Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180104
Vijoy S. Sahay
The paper deals with such cultures and dialects that are either endangered or have become extinct, or are at the verge of extinction. There is no human group devoid of language and culture. In fact these are the two most distinguishing features of man that are not found in other animals. Other animals can produce sound, but cannot converse in different languages like man, and therefore, cannot transfer their learned behaviour (i.e. culture) from one generatioll to another. However, there is also no authentic account of when and how did language/speech emerge in human his ton;? Morgan (1963:12) suggested that invention of speech took place during the Lower Savagen; Period. The Prague School of Linguistics suggests that language is the product of' unconscious thought process' of man; therefore, it is universal. The author of the present paper has reservations to accept the suggestions of both the schools of thought, referred to above. Besides discussing the above issues, the paper also deals with empirical examples from some of the endangered cultures and languages/dialects from the State of Jharkhand, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The author has also attempted to explore tlze causes of withering of such cultures and dialects.
{"title":"An Empirical Note on Endangered Cultures and Dialects","authors":"Vijoy S. Sahay","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180104","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180104","url":null,"abstract":"The paper deals with such cultures and dialects that are either endangered or have become extinct, or are at the verge of extinction. There is no human group devoid of language and culture. In fact these are the two most distinguishing features of man that are not found in other animals. Other animals can produce sound, but cannot converse in different languages like man, and therefore, cannot transfer their learned behaviour (i.e. culture) from one generatioll to another. However, there is also no authentic account of when and how did language/speech emerge in human his ton;? Morgan (1963:12) suggested that invention of speech took place during the Lower Savagen; Period. The Prague School of Linguistics suggests that language is the product of' unconscious thought process' of man; therefore, it is universal. The author of the present paper has reservations to accept the suggestions of both the schools of thought, referred to above. Besides discussing the above issues, the paper also deals with empirical examples from some of the endangered cultures and languages/dialects from the State of Jharkhand, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The author has also attempted to explore tlze causes of withering of such cultures and dialects.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"125221247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180103
M. Naidu, Yonela. Scina
This paper discusses the background and the histonJ of a small sample of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in uMzimkhulu in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Through the use of life histories, the paper presents the rich background of the TBAs, describing their individual'calling' and thezr apprenticeship to become isangoma (traditional healers). The paper discusses how the women come to be identified as TBAs as well as the spiritual dimensions of being a TBA practitioner. The use of life histories as a methodologtj was vaiuable in the study as it gave the TBAs an opportuniltj to share thick descriptions of their lives, lived experiences, practices and rituals. Findings reveal that traditional medicine plays a 'silent role' in the health care system as many pregnant women in the African communi h) continue to seek traditional sources of health care as in the case of uMzimkhulu, where many of the pregnant women preferred to use medicines prepared by TBAs for their pregnancies.
{"title":"Traditional Birth Attendants: Insights from Life Histories","authors":"M. Naidu, Yonela. Scina","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180103","url":null,"abstract":"This paper discusses the background and the histonJ of a small sample of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in uMzimkhulu in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Through the use of life histories, the paper presents the rich background of the TBAs, describing their individual'calling' and thezr apprenticeship to become isangoma (traditional healers). The paper discusses how the women come to be identified as TBAs as well as the spiritual dimensions of being a TBA practitioner. The use of life histories as a methodologtj was vaiuable in the study as it gave the TBAs an opportuniltj to share thick descriptions of their lives, lived experiences, practices and rituals. Findings reveal that traditional medicine plays a 'silent role' in the health care system as many pregnant women in the African communi h) continue to seek traditional sources of health care as in the case of uMzimkhulu, where many of the pregnant women preferred to use medicines prepared by TBAs for their pregnancies.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"144 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127965308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180110
J. Devarapalli
A case study on the livelihood practices of tradition bound marakallu of Godavari River Island is presented in this paper, wlzich largely depend upon the fishing as their mainstay. In their long history of water resources utilization, developed a body of knowledge, which guides them to successfully manage with the dynamics of estuanJ and maintain their subsistence lnj applying the locally created technologtj. The taboos and local wisdom they follow facilitates them to overcome hurdles and even avert losses and provide them stable livelihood, ensuring the continuihj of resources for future use. The caste based occupational spedalization in a way prevents competition and conflict between marakallu and other caste groups of the island for the same resource.
