Summary Of Body Ritual Among The Nacirema By Horace Miner

In 1956 a professor from the University of Michigan, Horace Miner, wrote an article in The American Anthropologist that has become a mainstay of learning for anthropology students. Miner published the article to show a fictional exotic society called “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” as an example of how one’s own limited perspective might affect the perception of a foreign culture (Miner, 1956, p. 503). The article uses subtle humor to make the reader more comfortable in examining cultural behaviors, physical appearance, and health as the reader soon discovers that the actual society being examined is the American society. To the reader, the article begins to sound very familiar after each paragraph is

"Body Ritual among the Nacirema" is an article by Horace Miner that depicts a group of tribespeople known as the Nacirema, but is referring to Americans, whose cultural beliefs are firmly implanted in the idea that the human body is prone to illness and disfigurement. Miner establishes how the attitudes about the body has a ubiquitous influence on Nacirema society. Accordingly, they spend a significant part of their day in strange ritual activities to refine and elevate conditions of the body by using magical elements. Through a satirical approach, Miner uses this article as a way to describe American culture in a unique way by providing readers an outsider's perspective on American rituals. Miner's purpose in writing this article was to allow the reader to detach themselves and imagine how a foreigner might perceive the activities we deem as normal.

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

In my opinion, this article about the Nacirema people was very fascinating. These people have a very different culture than we do, which I find very intriguing. They believe that the human body is ugly, and describe it as weak and prone to disease. Due to many aspects of the nonmaterial culture in America, I was raised to believe that the human body is beautiful and can accomplish incredible things. Therefore, I find it hard to see the meaning of their rituals, however, I do respect our cultural differences. The Nacirema people also build shrines within their houses. These shrines contain chests full of previously used magical healing potions and charms. The Nacirema people perform personality ceremonies at the shrine daily in order to ensure

In the essay “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema”, anthropologist Horace Miner depicts a group of people known as the “Nacirema”, but is referring to Americans, whose cultural beliefs are deeply rooted in the perspective that the human body is prune to sickness and disfiguration. Consequently, a substantial part of their lives is spent on unusual rituals and customs to improve conditions of the body that are filled with magical components. Moreover, Miner uses the Nacirema’s unusual culture to establish his view that we simply could not judge another culture that it is different from our own, as opposed to another anthropologist Malinowski’s point that we can judge another culture since we are

Horace Minor applied satire in his article “Body Ritual among the Nacirema.” to the culture of the American people. Several ways in which “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” relate to the core concepts of sociology are through the use of sociological imagination, ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. The American culture is described by Minor in a very unique and humorous way. The author uses satire to examine the rituals that are every day in American culture. The reader thinks at the beginning of the article that they are reading about some uncivilized tribe of people but soon realized that the “rituals” that are being performed are just everyday events that take place in every American household.

In this article, Miner takes the role of an outsider and judges the Nacirema just as we judge other cultures. Miner does an exceptional job of wording things in such a way that we don’t even recognize our own culture. Miner wants us to realize that when someone, such as an anthropologist describes another culture, we can interpret that into being abnormal but in actuality, it is, by all means, very normal.

After reading Horace Miner’s Body Ritual Among the Nacirema I cannot say that I would want to be part of the tribe. A huge reason would be that I could never go from my own Christian faith to the religious practices of the Nacirema. My second reason for not wanting to be part of the tribe is that I could never be subjected to the horrific medical practices and “magical potions” used on every citizen in the tribe.

"Body Ritual Among the Nacirema" is significant as it establishes the issue of representation in ethnography. The purpose of the article is to raise the question of how can we study a different culture from the outside and how can we understand our own culture from within. Culture can be defined in many ways, Tylor (1871) stated that culture is; “…that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.” Therefore, the article presents the topic of cultural relativism, arguing that there is no impartial viewpoint from which to assess cultures, that every culture should be interpreted and understood from the

The traditional Athabascan potlatch has not change much since it was celebrated by their ancestors in the past. In this essay we will explore what the significance of the Athabascan potlatch and why it is so important to the communities where it is celebrated. We will also explore similar “gift giving” ceremonies by other indigenous people around the world.

The term Anthropology refers to the study of mankind as a whole. In the article “Body Ritual among the Nacirema” by Horace Miner, the introduction of a new cultural perspective crosses the boundaries of today’s societal norms. Horace Miner is mainly known for his studies in mankind, and as an anthropologist he must take into consideration, without preconceived opinions the variety of unique cultures within the human race. The Nacirema is a group living in North America whose culture, through the perspective of Horace Miner showcases human behavior taken to its highest degree. There is a common belief among the people of Nacirema in which it is the human body is prone to weakness and disease; therefore, in becoming the focal point of the

Throughout history, many different cultures illustrate their history and their beliefs through various artistic objects that they create. These artifacts allow historians to better gage their lifestyle, their beliefs, and how their society operated. One example of this is the “Drum Beater” sculpting created by Karoo Ashevak that is especially famous for its illustrations of the shamans and the spirits. In this research paper, Karoo Ashevak’s “drum beater” will be dissected and analysed; from the Inuit culture itself, to the physical features of the sculpting, as well as the significance and symbolism of the sculpting as it relates to the Inuit culture.

1) Horace Minor’s Nacirema was taking a look the American public in the 1950’s when Minor wrote the article. It was a satirical piece to give an objective look ‘to’ Americans, and Westerners alike, from the outside perspective without the immediate knowledge that it was western culture, but instead trying with the façade of a tribe. This article was riddled with symbols and symbolism that drew direct connections from a mysterious tribe to a well known western culture. For example the doctors, dentists and psychologists were all forms of medicine men: the doctors were actually named medicine men, the dentists were named ‘Mouth men’, and the psychologists were knows as ‘the listeners’. All three practitioners, just like in western society, were held in high regard, were higher up on the social latter and were very important to the entire tribe. This mirrors the respect and social structure that western society has for these types of professions. Also, the body shaming of the women in the tribe and the lack of respect that man has for women in the work place and otherwise in western culture, especially in the 50’s, draws more connections to identify the tribe as Americans. I really loved the attempt to make our forefathers into tribal gods. Washington being named Notgnihsaw, a man who couldn’t and didn’t lie when being confronted about the cherry tree he cut down. He also crossed a frozen river to fight a war. Everything from the unrealistic vanity the tribe would experience

For us to properly learn about culture, we must understand the meaning of cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. The two concepts challenge one another. Reading the article, we must pull away from our ethnocentric views and think critically about the Nacirema people's. However, the description of the culture creates an ideology that is hard to agree with. For example, the Nacirema peoples take part in a rite that involves hog hairs and magical powders. The Nacirema rituals do sound strange and displeasing but, we have to learn to recognize our ethnocentric judgments.

Russia is much more diverse than may be expected. Our item of clothing represents a group of Russian Indigenous people. In the Russian Federation there are 40 recognized and legally protected Indigenous people of The North, Siberia and the Far East, with a total population of about 244,000. However, there are over 100 ethnic groups not recognized. Our focus today will be on the Chukchi Tribe of Chukotka. There are two main tribal groups: the Reindeer Chukchi, who herd and migrate, and the Maritime Chukchi, who settle on