KJM

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Kevin Mccarthy

QEP ASSIGNMENT - ANTH 1003 - Fall 2011

=‍CONNECTIONS IN ECONOMY - Marriage, Family, Politics, and Subsistence = = = = = Egalitarian ||< Food Collection Forage, Hunter Gatherers ||< Bilateral, Non exogamous, "Forest People" "Kinshiplessness" ||< Patrilinieages, Patrilocal, interband relationships and marriage regulations for procreation ||< Redistribution, Barter with neighboring villagers || Absolute monarchy ||< Food production & Food distribution. Mechanized Industrial ||< Unilineal, Patrilineal ||< Patrilocal ||< Barter system, Market exchange ||
 * < Category ||< Political Organization ||< Subsistence Strategy ||< Kinship System ||< Postmarital Residence ||< Economic activity ||
 * < Mbuti ||< Band, Nomadic
 * < Apache ||< Tribe - Chief is head of Tribe. ||< Food producton & Food Collection Forage, Hunter Gatherers ||< Bilateral ||< Matrilocal, son in law considered valuable to wifes parents ||< Redistribution ||
 * < Saudi Arabia ||< Chiefdom,
 * < America (non imagrant) Western European Decent ||< State, Stratified Society ||< Food production & Food distribution. Mechanized Industrial ||< Bilateral, Nuclear family ||< Neolocal, Patrilocal, Matrlocal ||< Market Exchange ||

 The chart above summarizes the 4 different types of societies found in various parts of the world past and present. Bands, Tribes, Chiefdoms, and States all have a certain connection in terms of the way the group makes decisions, obtains subsistence, how their Kinship is determined, marriage customs, and economic activity.

 In the examples above, political organization can be described as similar in all groups except the Mbuti. The Apache, Saudi, and American groups do have what can be considered an ultimate authority. In the case of the Apache the Chief of the tribe is the ultimate decision maker. In Saudi Arabia the governing power over the population comes directly from the King or Monarchy. America has what we consider a democratic governing body consisting of the Congress, Senate, and the President.

 The subsistence strategy in the above groups could be considered the same if you think about the end product being food, clothing, and shelter. The differences become apparent when you look at the size of the group’s membership. The Mbuti do not use agriculture to produce food and raw materials; however they do trade with cooperating villages to get what they need to sustain themselves. The Apache, Saudi’s and Americans use agriculture to grow food. The Saudi’s and Americans also domesticate animals to maintain a supply of meat products.

 No matter what kinship system is used in a society they are all connected in that procreation is accomplished with men and women. The differences become apparent after the fact when we look at the role or stature men and woman have within a particular society. All the groups in the chart above can be considered Bilateral in that decedents can be traced back to a man and woman. Each group tends to place more importance on one side of the family than the other. Using my examples you could conclude that Americans place equal amounts of importance on the father and mothers side of the family. The Mbuti and Saudi’s place much more importance on the father’s side of the family. The Saudi’s give the woman in their society little or no rights or stature.

 Economic activity within these groups are also very similar with respect to the end result. To be more specific, the Mbuti and Apache do not have a market exchange system, and generally redistribute their wealth within the society. On the other hand the Saudi’s and Americans have a monetary system that family’s use to provide for themselves. The more wealth you acquire the more stature or power you may have within the society.

 All human beings are connected in one way or another. Human beings are created the same in all societies from a biological standpoint. The group’s culture is what determines how the society functions. Each group has a uniqueness and similarity when you consider functionality. Similarities or exceptions can be found in the subsistence strategy and economic activity in all the societies. Political organization and kinship system can be very different than what we consider normal. After all, as we say here in America, “we’re only human”

Sources: The Mbuti Pygmies: An Ethnographic Survey by Colin M. Turnbull Review by:Richard B. Lee American Anthropologist, New Series, Vol. 69, No. 2 (Apr., 1967), pp. 243-244 Published by: [|Blackwell Publishing] on behalf of the [|American Anthropological Association] Article Stable URL: []

Schultz, Emily A. and Robet H. Lavenda __Cultural Anthropology A Perspective of the Human Condition__ New York: Oxford University Press, 2009

Sharp, Jay W. "Profile of An Apache Woman" __Desert USA.__ 15 November 2011 < http://www.desertusa.com/ind1/indwom.html>