{"title":"Marginal Resources and Sustainable Livelihood of Marakallu: The Role of Native Knowledge and Indigenous Technology","authors":"J. Devarapalli","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180110","url":null,"abstract":"A case study on the livelihood practices of tradition bound marakallu of Godavari River Island is presented in this paper, wlzich largely depend upon the fishing as their mainstay. In their long history of water resources utilization, developed a body of knowledge, which guides them to successfully manage with the dynamics of estuanJ and maintain their subsistence lnj applying the locally created technologtj. The taboos and local wisdom they follow facilitates them to overcome hurdles and even avert losses and provide them stable livelihood, ensuring the continuihj of resources for future use. The caste based occupational spedalization in a way prevents competition and conflict between marakallu and other caste groups of the island for the same resource.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"58 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114901464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180108
M. Pandi
The paper investigates the causes and consequence of tobacco usage in the Chuna Bhatta area of South Andaman with the help of primanJ survey. Out of the total population of190 persons in the study area, 74 people use tobacco products and a majorihj of the population started tobacco in the age group 16-20 years (63.52%) . The paper shows that there is a high proportion of persons in the study area that chew tobacco; in spite of the fact that around 66.67% of tobacco users in the area reported some form of tobacco related health complication. Thus, the paper argues for a better and more coordinated program by the government and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to help people quit tobacco addiction.
{"title":"Prevalence and Consequences of Tobacco usage : A Study in the Chuna Bhatta Area of South Andaman","authors":"M. Pandi","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180108","url":null,"abstract":"The paper investigates the causes and consequence of tobacco usage in the Chuna Bhatta area of South Andaman with the help of primanJ survey. Out of the total population of190 persons in the study area, 74 people use tobacco products and a majorihj of the population started tobacco in the age group 16-20 years (63.52%) . The paper shows that there is a high proportion of persons in the study area that chew tobacco; in spite of the fact that around 66.67% of tobacco users in the area reported some form of tobacco related health complication. Thus, the paper argues for a better and more coordinated program by the government and Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to help people quit tobacco addiction.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"241 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133682082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180106
Akash Mallick, Nadira Mallick, S. Ray
The main objective of the paper has been to explore the association of media exposure with perception of body image and eating behavior among a group of adolescent boys. A cross sectional study was conducted among 102 adolescent boys belonging to the Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group, who were between the ages of 14 and 19 years, living in North 24 Parganas district ofWest Bengal. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, body image perception and attitude, media exposures and eating be}zavior were collected using standard pretested questionnaires. It was observed that around half of the participants expressed dissatisfaction with a desire to have a healthy body shape. Although participants, who generally spent more than one hour a day on watching television or browsing internet or reading magazine articles, were more dissatisfied with their body image than the others; yet no significant association was found between any of the media and satisfaction level of their body image. Results further revealed that majorihJ of the participants have normal eating behavior and only 10% of the participants, who were dis.satisfied with their body image, showed disordered eating behavior. Only significant association was found between consumption of chocolates and their satisfaction level of own body image. Our qualitative data showed that participants were not much concerned with their 'body image' and 'body weight", but they did fantasize about the body structure of their idols (be them the actors, athletes or social leaders) and wanted to be like them. It can be safely assumed that the adolescent boys have dissatisfaction with their body image perhaps in their subconscious mind. Media would play a significant role in building up their body image and consequently their eating behavior.
