe in magical essences, but how different does it vary from the American Culture? A large portion of the Nacirema daily activities are dedicated to religious rituals, but more specifically with the focus on body rituals. They place great importance in their