{"title":"Body Image Perception, Media Exposure and Eating Behavior: an exploratory study among a group of adolescent boys in West Bengal","authors":"Akash Mallick, Nadira Mallick, S. Ray","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180106","url":null,"abstract":"The main objective of the paper has been to explore the association of media exposure with perception of body image and eating behavior among a group of adolescent boys. A cross sectional study was conducted among 102 adolescent boys belonging to the Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group, who were between the ages of 14 and 19 years, living in North 24 Parganas district ofWest Bengal. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, body image perception and attitude, media exposures and eating be}zavior were collected using standard pretested questionnaires. It was observed that around half of the participants expressed dissatisfaction with a desire to have a healthy body shape. Although participants, who generally spent more than one hour a day on watching television or browsing internet or reading magazine articles, were more dissatisfied with their body image than the others; yet no significant association was found between any of the media and satisfaction level of their body image. Results further revealed that majorihJ of the participants have normal eating behavior and only 10% of the participants, who were dis.satisfied with their body image, showed disordered eating behavior. Only significant association was found between consumption of chocolates and their satisfaction level of own body image. Our qualitative data showed that participants were not much concerned with their 'body image' and 'body weight\", but they did fantasize about the body structure of their idols (be them the actors, athletes or social leaders) and wanted to be like them. It can be safely assumed that the adolescent boys have dissatisfaction with their body image perhaps in their subconscious mind. Media would play a significant role in building up their body image and consequently their eating behavior.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"49 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133912101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180105
S. John
Caste and the categories of caste play a vital role in the Indian socio-cultural system. Though the identity of caste is 'ascribed' in nahtre, the administrative categories are 'political', 'flexible' and 'achieved'. A caste wlzich has multiple nomenclahtres, and domiciled in different regions may be placed under different administrative categories. T11ese categories also change based on the religious affiliations of individual members. Therefore the issue of identihJ and social status within the same caste group occurs and creates disputes from time to time. This paper is an attempt to study these issues with special reference to the Kuravans domiciled in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and tries to understand the relationship among the Kuravans domiciled in different regions.
{"title":"The Making of a Caste Group: A Case Study of the Kuravans in Tamil Nadu and Kerala","authors":"S. John","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180105","url":null,"abstract":"Caste and the categories of caste play a vital role in the Indian socio-cultural system. Though the identity of caste is 'ascribed' in nahtre, the administrative categories are 'political', 'flexible' and 'achieved'. A caste wlzich has multiple nomenclahtres, and domiciled in different regions may be placed under different administrative categories. T11ese categories also change based on the religious affiliations of individual members. Therefore the issue of identihJ and social status within the same caste group occurs and creates disputes from time to time. This paper is an attempt to study these issues with special reference to the Kuravans domiciled in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and tries to understand the relationship among the Kuravans domiciled in different regions.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"129975061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180112
N. Handique, N. Roy, Avijit Sahay
The Bodo problem ofWestern Assam has long been looked through a communal prism. The genocide of Muslims and the targeted killings ofSanthals who are a tea tribe in Assam and are also called Adivasis, have in the eyes of law enforcement agencies, media persons, and civic administration been given a communal tinge. The present paper is an attempt to analyse the ethnic issue of Bodo movement through an academic perspective, and to find out whether this phenomenon is just another attempt at ethnic cleansing to rid the area of all non-Bodo communities ('other' communities), or has it got a more subtle meaning that could be brought out by an intellectual debate on ethnic clashes in Bodo dominated area. The intellectual debate in this paper has been simulated blj a series of spatio-political interpretations involving the causes and effects of these ethnic clashes. The interpretations will range from the most gross estimation of seeing ethnic clashes as a form of communal riot, to the most subtle explanation of understanding ethnic clashes as a clash between the mental maps of warring communities.
{"title":"Spatio-political Interpretations of Ethnic Conflict in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts","authors":"N. Handique, N. Roy, Avijit Sahay","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180112","url":null,"abstract":"The Bodo problem ofWestern Assam has long been looked through a communal prism. The genocide of Muslims and the targeted killings ofSanthals who are a tea tribe in Assam and are also called Adivasis, have in the eyes of law enforcement agencies, media persons, and civic administration been given a communal tinge. The present paper is an attempt to analyse the ethnic issue of Bodo movement through an academic perspective, and to find out whether this phenomenon is just another attempt at ethnic cleansing to rid the area of all non-Bodo communities ('other' communities), or has it got a more subtle meaning that could be brought out by an intellectual debate on ethnic clashes in Bodo dominated area. The intellectual debate in this paper has been simulated blj a series of spatio-political interpretations involving the causes and effects of these ethnic clashes. The interpretations will range from the most gross estimation of seeing ethnic clashes as a form of communal riot, to the most subtle explanation of understanding ethnic clashes as a clash between the mental maps of warring communities.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"84 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121384558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180111
M. C. Behera
Ethnographically informed studies present us a wide range of tribal interaction, such as interaction with the tribes, by the tribes and within each tribe. The information reveals differences, often hierarchical, at different spheres. These differences are studied En; applying various approaches, and conceptual and theoretical perspectives. One of the approaches to study the incidence of difference critically is the perspective of othernessthe presentation of 'the self and 'the other' in binary opposition. In view of this, the paper attempts to study ethnographically informed differences in tribal interactions by applying the binan; perspective of' the self and 'the other'. In doing so, it critically examines the usefulness of the binan; approach to study the perspective of' otherness' with reference to differences as informed in the process of tribal interactions. The paper is essentially a preliminan; enquin; on the topic and is based on the field and other ethnographically informed data.
{"title":"Self and Other: Revisiting Differences in Tribal Interactions 1","authors":"M. C. Behera","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180111","url":null,"abstract":"Ethnographically informed studies present us a wide range of tribal interaction, such as interaction with the tribes, by the tribes and within each tribe. The information reveals differences, often hierarchical, at different spheres. These differences are studied En; applying various approaches, and conceptual and theoretical perspectives. One of the approaches to study the incidence of difference critically is the perspective of othernessthe presentation of 'the self and 'the other' in binary opposition. In view of this, the paper attempts to study ethnographically informed differences in tribal interactions by applying the binan; perspective of' the self and 'the other'. In doing so, it critically examines the usefulness of the binan; approach to study the perspective of' otherness' with reference to differences as informed in the process of tribal interactions. The paper is essentially a preliminan; enquin; on the topic and is based on the field and other ethnographically informed data.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"47 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126545887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-06-01DOI: 10.1177/0976343020180101
Sultan Khan
Post liberation in 1994, South Africa had large numbers of migrants coming to the countnj from different parts of the continent in order to escape the political instabilihj and poverhJ prevalent in their home countnj. The liberation of South Africa provided a new sense of hope, as they wanted to share in the fruits of democracy that presented itself for the indigenous Africans. Migrants over a short period integrated with indigenous South Africans and established themselves socially and economically. This advancement raised the ire of the indigenous Africans as the economic benefits of the post liberation political promises did not affect their lives materially. This together with other factors instigated by prominent political personalities served as a catalyst that resulted in the most brutal xenophobic violence against migrants in 2008 and 2015. This paper through content analysis of secondanJ and primanJ sources of data reflects on the early signs of xenophobic VIolence occurring, the political and social events that lead to both the 2008 and 2015 violence and the response of South African civil sociehj in providing humanitarian assistance to victims of the violence.
{"title":"Reflection on the Xenophobic Violence against African Migrants in South Africa","authors":"Sultan Khan","doi":"10.1177/0976343020180101","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/0976343020180101","url":null,"abstract":"Post liberation in 1994, South Africa had large numbers of migrants coming to the countnj from different parts of the continent in order to escape the political instabilihj and poverhJ prevalent in their home countnj. The liberation of South Africa provided a new sense of hope, as they wanted to share in the fruits of democracy that presented itself for the indigenous Africans. Migrants over a short period integrated with indigenous South Africans and established themselves socially and economically. This advancement raised the ire of the indigenous Africans as the economic benefits of the post liberation political promises did not affect their lives materially. This together with other factors instigated by prominent political personalities served as a catalyst that resulted in the most brutal xenophobic violence against migrants in 2008 and 2015. This paper through content analysis of secondanJ and primanJ sources of data reflects on the early signs of xenophobic VIolence occurring, the political and social events that lead to both the 2008 and 2015 violence and the response of South African civil sociehj in providing humanitarian assistance to victims of the violence.","PeriodicalId":186168,"journal":{"name":"The Oriental Anthropologist","volume":"25 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130951353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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